Tafsir Surat Az-Zalzalah (The Earthquake)

By: Ayatullah al-Uzma Nasir Makarim Shirazi in Tafsir Namuneh
Translated from Farsi into English by: Fatima Zabeth Beenesh

Surat Az-Zalzalah (The Earthquake) - سورة الزلزلة
This sura descended at Medina and it has 8 aayat

The contents and the virtues of the Surat Az-Zalzalah
The interpreters have different opinions about the descend of this sura whether it is Makki (belong to Mecca) or Madani (descended at Medina) most of them relate, it is Madani and some say it is was revealed at Mecca as the mode of the ayaat relate about the judgment day and the end of the time, Ishra’atus saa’a. The occurrence of the resurrection day’s signs, they resemble to the Makki ayat. But in a hadis it is mentioned that Abu Saeed Khadri asked the eminent Prophet peace be upon him about the below mentioned ayat:
فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ
(99:7)
And so, he who shall have done an atom's weight of good, shall watch it
وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ
(99:8)
And he who shall have done an atom's weight of evil, shall observe it. –
We know that in the city of Medina Abu Saeed joined the prophet peace be upon him.
This sura mainly rotates around the 3 axes.
First it describe about the end of the time Ishraatus saa’a and the signs of the judgment day’s happening and after that the earth, giving the witness about the world and the deeds of the human beings.
In the third part talks about the division of the people in two groups the pious and the impious and the recognition of every one and the result of their deeds.
Regarding the virtues of the of Sura e Zalzalah they are important statements in the Islamic narrations like in a hadis from the great prophet peace be upon him we read: The one who reads it as he had recited in the Sura e Baqara. And his rewards are equal to reading one fourth of Noble Quran.
In a description from Imam Sadiq alaihis salam we read, as he said: never get tired of reading the sura e Zalzala since the one who recites it in the namaz e Nafila (supererogatory prayer) they never will be caught by the calamity of earth quake or never dies by it or never effected by the thunderbolt or plague until his death.
بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Az-Zalzalah (The Earthquake)
إِذَا زُلْزِلَتِ الْأَرْضُ زِلْزَالَهَا
(99:1)
When the earth is shaken with its [final] earthquake
وَأَخْرَجَتِ الْأَرْضُ أَثْقَالَهَا
(99:2)
And when the earth throws out its burdens,
وَقَالَ الْإِنسَانُ مَا لَهَا
(99:3)
And man will say: "What is the matter with it?"
يَوْمَئِذٍ تُحَدِّثُ أَخْبَارَهَا
(99:4)
on that Day will she recount all her tidings,
بِأَنَّ رَبَّكَ أَوْحَى لَهَا
(99:5)
Because your Lord has commanded it.
يَوْمَئِذٍ يَصْدُرُ النَّاسُ أَشْتَاتًا لِّيُرَوْا أَعْمَالَهُمْ
(99:6)
That Day mankind will proceed in scattered groups that they may be shown their deeds.
فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ
(99:7)
So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it,
وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ
(99:8)
And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it.

Interpretation:
The day when the man will see his entire deeds!
As in the description of the contents of sura it is indicated that this sura contains the description of dreadful and frightful end of this world and the commencement of judgment day.
First it stated: when the earth began to tremble severely.
إِذَا زُلْزِلَتِ الْأَرْضُ زِلْزَالَهَا
(99:1)
And it will get upside down in such a way that it will throw away whatever encloses inside it.
وَأَخْرَجَتِ الْأَرْضُ أَثْقَالَهَا
(99:2)
زِلْزَالَهَا
The above term means (its earthquake) it is indicating, on that day the entire earth globe will shake up (unlike the common earthquakes which happens only in a particular locality and section) or else it is pointing out to the earth quake of the resurrection day.
أَثْقَالَهَا
The above term means heavy burdens, what are they? They are many definitions revealed regarding it. Some declared they are the people who are thrown away from their graves due to the trembles of the judgment day, Similarly as it is described in the ayat 4 of Sura e Inshiqaq.
Al-Inshiqaq (The Splitting)
وَأَلْقَتْ مَا فِيهَا وَتَخَلَّتْ
(84:4)
And it cast out all that was in it and became empty.
Some said: it will discard the treasures in it and causes regrets in the hearts of the adorers of the worldly life.
And there is a probability by the term throwing away of the burdens means to send out the burdens and the melted metals inside the earth. Usually some of them emit at the time of the earth quake and expulsion of volcano at the time of judgment day whatever it encloses inside the earth and after that a great earth quake takes place.
It seems the first definition is appropriate.
However, on that day the man, by seeing the extraordinary scenes gets extremely frightened and expresses: What is happening, the earth is trembling in such a manner and whatever it is enclosing inside, it had thrown outside.
وَقَالَ الْإِنسَانُ مَا لَهَا

