CHAPTER 99: AZ-ZALZALAH (THE EARTHQUAKE)

It was revealed in the Medina period. It consists of eight verses. Zilzal means "earthquake" (shaking of the earth). The surah takes its name from this same word mentioned in the first verse. It speaks of the violent earthquake that will occur just before the Day of Judgment, and thereafter, all the dead rising from their graves to give account. (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/599)

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

99/1-8 WHOEVER DOES AN ATOM'S WEIGHT OF GOOD WILL SEE IT

Translation

1- 3- When the earth is shaken with its [final] earthquake, 2- and the earth discharges its burdens, 3- and [the disbelieving] man says [in horror], "What is [wrong] with it?"—[at that moment the Resurrection occurs]!

4- 5- That Day, it [the earth] will report its news because your Lord has inspired [commanded] it.

6- That Day, the people will depart [from their graves] in scattered groups to be shown [the result of] their deeds [and to taste their good or evil consequences].

7- 8- So whoever does an atom's weight of good [with faith and sincerity] will see it. 8- And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it.

Commentary

(1, 2) ‘When the earth is shaken with its (final) earthquake," "and the earth discharges its burdens,’

On the Day of Judgment, with the first blowing of the Trumpet (Sur), the earth will shake violently with all its intensity and horror. Mountains will be uprooted and scattered as dust. Nothing will remain standing upon it (Hajj 22/1). On that day, the Trumpet will be blown for the second time. With this, all the burdens of the earth will be thrown out (cf. Inshiqaq 84/4). The dead in the graves will be resurrected and spring forth. The treasures, minerals, gases, and lavas under the ground will emerge. (O. CELIK, 5/554)

Hadith: "The earth will throw out the treasures within it in the form of pillars of gold and silver. Thereupon, the murderer will come and say, 'It was for these that I killed a man.' The one who severed ties with his relatives will come and say, 'It was for these that I cut my ties with my relatives.' The thief will come and say, 'My hand was cut off because of this.' Then they will leave that gold and silver as it is and take nothing from it." (From Muslim, Zakat 62; O. CELIK, 5/554, 555)

(3) ‘And (the disbelieving) man says: 'What is (wrong) with it?' (at that time)!’

Saying this is to depict the magnitude of the fear. That is, every person who sees that earthquake and the discharging will be bewildered by the greatness of the horror and fall into a state of panic, asking, "What is happening to this earth?" or "What is this state?" Some have said that the disbelievers who see it will speak thus: "Woe to us! Who has raised us from our sleeping place?" (Ya-Sin 36/52). The believers, however, will say, "This is what the Most Merciful promised, and the messengers spoke the truth" (Ya-Sin 36/52). (ELMALILI, 9/372, 373)

(4, 5) ‘That Day, it (the earth) will report its news because your Lord has inspired it.’

Verses 4 and 5 have been interpreted in three main ways: (a) Allah gives the earth a kind of ability to speak and explain, and it clearly recounts what happened on it and who did what. Indeed, a hadith states that the earth will speak on the Day of Judgment (Ibn Majah, Zuhd 31). (b) On that day, in accordance with Allah's decree, the earth will reveal everything people did there, as if listing them one by one. (c) The earth, with that great shaking, practically reports that the world has come to an end and the hereafter has arrived. (From Razi; QUR’AN WAY 5/669)

Just as Almighty Allah makes tongues and lips speak in this world, He will make other entities speak in the hereafter; for example, the earth as reported in the 4th verse, and the ears, eyes, and skins as reported in the 20th verse of Surah Fussilat. The earth and one's own organs will speak of what people have done, recounting the good and evil they performed. Nothing will remain hidden. "That Day, man will be informed of what he sent forward and what he kept back" (75/13; cf. 24/24). (I. KARAGOZ,8/597)

(6) ‘That Day, the people will depart in scattered groups to be shown (the result of) their deeds.’

It is possible to give two meanings to this verse. First: After people are resurrected and rise from their graves, they will go before Allah the Almighty individually. For the word "eshtat" in the verse is the plural of "shette." This word means "group" as well as "variety" and "type." Accordingly, "eshtaten" expresses the meaning that people will appear alone before Allah, representing different groups of people. This approach is supported by the verses: "And you have certainly come to Us alone as We created you the first time" (An'am 6/94); "And We will inherit from him what he says, and he will come to Us alone" (Maryam 19/80); "Every one of them will come to Him on the Day of Resurrection alone" (Maryam 19/95). (M. DEMIRCI, 3/613, 614)

According to the second alternative approach put forward regarding this verse, the believers who give an account alone before Allah will then leave from there in groups. The other dictionary meaning of the word "eshtaten" allows for this approach, as it also means "groups." Furthermore, the verse of the Qur’an speaking of Hell, "It has seven gates; for every gate is of them a portion designated" (Hijr 15/44), mentions that deniers will enter Hell in groups. The same can be said for the people of Paradise, as the verses mentioning Paradise speak of the stations of "Na'im," "Adn," and "Firdaws." This indicates that believers will also enter Paradise in groups. (M. DEMIRCI, 3/614)

(7, 8) ‘So whoever does an atom's weight of good (with faith and sincerity) will see it." "And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it.’

These verses express that even the smallest good or evil done in the world will not be lost; an account will be given for it on the Day of the Hereafter, and it will be received as a reward or punishment (cf. Kahf 18/49; Anbiya 21/47). The Prophet (pbuh) also demonstrated that even the smallest good a person does with good intention and love for humanity, expecting the reward from Allah, can protect them from the fire, saying: "Protect yourselves from the Fire, even if with half a date or a good word!" (Bukhari, Adab 34, Zakat 10). (QUR’AN WAY, 5/670)

Hadith: "O Aisha! Stay away from sins that people belittle. For there are assigned angels who record them too." (From Ibn Majah, Zuhd 29; Darimi, Riqaq 17; O. CELIK, 5/557)

In the Qur’an and hadith, the detailed law of the punishment and reward to be given to various types of people—believers, pure disbelievers, corrupt and oppressive disbelievers, etc.—has been declared. The form of this punishment and reward covers both this world and the hereafter. In this regard, the Holy Qur’an has clearly stated several basic principles as a method: (1) First: The deeds (i.e., deeds considered good) of disbelievers, pagans, and hypocrites are wasted. No share of reward will be given to them in the hereafter. If they have a reward, it has been given in this world. (cf. A'raf 7/147; Tawbah 9/17; Hud 11/15-16; Ibrahim 14/18; Kahf 18/104-105; Nur 24/39; Furqan 25/23; Ahzab 33/10; Zumar 39/65; Ahqaf 46/20). (2) Second: The punishment for evil will be given as much as the evil committed. But the reward for good will be given more than what was done. In fact, in some places, it is explained that every good deed will be rewarded tenfold. In some places, it is stated that Allah will give as much as He wills. (cf. Baqara 2/261; En’âm 6/160; Yunus 10/26-27; Nur 24/38; Qasas 28/84; Saba 34/37; Mu'min 40/40). (3) Third: If the believer avoids major sins, his minor sins will be forgiven. (cf. Nisa 4/31; Shura 42/37; Najm 53/32). (4) Fourth: The righteous believer will be asked for a light accounting. His evils will be overlooked. He will be rewarded according to the best deeds he has performed. (cf. 'Ankabut 29/7; Zumar 39/35; Ahqaf 46/16; Inshiqaq 84/8). (MAWDUDI 7/198)