The crushing of the earth and the blowing away of the mountains

Allah Almighty tells us that on the Day of Judgment, when the Trumpet will be blown, this stable earth of ours, with its strong and heavy mountains, will be crushed with a single crushing, as Allah, the Exalted, Says (what means):

{Then when the Horn is blown with one blast. And the earth and the mountains are lifted and leveled with one blow [i.e. stroke] —. Then on that Day, the Occurrence [i.e. Resurrection] will occur." [Quran 69: 13-15] and (what means): {When the earth has been leveled— pounded and crushed —.} [Quran 89: 21]

At that time, these firm and solid mountains will be turned into fine sand, as Allah Says (what means):

{On the Day the earth and the mountains will convulse and the mountains will become a heap of sand pouring down.} [Quran 73: 14]; i.e., after being solid rock, they will become like a heap of sand poured out, which describes the kind of sand where, if some is removed, the rest pours down. Words derived from the same root are used to describe what happens when a pile of sand collapses and the top of it falls to the bottom.

In other verses, Allah, the Most Exalted, tells us that the mountains will become like wool, as in the following verse (which means): {And the mountains will be like wool.} [Quran 70: 9]

In another verse, Allah, the Almighty, likens them to carded wool, as in the verse (which means): {And the mountains will be like wool, fluffed up.} [Quran 101: 5]

Then Allah will move these mountains from their places, and will flatten out the earth and there will be no peaks or troughs. The Quran describes the destruction of the mountains in the following verses (which mean):

{And when the mountains are removed…} [Quran 81: 3]
{And the mountains are removed and will be [but] a mirage.} [Quran 78. 20]
{And when the mountains are blown away...} [Quran 77: 10]

Then Allah explains what will happen to the earth after the mountains have been made to pass by and blown away, as in the verse (which means):

{And [remember] the Day We shall cause the mountains to pass away [to be removed], and you will see the earth as a leveled plain...} [Quran 18: 47]

And the verse (which means):

{And they ask you (O Muhammad) about the mountains, so say, “My Lord will blow them away with a blast. And He will leave it [i.e. the earth] a level plain. You will not see therein a depression or an elevation.'} [Quran 20: 105-107]

The bursting forth and overflowing of the sea

These seas which cover the greater part of our planet, in which such great numbers of creatures live and on the surface of which ships come and go, will on that Day be filled with flame. In modem times, we have learned of the great horror which is unleashed by the explosion of atoms which are smaller than water molecules, so how will it be then when the molecules of water in these vast oceans explode, when the seas will turn into blazing fire? You can imagine how these huge seas will be when they become inflammable, and how they will look like with flames reaching up to the sky.

Allah Almighty Says (what means):

{And when the seas are erupted...} [Quran 82: 3] and (what means): {And when the seas are filled with flame...} [Quran 81: 6]

The interpreters of the Quran of the past thought that this refers to the sea overflowing and breaking its barriers, so that the fresh water would be mixed with the salt water, and it would become one body of water. [Tafseer Al-Aaloosi, 30/63]

But what we have mentioned is more obvious and closer to the meaning; because the idea of exploding fits the idea of bursting, Allah knows best.

The shaking and splitting of the sky

Our beautiful blue sky, which lifts our spirits when we look at it, will be terribly shaken, as Allah Almighty Says (what means): {On the Day the heaven will sway with circular motion.} [Quran 52: 9]

Then it will split asunder, as Allah Says (what means): {When the sky breaks apart…} [Quran 82: 1] and (what means):

{When the sky has split [open]. And has listened [i.e. responded] to its Lord and was obligated [to do so].} [Quran 84: 1-2]

At that time the sky will become weak and torn up, like a great palace, solidly built with strong pillars, when it is shaken by an earthquake, so you see how, after being strong, it becomes broken, weak and cracked.

Allah Almighty Says (what means): {And the heaven will split [open] for that Day it is infirm.} [Quran 69: 16]

The color of this beautiful blue sky will also change. On that Day the sky will start to take on different colors, like dyes - red and yellow and green, and then blue, as Allah Says (what means):{And when the heaven is split open and becomes rose-colored like oil.} [Quran 55: 37]

The rolling up of the sun, the eclipse of the moon and the falling of the stars
This sun which we see shining every day, that fills our world with light and gives us warmth and energy which we cannot do without in order to see and move, and which is needed by every living creature and every plant that grows, will be collected and rolled up, and its light will vanish, as Allah, the Most High, Says (what means):

{When the sun is wrapped up [in darkness].} [Quran 81:1]

The moon, which appears at the beginning of the month as a crescent, then it waxes until it becomes a full moon, shining splendidly, whose beauty has always been enchanted by poets, will be eclipsed and its light will vanish. Almighty Allah Says (what means):
{So when vision is dazzled. And the moon darkens.} [Quran 75: 7-8]

The stars which are sprinkled across the blue dome of the sky will come to an end and they will fall and be scattered, as Almighty Allah Says (what means): {And when the stars fall, scattering...} [Quran 82: 2]

Allah also Says (what means): {And when the stars fall, dispersing…} [Quran 81: 2]

Source: The Day of Resurrection in the Light of the Quran and Sunnah

By: Umar Sulaymaan Al-Ashqar