Though here some of the humans are defined specifically the blasphemous people who were in doubt about the judgment day. But what is evident that here the man has a very vast meaning which includes everybody, as the astonishment from the conditions and circumstances of the earth is not specifically concerned to the unbelievers only
Does this wonder and question concerned to the first blast or second explosion.
It is apparent that it is the first blast which is the blast of the world’s end. As the enormous earth quake happens at the end of the world.
It is supposed that by the blast of judgment day and getting alive of the dead bodies and their throwing away from the earth, as the next ayaat too are entirely related to the second blast. The ayaat of noble Quran repetitively defined the occurrences of these two blasts.
More than this is: on that day the earth tells all about its informations.
يَوْمَئِذٍ تُحَدِّثُ أَخْبَارَهَا
(99:4)
It reveals whatever good and evil happened upon the expanse of earth. On that day one of the most important witnesses of the human deeds is this earth itself who relates whatever we do upon it, it is our onlooker and observer.
In a hadis from the distinguished prophet Muhammad peace be upon him we read who said: do you know, what are the reports of the earth?
They replied: the Almighty God and his prophet are more aware of it. He said: By the statement of the earth it means it presents the reports about the deeds of every man and woman performed at the earth and relates: certain person at particular day committed such an act. Likewise the earth gives the report about the people.
In another hadis by the prophet Muhammad peace be upon him we read: be careful in performing the vazu as the best of your deed is the namaz and be cautious about the earth, it is your mother the one who is involved in good and evil deed, the earth informs about it.
It is quoted by Abu Sayeed Khadri who was relating: Whenever you are in desert give azan in high sound as I had heard from the prophet peace be upon him who said: the man, jinni (jin) and a piece of stone who had heard it they give the eyewitness for it.
Is it true that by the command of the Majestic God the earth opens its mouth and speaks? As we know every action performed by man whether he wants it or not creates some effects around him though today we cannot account it. Same like the finger prints of friend or foe remains upon the door handle. The reporting of the earth is nothing but the appearance of these effects. As to the person who was awake the whole night, we say: your eyes state that you were wide awake the entire night. That means the effect of the insomnia is visible upon its face.
However its topic is not mysterious for us? Like now a days by the progress of the science and knowledge, everywhere they invented the means which can record every moment the voice of man or can capture in the photographs or movies the deeds and acts of man and they can be presented in the court, to interpret as a convinced document for a help in giving the judgment, in such a manner that cannot be refused and denied.
If in the past some people get surprised by the witness of the earth, today one delicate tape or an apparatus of sound recording stitched to the dress like a button can bring clarification to many of the problems.
Interestingly, in a hadis from Ali alaihis salam we read, who said: Perform namaz in the different parts of the mosque as every piece of land give witness for the person who prayed namaz upon it.
In another narration it is mentioned that ameerul momineen Ali alaihis salam after dividing the public funds (baitul mal) and whenever it was getting empty, there he was performing to rakat namaz for thanks giving and concentrating towards the Benevolent God and telling: On the judgment day you give witness that I filled you in the way of Generous God and emptied you for the cause of the Protector God.
In the next ayat it adds: it is for the reason that the Eternal and Giver of life, God had presented the earth revelation.
بِأَنَّ رَبَّكَ أَوْحَى لَهَا
(99:5)
And the earth never falls short to fulfil its duties. Here the meaning of the term below is:
أَوْحَى
To give the report as such kind of mysterious speaking is against the nature of the earth and this is impossible without the divine revelation.
Some said that: it means that the earth is motivated to emit out whatever it had inside. But the first definition is right.
Then it is said: that day the people come out from the graves in various groups and enter in the ground of the judgement so that their deeds are revealed to them.
يَوْمَئِذٍ يَصْدُرُ النَّاسُ أَشْتَاتًا لِّيُرَوْا أَعْمَالَهُمْ
(99:6)
أَشْتَاتًا
It means to get dispersed and scattered and it is the plural of
شْتَ
May be this dispersion is for the reason that the people of every religion will enter the ground of judgment day separately. Or the people of every region of the earth separately enter the scene of resurrection. Or maybe they are groups of people who have overjoyed and cheerful faces and a group with the gloomy, turbid and depressed features steps into the terrain of judgment day.
Every nation is with their leader, chief and ruler, same as it is told in the 71 ayat of the Sura e Isra:
Al-Isra (The Journey by Night)
يَوْمَ نَدْعُو كُلَّ أُنَاسٍ بِإِمَامِهِمْ
(17:71)
17:71
The Day when we shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imam [their Prophets, or their records of good and bad deeds]
Or the believers with the believers and the unbelievers with the unbelievers may enter the ground of the resurrection possibly all the interpretation s are correct. Since the meaning of the ayat is infinite and boundless.
يَصْدُر
The above term means excitedly coming out of the camels from the drinking water pond in large groups. Here it is indicating towards the various nations who move forwards for giving the accounts of their deeds.
Or there is another guess that their coming out from the ground of the judgment and going towards their abodes in the heaven or the hell. But the first definition is proper.
By the below term means
لِّيُرَوْا أَعْمَالَهُمْ

