Az-Zalzala (99) and Al-Qaari'a (101): the earth will speak, the scale will weigh

The text: Surah Az-Zalzala (99), verses 1 to 8 بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ إِذَا زُلْزِلَتِ الْأَرْضُ زِلْزَالَهَا ﴿١﴾ وَأَخْرَجَتِ الْأَرْضُ أَثْقَالَهَا ﴿٢﴾ وَقَالَ الْإِنْسَانُ مَا لَهَا ﴿٣﴾ يَوْمَئِذٍ تُحَدِّثُ أَخْبَارَهَا ﴿٤﴾ بِأَنَّ رَبَّكَ أَوْحَىٰ لَهَا ﴿٥﴾ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَصْدُرُ النَّاسُ أَشْتَاتًا لِيُرَوْا أَعْمَالَهُمْ ﴿٦﴾ فَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ ﴿٧﴾ وَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ ﴿٨﴾

The text: Surah Al-Qaari'a (101), verses 1 to 11 بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ الْقَارِعَةُ ﴿١﴾ مَا الْقَارِعَةُ ﴿٢﴾ وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْقَارِعَةُ ﴿٣﴾ يَوْمَ يَكُونُ النَّاسُ كَالْفَرَاشِ الْمَبْثُوثِ ﴿٤﴾ وَتَكُونُ الْجِبَالُ كَالْعِهْنِ الْمَنْفُوشِ ﴿٥﴾ فَأَمَّا مَنْ ثَقُلَتْ مَوَازِينُهُ ﴿٦﴾ فَهُوَ فِي عِيشَةٍ رَاضِيَةٍ ﴿٧﴾ وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَازِينُهُ ﴿٨﴾ فَأُمُّهُ هَاوِيَةٌ ﴿٩﴾ وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا هِيَهْ ﴿١٠﴾ نَارٌ حَامِيَةٌ ﴿١١﴾

Both surahs are short: try reading each one three times, then reciting their last two verses from memory.

Arabic text: Tanzil Quran Text (Simple, version 1.0.2), © 2008-2010 Tanzil.net, Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence, reproduced without any change (http://tanzil.net). Each verse is on its own line, followed by its number; the basmala, which the Tanzil file places at the start of the first verse, is written on its own line.

Az-Zalzala (99): the earthquake • Verses 1 to 3: the earth will quake with its great quaking and bring out its "burdens": the dead it contains (and, according to some commentators, its treasures). The human being will ask, terrified: "What is the matter with it?" • Verses 4 and 5: on that day the earth will tell its news, because its Lord will have inspired it to. The commentators explain that it will bear witness to what each person did upon it, good and evil. • Verse 6: people will come out in separate groups, to be shown their deeds. • Verses 7 and 8: "Whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it." The word "dharra" refers, among the commentators, to a tiny ant or a speck of dust: the smallest thing imaginable. The Prophet ﷺ called these two verses a "unique and comprehensive" verse (reported by Bukhari and Muslim) [À VÉRIFIER : numéros]. The surah is Makkan according to some, Madinan according to others [À VÉRIFIER].

Al-Qaari'a (101): the striking calamity • Verses 1 to 3: "The Striking! What is the Striking? And what will make you know what the Striking is?" Al-Qaari'a, "the one that strikes", is one of the names of the Last Day: it strikes hearts with its terror. The repeated question shows that it is beyond what we can imagine. • Verses 4 and 5: people will be like scattered moths (or locusts, according to some commentators), going in every direction; the mountains will be like carded wool, light and coloured. • Verses 6 and 7: the one whose scales are heavy with good deeds will be in a pleasing life. • Verses 8 to 11: the one whose scales are light will have the abyss (haawiya) as his "mother": he will fall into it as a child throws itself towards its mother. "And what will make you know what it is? A blazing Fire."

The link between the two surahs Both describe the same Day, and they complete each other: Az-Zalzala says that nothing is lost, not even an atom; Al-Qaari'a says that everything will be weighed. So the believer never has a small deed: a smile, the charity of a single date, a hurtful word, everything counts.

Exercise: for one day, note the "small" good deeds you do (helping, smiling, picking up litter…) and those you regret. In the evening, ask forgiveness for the latter and thank Allah for the former.

Understanding the lesson

Explanation These two surahs are among the shortest and most powerful in the Qur'an. They change how we see "small things". In life we often measure the value of a deed by its size; Allah sees the weight of an atom. Ibn Kathir cites in this regard the hadith: "Protect yourselves from the Fire, even with half a date" (Bukhari 1417, Muslim 1016). The idea that the earth will "tell" what was done upon it calls for vigilance: there is no place without a witness. But it is also good news: the prayer made in a discreet corner, the good done without anyone seeing, none of it is lost. The scale (al-miizaan) is part of faith in the Last Day: deeds will be weighed with justice (meaning of 21:47). It is not cold bookkeeping: Allah's mercy multiplies good deeds, and repentance wipes out bad ones. The image of the abyss as a "mother" is striking: whoever did not seek refuge with Allah will have no refuge other than the Fire.

Lessons to draw from it • Look down on no good, however tiny. • Make light of no evil, however tiny. • Do good even when no one sees: the earth and Allah are witnesses. • Make your scale heavier every day, and repent of what makes it lighter.

Key points to remember • Az-Zalzala (99), 8 verses: the earth will tell; an atom of good or evil will be seen (99:7-8). • Al-Qaari'a (101), 11 verses: the striking calamity; heavy or light scales. • Haawiya: the abyss, one of the names of the Fire. • "Protect yourselves from the Fire, even with half a date" (Bukhari 1417, Muslim 1016).

The main message On the Last Day nothing will be lost or forgotten: every atom of good or evil will be seen and weighed. Every small deed today counts.