A Simplified Explanation of Sūrah Al-Zalzalah from Al-Tafsīr Al-Muyassar

Al-Zalzalah

Verse 1

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
إِذَا زُلْزِلَتِ الْأَرْضُ زِلْزَالَهَا

When the Earth is made to shake severely;

Verse 2

وَأَخْرَجَتِ الْأَرْضُ أَثْقَالَهَا

and it expels what is inside it of dead ones and treasures;

Verse 3

وَقَالَ الْإِنْسَانُ مَا لَهَا

and people ask each other in terror–what has happened to it?–

Verse 4

يَوْمَئِذٍ تُحَدِّثُ أَخْبَارَهَا

on [that] Day of Resurrection, the Earth will report about what was done upon it of good or evil;

Verse 5

بِأَنَّ رَبَّكَ أَوْحَىٰ لَهَا

and [that] is because Allāh, All-Perfect is He and All-High, will have commanded it to report about what was done upon it.

Verse 6

يَوْمَئِذٍ يَصْدُرُ النَّاسُ أَشْتَاتًا لِيُرَوْا أَعْمَالَهُمْ

On that Day, people will return from the Place of Standing to Account in sorted, separate groups for Allāh to show them what they had done of evil and good deeds and to reward [or punish] them for [that accordingly].

Verse 7

فَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ

So then whoever does the weight of a small ant in good, will see the reward for it in the Hereafter;

Verse 8

وَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ

and whoever does the weight of a small ant in evil, will see the punishment for it in the Hereafter.

Source: Al-Tafsīr Al-Muyassar. King Fahd Qurʾān Printing Complex. Madīnah: 1434 H.