“So that to show them their deeds and view the reward of their deeds.”
Or view the file of the deeds every virtues and evil deed is recorded in it.
Or their spiritual recognition and the way of their deeds.
Or it means seeing one’s own deeds and visualization of their deeds. That day the deed takes shape of many apt faces and acquires an appearance before him. Sitting facing it both gives delight or pain and agonizes to the person.
Then the result of the each and every of these groups of believers and unbelievers, the virtues and evil is indicated and said: One who performed the good deed equal to the weight of a single mustard seed will see it.
فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ

Anybody who do evil equal to the weight of an atom he will see it.
وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ

Here once again they are many definitions that is, does he view the reward of his deeds or does he see the file of his deeds or the deed itself.
The manifestation of the ayaat too emphasise upon the visualisation of the deeds and seeing the action itself whether it is good or bad on the day of judgment even it is if it is equal to the pin point the good deed or bad act. It will appear before the person who performed it.
مِثْقَالَ
In language the above term means heavy and weighty or it is a weighing machine by which the heaviness of the things is checked and here it gives the first meaning.
ذَرَّةٍ
For the above term too there are many explanations in the language and the dialect: sometimes it gives the meaning of small ant and at times it means the dust when we keep the hands on the earth and draw them away it sticks to our hands. And often it gives the meaning of the minute dust particles prevailing in the air when the beam of sun light passes through a gap or a crack; it brightens up the dark room and the minute elements in the air gets visible.
We know that the word zarra is used for the term atom too. The atom is too minute that it cannot be viewed by the simple eyes. Not even by the most accurate microscopes it can be viewed only its special effects. Its volume and weight with the scientific calculations can be discovered. It is so minute that a several million of them can create their place on a single point of the needle.
Whatever the meaning of the atom is, here it means the minutest weight.
However this ayat trembles the back of the human being and points out that the divine counting on that day is to the high extent, this meaning is accurate and elaborate. The weighing machines of the deeds on the judgment day are so much sophisticated that they weight and counts even the minutest human deed.

