A004
Surah: 101 - Ayah: 004
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101:4
Farash (sing. farashah) (Moths, butterflies)
It is mentioned in verse (101:4): "The day (i.e. Day of Resurrection) on which human beings shall be like scattered moths." The wisdom-filled allusion of this verse is that due to the darkness and dreadfulness of the resurrection, all the moths of soul will scatter around the lamp of the light of Imamat, as mentioned in another related verse (17:71): "The day when We will invite every people (of the time) with their Imam."
In this world, caterpillars, in time, metamorphose into moths. Not all moths, however, are important. Moths which have importance are those that are transformed from silk-worms. See the Qur'an: "A day wherein mankind will be as thickly-scattered moths' (101:4). This means that eventually all people will be in the form of subtle particles. There is the allusion here that all people will transform from the dense body into the subtle body. And silk moths serve as examples of the 'righteous (al-salihun)", who alone will be saved.
Every Qur'anic example is full of the kernel of meaning and profound wisdom. For instance, take verse (101:4): "A day on which human beings will be like scattered moths." This is the mention of the representative resurrection in which people will be transformed from dense bodies into subtle particles and bodies, just as certain worms turn into moths. This makes it clear to the inner eye that when Hazrat Adam and his companions were in Paradise, they were flying in subtle bodies. But when they came to this world, the subtlety was taken away. However, the universal Paradise is not possible without the subtle body.
This verse has been referred 4 times.