Surah Al-Qari'ah, Verse 3

Tafsir of 101:3

Which was revealed in Makkah بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Al-Qariah is one of the names of the Day of Judgement, like Al-Haqqah, At-Tammah, As-Sakhkhah others Then Allah intensifies concern and fright for it by saying, وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْقَارِعَةُ (And what will make you know what Al-Qari`ah is) Then He explains this by saying, يَوْمَ يَكُونُ النَّاسُ كَالْفَرَاشِ الْمَبْثُوثِ (It is a Day whereon mankind will be like moths scattered about.) meaning, in their scattering, their dividing, their coming and their going, all due to being bewildered at what is happening to them, they will be like scattered moths. This is like Allah's statement, كَأَنَّهُمْ جَرَادٌ مُّنتَشِرٌ (As if they were locusts spread abroad.) (54:7) Allah said, وَتَكُونُ الْجِبَالُ كَالْعِهْنِ الْمَنفُوشِ (And the mountains will be like wool, carded.) meaning, they will become like carded wool that has began to wear out (fade away) and be torn apart. Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, Ad-Dahhak and As-Suddi have all said, كَالْعِهْنِ (like wool (`Ihn).…

Source: Ibn Kathir (Abridged)