Tafseer Ibn Kathir of AL HAAQQAH [13]

13. Then when the Trumpet will be blown with one blowing. 14. And the earth and the mountains shall be removed from their places, and crushed with a single crushing. 15. Then on that Day shall the Event occur. 16. And the heaven will be rent asunder, for that Day it will be frail and torn up. 17. And the angels will be on its sides, and eight angels will, that Day, bear the Throne of your Lord above them. 18. That Day shall you be brought to Judgement, not a secret of you will be hidden. Allah informs of the horrors that will take place on the Day of Judgement. The first of these events is the blowing of fright (into the Trumpet), which will be followed by the blowing of destruction when everyone in the heavens and the earth will be struck down except whoever Allah wills. Then, after this will be the blowing of standing before the Lord of all that exists, and the resurrection, and the gathering. And this is that blowing. It is emphasized here that it is one blowing, because the command of Allah cannot be opposed or prevented, and it does not need to be repeated or stressed. Thus, Allah goes on to say,

(And the earth and the mountains shall be removed from their places, and crushed with a single crushing.) meaning, they will be stretched out to the extent of the surface (of the earth) and the earth will change into something else other than the earth.

(Then on that Day shall the Event occur.) meaning, the Day of Judgement.

(And the heaven will be rent asunder, for that Day it will be frail and torn up.) Ibn Jurayj said, ”This is like Allah's statement,

(And the heaven shall be opened, it will become as gates.) (78:19) Ibn `Abbas said, ”It (the sky) will be torn apart and the Throne will be near it.''

(And the angels will be on its sides,) The word Malak here is referring to the species of angels (all of them); meaning the angels collectively will be standing on the sides of the heavens. Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said concerning Allah's statement,

(And the angels will be on its sides,) ”This means that they will be standing on what has been ground to powder of the heavens looking at the people of the earth.'   Concerning the statement of Allah,

(That Day shall you be brought to Judgement, not a secret of you will be hidden.) meaning, `you will all be presented to the Knower of the secrets and private counsels. He is the One from Whom none of your affairs are hidden. He is the Knower of all things apparent, secret and hidden.' This is the reason that Allah says,

(not a secret of you will be hidden.) Imam Ahmad recorded from Abu Musa that the Messenger of Allah said,

(The people will be exhibited three times on the Day of Judgement. The first two presentations will be (their) arguing and offering excuses. During the third presentation the pages (records) will fly into their hands. Some of them will receive the records in their right hands and some will receive them in their left hands.) Ibn Majah and At-Tirmidhi both recorded this Hadith.