There are two explanations about the Day of Judgment in verse 25 of Surah Furqan and verse 44 of Surah Qaf and are similar to each other.

The first verse says:

“And remember the Day when the heavens shall be rent asunder with the clouds”

The second verse says:

“On the Day when the earth is cleft asunder under them, they will hasten (from their graves).”

The cleaving of the earth above mankind is clearly understood. It is about the earthquake that will split the graves and the people will become alive on God’s command, coming out rapidly for their deeds to be judged.

The splitting of the skies with the clouds may be referring to the blasts that will occur in the skies at the end of the world. The clouds that result from these blasts will spread all over the skies (This is when it will happen together with the clouds)

The heavens or the dust of the heavens will burst because of those clouds which contain atomic or some other more powerful force (here the alphabet “Ba” denotes cause) (1) and (2)

Allama Tabatabai explains this verse as:

“It will not be impossible that the clouds of ignorance and naivety are scattered, the manifestation of the unseen world, the advent of the angels, the land or the earth which is inhabited by mankind be a symbolic hint about their descent. (3)

But since you need solid proof to connect this symbolic meaning and it is not present in the verse it is better to take accept the first meaning. The splitting of the earth in the next verse is literal and not symbolic or spiritual.

Then there is the proof in the Qura’n and its numerous verses that tell us that near the Day of Judgment there will a great change in the material world, a serious revolution which will include the earth, the mountains, and the seas.

1. Some commentators have taken “Ba” to mean “A’nn” or that the clouds will split and move away to one side in the skies but this is very far fetched.

2. The word “Ghamam” is derived from “Gham” and it means to cover. Since the clouds cover the skies they are called “Ghamam” and since sadness overtakes the heart it is called “Gham”

3. Tafsir Al Mizan vol.15 page 219