The points:

1-The strictness and the severity in weighing the deeds accounts on the judgment day
Not only from the last ayaat of this sura but by the different ayaat of the dignified Quran is it adequately identified that the probing of divine accounts of the human deeds are done to the last extent and elaborately. In the ayat 16 of Sura e Luqman we read: My son! To the weight of a mustard seed if you do the good or bad deed inside a rock or at any corner of the skies or hidden in the earth. The Guardian and the Protector God will bring it to check and count it on the judgment day. The God is Well Aware and Wide Awake.
خَرْدَلٍ
The meaning of above term is a mustard seed, a very minute seed from a popular herb and it is taken as an example for the minute things too.
These terms shows that at that great event of deeds description, checking the least human actions are bring into account besides thee ayaat warns not to devalue the small sins and the minute good deeds whatever it is it will be bring before the divine account whatever it is, the deeds are not valueless and useless.
Hence some of the interpreters said: these ayaat descended in the period when some of the companions of the great prophet peace be upon him were not so much careful about the meagre virtues deeds and they used to tell: the reward of anything is bestowed to man that he loves it dearly. And the small thing is something which is not esteemed by us. And same way they were casual towards the meagre sins. The ayat descended and encouraged them in the direction of the small virtues deeds and warned them from the meagre sins.

2- The answer to a question
Here there is a question and that is, according to these ayaat, the human being will view his deeds whether it is small or big and how these terms are compatible with the forgiveness, seeking pardon and invalidation of the deed and putting out of communion. As the ayaat about the invalidating the deeds says: some of the acts such as blasphemy vanish all the good deeds of man ex; Sura e Zumar ayat 65:
Az-Zumar (The Groups)
لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ

39:65
Your work would surely become worthless, and you would surely be among the losers."
Hud (The Prophet Hud)
إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّـيِّئَاتِ

11:114
Verily, good deeds drive away evil deeds.
And the ayaat of forgiveness and repentance says: in the shadow of divine forgiveness all the sins disappears. Then how these concepts verify the issue of seeing the entire good and bad deeds of man?
In reply to this question we have to pay attention to the point that: the two basics which is mentioned in the above ayaat and said: the human being will see every atom of his or her act and this is a rule for all and we know that every law may have its own exceptions, we know the ayaat of forgiveness, repentance, invalidation of the deed and putting out of relationship had their own exceptions in this general law.
Another answer about the nullifying the deed and to put out of relationship is in fact have the measure of the balance, fraction and refraction. It is just like the demands and debts, they are deducing from each other. When the man views the result of the balance, in fact he had seen his entire evils and virtues deeds. The same statement is expressed about the forgiveness and repentance as without the ability and capability does take place. And seeking pardon is a virtues act in itself.
Some related another answer for that, which is not correct and that is the unbelievers see the result of their good deeds here in this world. Same as the believers get the punishment for their bad deed here in this worldly life.
But it is evident that the ayaat under discussion is about the day of resurrection not the worldly existence. In addition to that it does not have the generality that every believer and non believer gets the result in this worldly life.

