Surah Al-Zalzalah (The Earthquake)

1

It is a Meccan Surah consisting of eight verses.

Verse 1:

Al-Zalzalah (The Earthquake): (1) Idhā Zulzilat al-Arḍ...

Herein lie several issues:

Issue 1: The Connection (Munāsabah) between the Beginning of this Sūrah and the End of the Preceding Sūrah

They mentioned several perspectives regarding the connection between the beginning of this Sūrah and the end of the previous one:

1. Perspective One: Since Allāh mentioned, { Jazā’uhum ‘inda Rabbihim } (Their recompense is with their Lord), the accountable person might ask, "When will that be, O Lord?" Allāh replies: { Idhā zulzilat al-arḍu zilzālahā }. At that time, all beings will be in fear, but you (the believer) will receive your recompense and be secure therein, just as Allāh says: { Wa hum min faza‘in yawma’idhin āminūn } (And they, on that Day, will be secure from fear).
2. Perspective Two: Since Allāh mentioned the warning for the disbeliever and the promise for the believer in the preceding Sūrah, He wanted to intensify the warning for the disbeliever. Thus, He says, "I will recompense him" when the previously mentioned disbeliever asks, "What is happening to the earth that it is shaking?" This is similar to His saying: { Yawma tabyaḍḍu wujūhun wa taswadḍu wujūh } (The Day when some faces will turn white and some faces will turn black). Then, He addresses the two groups, saying: { Fa ammā alladhīna iswaddat wujūhuhum } (As for those whose faces turned black) and { Wa ammā alladhīna ibyaddat wujūhuhum } (As for those whose faces turned white). Finally, He brings them together at the end of the Sūrah by mentioning the smallest measure of good and evil.

Issue 2: Regarding the Word { Idhā } (When)

There are two points of discussion concerning { Idhā }:

1. First Point: One might ask: Since { Idhā } denotes a specific time, how is it appropriate to begin the Sūrah with it?
   • Answer 1: They (the people) used to ask Him about the timing of the Hour. He replied: { Idhā zulzilat al-arḍu }. It is as if Allāh said: "There is no way to specify it by its time, but I specify it by its signs."
   • Answer 2: Allāh intended to inform the accountable person that the Earth itself will move and testify on the Day of Resurrection, even though it is currently inanimate matter. It is as if He was asked, "When will that be?" and He replied: { Idhā zulzilat al-arḍu }.

2. Second Point: They state that the word { In } (If) is used for what is possible (contingent), whereas { Idhā } is used for what is certain to occur. For example, you say, "In you enter the house, you are divorced," because entering is possible. But if you intend to link it to something that will certainly happen, you do not say In, but rather Idhā (e.g., "Idhā tomorrow comes, you are divorced," because tomorrow inevitably comes). This is the original rule. If usage deviates from this, it is metaphorical. Since the earthquake is certain to happen, He said: { Idhā zulzilat }.

Issue 3: The Meaning of "Zilzāl" (Shaking)

Al-Farra’ said that al-Zilzāl (with a kasra on the zāy) is the verbal noun (Maṣdar), while al-Zalāzāl (with a fatḥa on the zāy) is the noun form. Both readings exist. Similarly, al-Waswās (with a fatḥa) is the noun (the name of the devil's whisper), and al-Waswas (with a kasra) is the verbal noun (the act of whispering).

The meaning is: "It was moved with a violent movement," as in: { Idhā rujjat al-arḍu rajjan } (When the earth is violently shaken).

Another group said that what is meant by Zulzilat is not merely "moved," but rather "it moved and became agitated." The proof is that Allāh describes it throughout the Sūrah as He describes the chosen, capable being. Furthermore, this usage is more conducive to terrifying the listener, as if Allāh is saying: "If the inanimate matter becomes agitated at the onset of the Resurrection, is it not time for you to become agitated and awaken from your heedlessness?" This is close to the verse: { La-ra’aytahā khāshi‘atan mutaṣaddi‘atan min khashyatillāh } (You would surely see the earth humbled and split apart out of fear of Allāh).

Know that Zalla (زل) implies habitual movement, whereas Zalzala (زلزل) implies severe, great movement due to the repetition inherent in the form, similar to Sarṣara (صرصر) for the wind. Because of the intensity of this movement, Allāh described it as great, saying: { Inna zalzalat as-sā‘ati shay’un ‘aẓīm } (Indeed, the earthquake of the Hour is a tremendous thing).

Issue 4: The Timing of the Shaking

Mujāhid said that the shaking mentioned in this verse refers to the First Blast (of the Trumpet), similar to His saying: { Yawma turjafu ar-rājifah * Tatba‘uhā ar-rādifah } (The Day the first blast will shake [the earth], followed by the second). That is, the earth shakes during the First Blast, then it shakes a second time, causing the dead to emerge, who are the "heavy things" (al-athqāl).

Others said that this shaking is the Second Blast, based on the fact that Allāh made one of its consequences the earth casting out its burdens, which only happens during the Second Shaking.

Issue 5: Regarding the Addition { Zilzālahā } (Her Shaking)

There are several interpretations for this possessive construction:

1. The Measure Appropriate to Her Wisdom: Like saying, "Honor the pious with his honor" and "Humiliate the wicked with his humiliation," meaning the honor and humiliation that they deserve.
2. All of Her Shaking: The meaning is the entirety of the shaking possible for her. It means that the shaking reached the maximum extent the recipient (the Earth) could bear.
3. The Promised or Decreed Shaking: { Zilzālahā } refers to the shaking promised or decreed for her. If we estimate the measure of a living being, it is narrated that the Earth shakes due to the intensity of Isrāfīl's sound, as this was the measure decreed for the living.