99- Surat Alzalzalah/Tafseer
8 Verses Medinan (revealed in Medina)
A'auzu Bellahi mena alshaiytani alrajeem
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan
Besmi Ellahi Alrhmani Alraheem
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Iza zulzellati alardu zelzalaha (1).
When the earth is shaken with its quake.
Wa akhrajati alardu athqalaha (2).
And the earth brings forth its burdens.
Wa qala alinsanu ma laha (3).
And man says What is with it?.
Yawma-izin tuhaddethu akhbaraha (4).
That day it will report its news.
Be-anna Rabbaka awha laha (5).
Because Your Lord has commanded it.
Yawma-izin yasduru alnasu ashtatan le-yuraw a'malahum (6).
That day, people will proceed in separated groups to be shown their deeds.
Fa man ya'mal methqala zarratin khairan yarah (7).
So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it.
Wa man ya'mal methqala zarratin sharran yarah (8).
And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it.
Simplified interpretation:
Surat Alzalzalah describes some scenes of the day of resurrection, that will happen to the earth and to the people, it will begin with a violent earthquake, then the earth will throw out its burdens. It was said that its burdens refers to the dead who shall be gathered on that day. Although there is an opinion sees that what is within the earth refers to its treasures because the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said in narration of Abu Hurayrah that the earth will throw out the pieces of its liver (contents), and Gold and silver will come out like columns, but this does not contradict the first opinion for its burdens came in general, and it may means the dead and its treasures simultaneously.
Surely the earth will bring forth the dead because the following verses describes the state of mankind after their resurrection from the graves, as the same as of what has been mentioned in Surat Alinshiqaq Ayat (3-6) where Allah Almighty says {And when the earth has been extended, and has throw up that within it and has relinquished, and has responded to its Lord, and was obligated, O man! Indeed, you are toiling towards your Lord an extreme toil, then you will meet him}. So in the two Surahs Allah has mentioned man when the earth throw up whatever it contains.
Man will rise from his grave, and he will say what is with it?, as the matter of earth will be unusual for him, for Allah assures in Surat Alhajj Aya (1), that the quake of the Hour (day of judgement) is a great and terrible thing, and He says in Surat Alzumar Aya (68) {And the trumpet will be blown, so whoever is in the heavens, and whoever is on the earth will fall dead except whom Allah wills, then it will be blown again, so behold! they will stand up, looking around}.
On the day of resurrection, the earth will report its news, and this was a command from its Lord, and it was said that the earth will be a witness against mankind, and it will tell about the deeds of man on its surface, and it was said that its news is only throwing out its burdens, and also it was said that its news is an announcement of the end of the worldly life and the beginning of the Hereafter.
The last three verses describes the situation of man on the day of resurrection, as all people will proceed in scattered groups to be shown their deeds, and they will be shown the good and the evil deeds that they committed in the worldly life. So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it.
Everyone will have a book of deeds in the Hereafter, so those who committed evil deeds will be in a terrible position for Allah says in Surat Alkahf Aya (49): {And the book will be placed and You will see the criminals apprehensive from what is in it, and they will say Oh woe to us! What is this book that leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it?, and they will find what they did presented, and Your Lord does not wrong anyone}.
And Allah says in Aya (30) of Surat Ali Imran {The day when every soul will find present what it has done of good, and what it has done of evil, it will wish that between itself and it was a far distance, and Allah warns you of Himself, and Allah is Most Kind to the servants}.