Al-Hajj: (1-2) O people...

Know that the Almighty commanded people to observe Taqwa (God-consciousness/piety). This encompasses avoiding everything forbidden and fulfilling every obligatory duty. Both aspects are included because the one who observes Taqwa fears Allah's punishment, leading him to abandon the forbidden and perform the obligatory for that reason. Voluntary acts (Nawafil) are generally not included, as neglecting them does not incur punishment, but rather their performance earns reward. Therefore, when He says, {Fear your Lord}, the meaning is: Fear the punishment of your Lord.

As for His saying, {Indeed, the earthquake of the Hour is a tremendous thing}, there are several issues concerning it:

Zilzal means the intense shaking of a thing. Al-Kashshaf states that the Hour (the event) is not devoid of either being the active agent causing the shaking (metaphorically, as if it is the one shaking things) or being the location/time where the shaking occurs (by extension, treating it like an object of the action, similar to {By the night and the day's plotting} [Saba: 33]). This latter sense refers to the earthquake mentioned in {When the earth is shaken with its shaking} [Al-Zalzalah: 1].

There is a difference of opinion regarding its timing:

1. Alqamah and Al-Sha'bi held that this earthquake occurs in this world, coinciding with the sun rising from the west.
2. Others say it occurs simultaneously with the Hour itself.
3. It is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) regarding the Trumpet (Sur): that there will be three blasts: the blast of terror, the blast of the swoon (death), and the blast of standing before the Lord of the Worlds. At the blast of terror, the mountains will move, the first tremor will shake, followed by the second tremor, hearts will be fearful, and the earth will be like a ship tossed by waves, or like a hanging lamp shaken by the wind.
4. Muqatil and Ibn Zayd said this occurs on the first day of the Hereafter.

Know that the wording itself does not definitively point to any of these specific timings, as this attribution (of the earthquake to the Hour) is valid even if the earthquake precedes it, being one of its signs and portents. It is also valid if it occurs during or with the Hour, just as we say "Signs of the Hour" or "Portents of the Hour."

It is narrated that these two verses were revealed at night while people were traveling. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) called out, and people gathered around him. He recited these verses to them, and no one was seen crying as much as that night. When morning came, they neither unsaddled their mounts, pitched their tents, nor cooked their pots; people remained weeping, sitting sadly, and contemplating.

The Prophet (PBUH) then asked: "Do you know what day that is?" They replied, "Allah and His Messenger know best." He said: "That is the Day when Allah will say to Adam (peace be upon him): 'Rise and send forth the contingent of Hell from your offspring.'" Adam will ask: "And what is the contingent of Hell?" meaning, how many? Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, will say: "From every thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine go to the Fire, and one to Paradise." At that, the young will turn grey, every pregnant woman will deliver her burden prematurely, and you will see people as if they are intoxicated, though they are not intoxicated. This greatly distressed the believers, and they wept, asking: "Who will be saved, O Messenger of Allah?"

The Prophet (PBUH) replied: "Rejoice and strive for correctness and moderation, for you have two generations [nations] that were never numerous among a people except that they outnumbered them: Gog and Magog." Then he said: "I hope that you will be one-fourth of the people of Paradise." They exclaimed 'Allahu Akbar' (Allah is the Greatest), and wept. He then said: "I hope that you will be half of the people of Paradise." They exclaimed 'Allahu Akbar' and praised Allah. He then said: "I hope that you will be two-thirds of the people of Paradise. Indeed, the people of Paradise are in one hundred and twenty ranks; eighty of those ranks are my Ummah. The Muslims, in comparison to the disbelievers, are like a white mark on the flank of a black camel, or a white hair on a black bull." Then he said: "And seventy thousand from my Ummah will enter Paradise without reckoning." 'Umar asked: "Seventy thousand?" He replied: "Yes, and with each one, seventy thousand more."

'Ukashah ibn Mihsan stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allah, supplicate to Allah to make me one of them." He said: "You are one of them." A man from the Ansar stood up and said the same thing. He replied: "'Ukashah preceded you in that."

The people then discussed the seventy thousand, with some saying they are those born into Islam, and others saying they are those who believed and strove alongside the Messenger of Allah (PBUH). When they informed the Prophet (PBUH) of their discussion, he said: "They are those who do not seek cauterization, nor are they cauterized, nor do they seek Ruqyah (exorcism/incantations), nor do they believe in omens, but rather they rely upon their Lord."

The Almighty commanded people to observe Taqwa and then explained the obligation of doing so by mentioning the Hour and describing it with the most terrifying description. The meaning is that Taqwa necessitates averting such a great harm from oneself, and averting harm from oneself is known to be obligatory; therefore, Taqwa must be obligatory.

