Wasu rahotanni sun ce wannan sūrah ta Madaniyya ce, amma wasu rahotannin sun nuna cewa an saukar da ita ne a Makka. Rahotannin na ƙarshe sun fi inganci, saboda salon bayaninta da abubuwan da take magana a kansu sun fi dacewa da salo da jigogin sūrahs na Makka.

According to some reports, this sūrah is a Madinan revelation, but other reports suggest that it was revealed in Makkah. The latter reports seem to be more valid, because the sūrah’s mode of expression and subject matter are more in line with the style and subjects of Makkan sūrahs.

Sūrah ta yi kira mai tsanani ga zukatan da suka yi barci, inda jigon magana, yanayin da ta zana da kuma salon jimla duk suna ba da gudummawa ga wannan girgiza. Tana kamar fashewa mai ƙarfi da ke sa ƙasa da duk abin da ke kanta su girgiza su yi rawar jiki. Mutane ba sa ma farfaɗowa daga hankalinsu sai sun ga kansu a fuskantar lissafi, auna da tantance ayyukansu da abubuwan da suka aikata. Nan da nan kuma suna karɓar sakamakonsu. Duk wannan an bayyana shi cikin ƴan jimloli gajeru, wanda shi ne salon wannan ɓangare na Alƙur'ani baki ɗaya, kuma an zana shi da ƙarfi a cikin wannan sūrah musamman.

The sūrah makes a violent wake-up call to drowsy hearts; the subject matter, scene drawn and rhythm all contributing to the effect of this jolt. It is a powerful blast that makes the earth and all that is on it quake and tremble. Men hardly recover their senses when they find themselves confronted with the reckoning, weighing and evaluating of actions and deeds. They immediately receive their recompense. All this is expressed in just a few short phrases, which is characteristic of this part of the Qur’ān as a whole and forcefully portrayed in this particular sūrah.

Sa'ad da ƙasa za a girgiza ta da girgizarta ta ƙarshe, sa'ad da ƙasa za ta zubar da nauyinta, sa'ad da mutum zai ce: "Me ya same ta?" A wannan rana za ta faɗi labarinta, domin Ubangijinka zai yi mata wahayi.

When the earth is rocked by her [final] earthquake, when the earth shakes off her burdens, and man asks: ‘What is the matter with her?’ On that day she will tell her news, for your Lord will have inspired her. (Verses 1-5)

Ranar Alƙiyama ce, lokacin da ƙasa mai ƙarfi za ta girgiza sosai, tana rawa da ƙarfi, tana fitar da nauyin da ta ɗauka na dogon lokaci: jikunan mutane, ƙarafa da sauran abubuwa da suka yi mata nauyi. Wannan yanayi ne da duk wani abu mai ƙarfi da tsayayye a ƙarƙashin ƙafafun masu sauraro zai girgiza ya kaɗa. Za su ɗauka cewa suna tangaɗi suna tangaɗa, kuma ƙasar da ke ƙarƙashinsu tana rawa tana girgiza. Wannan yanayi ne da yake raba zuciya daga duk abin da ke duniya da take manne da shi, tana ɗauka cewa tsayayye ne kuma madawwami. Alƙur'ani yana ba waɗannan yanayi wani irin motsi wanda ake isar da shi kusan har cikin jijiyoyin mai saurare. Wannan tasiri nan take yana da ƙarfi sosai saboda an kwatanta mutum yana fuskantar wannan duka yana kuma mayar da martani gare shi: "Kuma mutum yana cewa: 'Me ya same ta?'" (Aya ta 3)

It is the Day of Judgement when the firm earth trembles and quakes violently and yields up her long-carried loads of bodies and metals and other matters which have weighed heavily on her. It is a scene that makes every firm and solid object under the feet of the listeners shake and totter. They think themselves to be staggering and toddling along and the earth beneath them shuddering and quaking. It is a scene which separates one’s heart from everything on earth it clings to, assuming it to be firm and everlasting. The Qur’ān imparts to these scenes a kind of movement which is transmitted almost to the very sinews of the listener. Such immediate impact is all the more forceful because man is portrayed as confronting and reacting to it all: “And man asks: ‘What is the matter with her?’“ (Verse 3)

Wannan ita ce tambayar wanda ya rikice, ya yi mamaki, ya firgita, ya kuma ruɗe, wanda ya ga abin da bai saba da shi ba, ya ci karo da abin da ba a iya fahimta ba, ya kuma ga abin da ke sa shi rashin haƙuri da damuwa. Sai ya yi ihu: Me ya faru da ita? Me ke girgiza ta da ƙarfi haka? Yana kuka yayin da yake ɗari-ɗari yana faɗuwa, yana ƙoƙarin riƙe duk abin da zai iya tallafa masa ko ya sa shi tsayuwa. Amma duk abin da ke kewaye da shi yana rawa yana kaɗawa sosai.

It is the question advanced by one who is bewildered, astonished, surprised and puzzled, who sees something unfamiliar, encounters what is imperceptible, and beholds what makes him impatient and agitated. o he blurts out: What is the matter with her? What is quaking and shaking her so violently? He cries as he reels and staggers, trying to hold on to anything which may support or keep him upright. But all around him waver and totter violently.