Surah Al-Qiyamah 75:25
سُورَةُ القِيَامَةِ · Meccan · Verse 25 of 40
تَظُنُّ أَن يُفْعَلَ بِهَا فَاقِرَةٌۭ
Translation
of those who realize that a great calamity is about to befall them.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
Surah 75:25 describes the state of the wretched on the Day of Judgment, following the description of their faces being grim and scowling. It states that these faces (or the people themselves) are "تَظُنُّ أَن يُفْعَلَ بِهَا فَاقِرَةٌۭ", meaning they "expect that a back-breaking calamity will befall them."
The Word for Expectation
The Arabic word "تَظُنُّ" (taẓunnu) might seem to imply mere "thinking" or "suspecting," but in this context, scholars like al-Jalalayn, al-Razi, and Ibn Ashur clarify its profound meaning. Here, "تَظُنُّ" signifies absolute *certainty* and *conviction* (yaqeen). The grim faces on that Day are not just guessing; they are *sure* of the terrible fate awaiting them. It's a certainty born from direct witness and inescapable reality.
Al-Razi adds a poignant layer, suggesting that the use of "تَظُنُّ" could also carry a tone of bitter irony or sarcasm. It's as if, after all their denial in this world, they finally "think" or "realize" the truth of the Day of Judgment when it's too late, and the signs of their doom are upon them. This highlights a chilling reality: for some, the truth only becomes undeniable at the moment of reckoning.
The Back-Breaking Calamity
The word "فَاقِرَةٌ" (faqirah) is particularly impactful. The plain meaning, as detailed by al-Muyassar and al-Jalalayn, is "a great calamity that breaks the vertebrae of the back." This isn't just a minor hardship; it's a disaster so immense it metaphorically (and perhaps literally for some in the hereafter) shatters a person's very structure and strength.
Scholars further elaborate on its roots: al-Razi explains that *faqirah* stems from words related to breaking the spine or a severe affliction that causes deep damage, like the act of cutting a camel's nose to the bone. This imagery conveys an overwhelming, crushing blow from which there is no recovery. Ibn Ashur notes that while "فاقرة" is singular, it refers to an entire *genus* or *type* of tremendous disaster, implying not just one specific misfortune, but a collection of calamities of such a scale that they are utterly devastating.
Why it Matters
The specific wording in this verse paints a vivid and unsettling picture of the Day of Judgment for those who denied it. Their faces are not only grim (as mentioned in the preceding verse) but are consumed by the *certainty* of an unimaginable, back-breaking calamity. This precise word choice emphasizes the overwhelming despair and the absolute, undeniable nature of their impending punishment, a stark contrast to the joy and hope on the faces of the believers described earlier in the Surah. It serves as a profound reminder for us to live with awareness of that inevitable Day.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Jalalayn, Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Qiyamah 75:25 is discussed in 2 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
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