Az-Zalzalah

The Merits of Surah Az-Zilzal

Sayyidna Anas and Ibn ` Abbas ؓ report that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said that Surah Al-Zilzal equals half the Qur'an, Surah Al-Ikhlas equals a third of the Qur'an and Surah Al-Kafirun equals a quarter of the Qur'an. [ Transmitted by al-Tirmidhi, al-Baghawi and a1-Mazhari ].

The Scene of the Day of Resurrection

Verse [ 1] إِذَا زُلْزِلَتِ الْأَرْ‌ضُ زِلْزَالَهَا (When the earth will be trembled with its quake.) It is not clear whether this earthquake refers to the convulsion that will take place in the world before the 'first blowing of the trumpet', as is mentioned in connection with the portents of the Doomsday, or it refers to the quake that will occur after the 'second blowing' when the dead bodies will be resurrected and thrown out of their graves. Narratives and views of the commentators differ on this issue. It is not inconceivable that many quakes and convulsions would occur: first, before the 'first blowing'; and second, after the 'second blowing' at the time of raising the dead. Here it probably refers to the second quake, and the context supports it, because the Surah later on describes the scenes of the Day of Resurrection, such as reckoning, weighing and evaluating of deeds, and recompense. Allah knows best. [ Mazhari ]

Verse [ 2] وَأَخْرَ‌جَتِ الْأَرْ‌ضُ أَثْقَالَهَا (and the earth will bring forth its burdens.) Muslim has recorded in his Sahih from Abu Hurairah ؓ that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

"The earth will throw out the pieces of its liver [ contents ]. Gold and silver will come out like columns. A murderer will come and say: 'I killed for this?' The one who broke the ties of kinship will say: 'For this I severed the ties of kinship?' The thief will say: 'For this I got my hand amputated?' Then they will leave it there, and no one will take anything from it."