3- The most widespread ayaat of noble Quran
It is quoted from Abdullah bin Masood that one of the most powerful ayaat of the noble Quran is this ayaat:
فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ (99:7) وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ
(99:8)
And it gives the complete meaning, truly the deep faith in the contents of noble Quran is quite enough to bring the human being in the right path of truth and prevent him from every type of waywardness and transgression.
Hence in a hadis it is revealed that a man came to the magnificent prophet peace be upon him and said: teach me whatever the Almighty God had taught you.
The noble prophet peace be upon him send him to one of his companions, to teach him the gracious Quran. The man got up from his place and said: only this one ayat is quite sufficient for me.
The prophet said: Leave him alone as now he had become a religious jurisprudence and according to some narrations he said: he became an expert in religious philosophy of law and returned back to his place. Its reason is apparent as the one who knows that our deed to the weight of an atom or a mustard seed is going to get calculated and from today onwards he began to calculate his deeds. And it has a great effect in moulding his character
In another description from the Abu Sayeed Khadri it is expressed, when the ayat va man yamal descended, I asked: O prophet of Supreme God! Do I view my entire deeds? He replied: Yea. I repeated those biggest deeds? He said: Yea. Then I asked: Those smallest deeds? He replied: Yea. I said: Woe on me! My mother may sit to mourn for me.
The Prophet of Majestic God said: Glad tiding for you O Abu Saeed! As its virtues are granted ten times more and increases virtues up to 700 times to whomever the Merciful God wants. But every sin has its punishment according to its weight or the Generous God forgive it and be aware not even a single person is able to save himself with the help of his deeds except by the kindness of the Great Forgiver God. I asked: even you, O messenger of God!? He replied: Even I, except the Exalter God include me in his mercy.
O Honourer God! Where the prophet peace be upon him with all his greatness is attached to your forgiveness in that situation our condition is quite obvious.
O Glorious God! In the case our deeds are criteria to save us from punishment, then woe upon us. If your kindness is with us then the glad tiding is for us.
O Protecting friend and Supporter! That day when the entire small and big deeds will be visualised before us, for that day we had knotted all our hopeful eyes upon you.
Ameem! O the Provider of the Universe

Islamic Story 30: The story of 'Isa (Jesus) and his mother Mary in the Qur'an

Adapted from: Al-Mizan Discourses

It is not meet for a man that Allah should give him the Book and the Judgment and Prophethood, then he should say to men: "Be my servants rather than Allah's;" but rather (he would say): "Be worshippers of the Lord because of your teaching the Book and your reading (it yourselves)". Or that he should enjoin you that you should take the angels and the prophets for lords; what! would he enjoin you with unbelief after you are Muslims (Submitting Ones)? (Qur'an, 3:79-80)

Mary, daughter of Imran was the mother of the Messiah ('Isa (Jesus)). When her mother was pregnant with her, she made a vow that she would release what was in her womb to be devoted to the service of the Temple. She believed that she was pregnant with a male child; but when she brought it forth and came to know that it was a female, she was disappointed and dejected. Then she named her Mary, that is, servant. Her father, Imran, had died before she was born; so the mother brought her to the Temple for handing her over to the priests – Zakariyya was one of them. They contended with one another to get the privilege of her custody; then they agreed to decide it by lot, in which Zakariyya’s name was drawn; and he became her guardian. When she reached the age of puberty, Zakariyya made for her a partition to protect her from men’s eyes. She used to worship Allah therein and nobody entered that sanctuary except Zakariyya. Whenever Zakariyya entered the sanctuary to see her, he found her with food. He said: "O Mary! Whence comes this to you?" She said: "It is from Allah, and surely Allah gives sustenance to whom He pleases, without measure.

Mary was a truthful woman and was sinless by Allah’s protection; purified, chosen and spoken to; the angels spoke to her and purified her. She was obedient to the Lord and a sign of Allah for the worlds. (vide 3:35-44; 19:16; 21:91; 66:12 in the Qur’an)

Then Allah sent to her His spirit when she had hidden herself behind a curtain, and he appeared to her as a well-made man. He said to her that he was a messenger of her Lord so that he should give her, by permission of Allah, a pure boy without a father. He also gave her the good news of the manifest miracles which were to happen on the hand of her son; and informed her that Allah would surely strengthen him by the Holy Spirit, and would teach him the Book, the Wisdom, the Torah and the Gospel. He also told her that her son would be the messenger to the Children of Israel and would have clear signs. After informing her of the boy’s status and story, he breathed into her the spirit and she became pregnant with 'Isa (Jesus) (peace be on him), as a woman conceives her child. (vide 3:33-50 in the Qur’an)

Then she withdrew herself with him to a remote place. And the throes of childbirth compelled her to betake herself to the trunk of a palm-tree. She said: "Oh, would that I have died before this, and had been a thing quite forgotten!" Then the child called out to her from beneath her: "Grieve not; surely your Lord made a stream to flow beneath you; And shake towards you the trunk of the palm-tree; it will drop on you fresh ripe dates: So eat and drink and refresh the eye. Then if you see my man, say: ‘Surely I have vowed a fast to the Beneficent Allah, so I shall not speak to any man today.’" And she came to her people with him, carrying him (with her). (vide 19:20-27;) His conception, birth, talk and all related affairs were similar to those of other men.

