Concerning Allah's statement,

[وَإِذَا الْجِبَالُ سُيِّرَتْ ]

(And when the mountains are made to pass away;) meaning, they will not remain in their places and they will be destroyed. Then the earth will be left as a flat, level plain. Then Allah says,

[وَإِذَا الْعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتْ ]

(And when the pregnant she-camels (`Ishar) are neglected (`Uttilat);) `Ikrimah and Mujahid said, "`Ishar are (pregnant she-) camels.'' Mujahid said, "`Uttilat means abandoned and left.'' Ubayy bin Ka`b and Ad-Dahhak both said, "Their owners will neglect them.'' Ar-Rabi` bin Khuthaym said, "They will not be milked or tied up. Their masters will leave them abandoned.'' Ad-Dahhak said, "They will be left with no one to tend to them.'' And the meaning of all of these statements is similar. What is intended is that the `Ishar is a type of camel. It is actually the best type of camel, and particularly the pregnant females of them when they have reached the tenth month of their pregnancies. One of them is singularly referred to as `Ushara', and she keeps that name until she gives birth. So the people will be too busy to tend to her, take care of her or benefit from her, after she used to be the most important thing to them. This will be due to what will suddenly overtake them of the great, terrifying and horrible situation. This is the matter of the Day of Judgement, the coming together of its causes, and the occurrence of those things that will happen before it.

[وَإِذَا الْوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتْ ]

(And when the wild beasts are gathered together.) meaning, gathered. This is as Allah says,

[وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَلاَ طَائِرٍ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلاَّ أُمَمٌ أَمْثَـلُكُمْ مَّا فَرَّطْنَا فِى الكِتَـبِ مِن شَىْءٍ ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ ]

(There is not a moving creature on earth, nor a bird that flies with its two wings, but are communities like you. We have neglected nothing in the Book, then unto their Lord they shall be gathered.) (6:38) Ibn `Abbas said, "Everything will be gathered, even the flies.'' This statement was recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim. Allah also says,

[وَالطَّيْرَ مَحْشُورَةً]

(And (so did) the birds assembled.) [38:19] meaning, gathered.