The Mu'tazilites argued based on the verse {Indeed, the earthquake of the Hour is a tremendous thing}, claiming that describing it as a thing implies its existence, even though it is non-existent (before it happens). They also argued using {Indeed, Allah is over all things competent} (Al-Baqarah: 20). They reasoned: The thing Allah is competent over is either existent or non-existent. The former is impossible, as it would imply the capable being capable of creating what already exists. Thus, the thing Allah is competent over must be non-existent, meaning the non-existent is a thing. They further cited {And never say of anything, 'I will do that tomorrow'} (Al-Kahf: 23), where the name thing is applied in the present to what will be done tomorrow, which is non-existent in the present. Thus, the non-existent is a thing.

The Reply: Regarding the first point, the earthquake refers to moving bodies, which are substances possessing attributes. It is impossible for this to be realized while non-existent. Therefore, the earthquake cannot be a thing during its non-existence; interpretation is necessary by consensus. The meaning is that when it comes into existence, it becomes a thing. This is also the answer to the remaining arguments.

Allah described the earthquake as Azim (tremendous/great), and there is nothing greater than what Allah has described as great.

As for His saying, {The Day you will see it}, it is in the accusative case, implying: You will be bewildered on that Day. The pronoun in you will see it could refer back to the earthquake or the Hour, as both were previously mentioned. It is more likely to refer to the earthquake, as witnessing it is what causes intense fear.

Know that the Almighty mentioned three terrifying aspects of that Day:

1. {That Day you will see it}: {That Day when every nursing mother will be distracted from whom she suckles}. That is, the earthquake will distract her. Dahool (distraction/bewilderment) means losing focus on a matter due to shock. If it is asked why "nursing mother" (murdi'ah) was specified instead of just "nursing person" (murdi'), the answer is that the murdi'ah is one actively suckling, with the child's mouth on her breast. The murdi' is one whose role is nursing, even if not actively doing it at that moment. Specifying murdi'ah indicates that if this horror strikes her while she has placed the infant's breast in its mouth, she will pull it out due to the shock she experiences. And {from what she suckled} means from her act of suckling, or from the one she was suckling (the child), in which case ma (what) means man (who).

2. {And every pregnant woman will deliver her burden}. This means she will miscarry her child, whether fully formed or not, due to the horror of that Day. This indicates that this earthquake occurs before the Resurrection. Al-Hasan said: The nursing mother will be distracted from her child without weaning, and pregnant women will drop what is in their wombs prematurely. Al-Qaffal suggested that whoever dies pregnant or nursing will be resurrected in that state, delivering her burden from fright. Alternatively, the distraction of the nursing mother and the delivery of the burden might be metaphorical, similar to the interpretation of {The Day the young will turn grey}.

3. {And you will see the people as intoxicated, yet they will not be intoxicated}. This involves several issues:

The verb Watarā (you will see) was recited with a dammah (as Waturā), implying "I will show you standing," or "I saw you standing." An-Nāsa (the people) is in the accusative case (mansub). The accusative reading is clear. The nominative reading (wa-tunāsu) is because an-Nāsa is treated as the subject of an impersonal verb (where the doer is not named), and it is feminized based on the interpretation of the collective group. Sukārā (intoxicated) was also recited as Sukrā (plural of sakrān), analogous to ju'ā and 'aṭshā (plural of jū'ān and 'aṭshān). Sukārā and Sukrā are like kusālā and 'ujālā. Al-A'mash recited it as Sukrā with a dammah, which is unusual.

The meaning is: {And you will see the people as if they are intoxicated} by way of resemblance, but {yet they are not truly intoxicated} (with wine). Rather, the overwhelming horror of Allah's punishment has deprived them of their senses and reason. Ibn Abbas and Al-Hasan said: We see them as intoxicated by fear, but not intoxicated by drink. If you ask why the address shifts from the plural "you will see them" (turawna) to the singular "you will see" (tarā), the answer is that the initial seeing was linked to the earthquake, making all people observers of it. The latter seeing is linked to the state of intoxication among the people, so each individual must be seeing the others in that state.

If it is asked: Does the severity of that Day apply to everyone, or specifically to the people of the Fire? Some scholars said that the Greater Terror and other horrors are specific to the people of the Fire, and the people of Paradise will be gathered while feeling secure. Others said it applies to everyone, as no one can object to Allah concerning any of His actions, nor does anyone have a right over Him.

7 < { And among the people is he who disputes concerning Allah without knowledge and follows every rebellious devil. * It is decreed for him that whoever takes him as an ally, then surely that one will lead him astray and guide him to the punishment of the Blaze. } > 7 !