When her people saw her in such a condition, they were enraged, and blamed and taunted her – as was natural in case of an unmarried woman conceiving and bringing forth a child. They said: "O Mary, surely you have done a strange thing. O sister of Aaron! Your father was not a bad man, nor was your mother an unchaste woman." But she pointed to him. They said: "How should we speak to one who is a child in the cradle?" He ('Isa (Jesus)) said: "Surely I am a servant of Allah; He has given me the book and made me a prophet: And he has made me blessed wherever I may be, and He has enjoined on me prayer and charity so long as I live: And dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me insolent, unblessed: And peace on me on the day I was born, and on the day I die, and on the day I am raised to life." (vide 19:27-33)

This talk of 'Isa (Jesus) was a sort of prologue which pointed to his future mission – that he would rise against oppression and injustice, revive and reform the laws of Moses (peace be on him), renovate what was obliterated from the revealed knowledge and make clear to them what they had differed in.

'Isa (Jesus) grew up and became a young man. He and his mother used to eat and drink in normal way with all the necessary concomitants and accidents of human life up to the end.

Then 'Isa (Jesus) was made a messenger to the Children of Israel. He stood up calling them to the religion of monotheism and told them: "I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I create for you out of dust like the form of a bird, and I breathe into it and it and becomes a bird, with Allah’s permission, and I heal the blind and the leper, and bring the dead to life, with Allah’s permission, and I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your homes. Most surely there is a sign in this for you. Surely Allah is my Lord and your Lord, therefore, worship Him only."

He called them to his new Law, which verified the Law of Moses; But he abrogated some parts of it, allowing them some things which were forbidden in the Torah as a punishment to the Jews. 'Isa (Jesus) used to say: "Surely I have come to you with wisdom, so that I make clear to you a part of what you differ in. O Children of Israel! Surely I am the messenger of Allah to you, verifying that which is before me of the Torah and giving the good news of a messenger who will come after me, his name being Ahmad."

He showed the miracles which he had mentioned, e.g. creation of a bird, raising the dead to life, healing the blind and leper, and giving the news of the unseen - all by Allah’s permission.

He continued like that calling them to monotheism and his new Law until he was convinced that they would not believe in him. Seeing their insolence, enmity and hatred, and the arrogance of their priests and rabbis, he turned away from them and selected his apostles (from the small band that had believed in him) to be his helpers to Allah.

Then the Jews rose against him with the intention to kill him. But Allah took him away completely and raised him. The Jews were put in confusion; some thought that they had killed him, others that they had crucified him; but in fact it was made to appear to them like that. (vide 3:45-58; 4:157-158; 5:110-111; 43:63-65; 61:6-14)

Puisi: Dan langit pun menangis.....

Dan langit pun menangis ........
ketika al- haq bercampur yang bathil
ketika hak dirampas sesuka hati
ketika amanah dipijak penuh bakhil
ketika tanggung jawab sudah pun dilupai

Dan langit pun menangis....
mendengar isak ratap nan pilu
dari kekasih-Nya yang tak berdaya
menyaksi luluh cucu Rasul-Mu
dari kejauhan diiiringi tawa durjana

Dan langit pun menangis....
tersingkap tabir suci penerus Nabi
dinoda kejam hati tak berbudi
terbujur jasad- jasad nan suci
disambut bidadari Tuhan nan murni

Dan langit pun menangis....
ketika tiada kesetiaan yang dinanti
ketika tiada azzam yang bebelah bagi
ketika tiada mata mau menangisi
ketika iman tak mau menyebelahi