Tafseer Surah al-Zalzalah

Surah al-Zalzalah Overview. Surah al-Zalzalah is a Medinan surah. Even so, it looks like a Mekkan surah. This is because it touches on a theme that is usually addressed by Mekkan surahs. This theme is the theme of the hereafter, life after death. “al-Zalzalah” means the shaking of the world. It is named so because it describes a situation that will take place on the Judgment Day. It is where the Earth will be shaken terribly such that all of its long- kept contents will be spilled out. All of the treasures, bodies of creatures that once roamed on its surface, and everything that existed since the beginning of its existence will be brought out. And all secrets will be presented to Allah. And no one will be exempted from judgment. Mankind, on the day, will be grouped in different flocks. They will be the aṣḥāb al-yamīn and the aṣḥāb al-shimāl. And then Allah will order the Earth to report to Him all of the things that have been done by mankind on its surface. Not even a single secret will be left unfolded. And not even a single story will be left untold. All good deeds, even though only as small as a speck of dust, will be shown to its doers. Not even a single good deed will be ignored and left unrewarded. And all bad deeds, even though only as small as a speck of dust, will be left unexposed and unpunished. 1. The Earth Will be Shaken Terribly. “When the earth is shaken ˹in˺ its ultimate quaking,” In Arabic grammar, this verse is picturing the situation of the Judgment Day as if it has already happened. Strangely, that Day has not happened yet. This style of storytelling is to emphasis on the inevitability of the said day. The day will surely come, whether we like it or not. 2. Everything Is Spilled Out. “and when the earth throws out ˹all˺ its contents,” On that day, earthquakes will spill out everything that has been kept in the belly of the Earth since the beginning of time. all of the evidence of the stories told by the Quran will burst out – on Pharaoh, Nimrod, and all other ancient civilizations that were once wiped out of existence – and be shown to everyone.

3. Man Is in A Confusion. “and humanity cries, “What is wrong with it?” When they witness this horror, humans will immediately be confused. Even though they were already reminded by the prophets, they would still be astonished. This is because in their mind, such an event is impossible to happen. 4. The Earth Speaks. “on that Day the earth will recount everything,” Responding to this confusion, the Earth starts to tell everything – about all the things that have taken place on its surface, with it being the main witness. Everything will be made sensible to mankind. 5. Allah Commands the Earth to Tell Everything. “having been inspired by your Lord ˹to do so˺.” And the Earth will not be telling all the secrets out of its own will. However, it will be doing it according to the commandment of Allah. And mankind, seeing even the Earth is being a witness against them, will be shaking hard, worried, and desperately hoping for God’s mercy. 6. Mankind Will be Divided into Groups and Judged. “On that Day people will proceed in separate groups1 to be shown ˹the consequences of˺ their deeds.” God, being The Most Just, will not immediately put mankind in either Hell or Heaven. Instead, He will divide them into several groups first. And everyone will be shown to their deeds – good and bad. 7. Good Deeds Shown. “So, whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it.” Among the good deeds shown, there will be some that are only as big as rice grains. Nevertheless, even the smallest of deeds will not be left uncounted and unrewarded. It will also be shown and included in a person’s overall good deeds. 8. Bad Deeds Will Also be Shown.

“And whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it. Moreover, among the bad deeds that will be exposed, there are also some that are just as big as rice grains. These, too, will not be left ignored. Instead, it will also be included in the overall deeds of a person. Despite that, there is a special case wherein Allah displays some atomically small bad deeds of a person. But this display is not because Allah wants to punish the person, but to forgive it. This is to exhibit His overwhelming mercy. He wants the person to see how God is very merciful, forgiving his small mistakes and not counting it in. By sweeping his small mistakes under the mat, his fate is tilted towards the good side. And he can enter the Paradise. Conclusion: On the Day of Judgment, the Earth will be shaking terribly. And everything inside it will be exposed. Everything that mankind has ever done will be presented to them. All of his deeds – whether good and bad – no matter how small, will indeed be presented.