INTRODUCTION:
This Surah consists of 8 verses, 35 sentences, 139 letters and 1 Ruku'.
It is derived from the word zilzal in the first verse.
Whether or not it was revealed, at Makkah or Madianah, is disputed. Ibn Masud, Ata, Jabir, and Mjahid say that it is a Makki Surah and a statement of Ibn Abbas also supports this view. On the contrary, Qatadah and Muqatil say that it is Madini and another statement of Ibn Abbas also has been cited in support of this view. That it is a Madani Surah is reasoned from a tradition from Hadrat Abu Said Khudri, which Ibn Abi Hatim has related from him. He says: "When the verse Fa-man ya mal mithqala dharratin khairan yarah, wa man ya mal mithqala dharratin sharran yarah, was revealed, I said: "O Messenger of Allah, shall I really see my deeds? The Holy Messenger replied in the affirmative. I submitted: And every major sin? He replied yes. I said: And the minor sins too? He replied yes. Thereupon I exclaimed that I would then be ruined. The Holy Prophet said: Rejoice, O Abu Sa'id, for each good act will be equal to ten good acts like it." The basis of the argument for this Surah's being Madani is that Hadrat Abu Sa'ld Khudri was an inhabitant of Madinah and reached maturity after the Battle of Uhud. Therefore, if this Surah was revealed in his presence, as is apparent from his statement, it must be a Madani Surah. However, the practice that the Companions and their immediate successors followed in respect of the occasion of the revelation of the verses and Surahs, has already been explained in the Introduction to Surah Ad-Dahr above. Therefore, a Companion's saying that a verse was sent down on this or that particular occasion is no proof that it was sent down on that very occasion. It may well be that after coming of age when Hadrat Aba Sa'id heard this Surah for the first time from the Holy Prophet, terrified by its last portion he might have asked the Holy Prophet the questions which we have cited above, and he might have narrated the incident saying that when this verse was revealed he put this and this question to the Holy Prophet. In the absence of this tradition every reader who reads the Quran with understandings will feel that it is a Makki Surah. More than that: from its theme and style he would feel that it must have been sent down in the earliest stage at Makkah when the fundamental principles and beliefs of Islam were being presented before the people in a concise but highly effective way.
Its theme is the second life after death and presentation in it before man of the full record of the deeds done by him in the world. In the first three sentences it has been told briefly how the second life after death will take place and how confounding it will be for man. In the next two sentences it has been said that this very earth on which man has lived and performed all kinds of deeds thoughtlessly, and about which he never could fancy that this lifeless thing would at some time in the future bear witness to his deeds, will speak out on that Day by Allah's command and will state in respect of each individual person what act he had committed at a particular time and place. Then, it has been said that men on that Day, rising from their graves, will come out in their varied groups from all corners of the earth, to be shown their deeds and works, and their presentation of the deeds will be so complete and detailed that not an atom's weight of any good or evil act will be left unnoticed or hidden from his eyes.
Maududi
Bismi Allahi alrrahmani alrraheemi
99 : 1
1. Itha zulzilati al-ardu zilzalaha
When the earth is quaking in the final tremors ordained for her, -
99 : 2
2. Waakhrajati al-ardu athqalaha
And the earth relieves herself of all her burdens -
99 : 3
3. Waqala al-insanu ma laha
And man says : 'What has gone wrong with her!'
99 : 4
4. Yawma-ithin tuhaddithu akhbaraha
That Day she will narrate all her tales -
99 : 5
5. Bi-anna rabbaka awha laha
Because your Lord inspirits her to do so!
99 : 6
6. Yawma-ithin yasduru alnnasu ashtatan liyuraw aAAmalahum
That Day mankind will emerge from many a direction to be shown their deeds!
99 : 7
7. Faman yaAAmal mithqala tharratin khayran yarahu
And whoever has done even an iota of good will see it reflected therein;
99 : 8
8. Waman yaAAmal mithqala tharratin sharran yarahu
And whoever has done even an iota of evil will see it reflected therein! (R)
1. When the earth is shaken with its (final) earthquake.
2. And when the earth throws out its burdens,
3. And man will say: "What is the matter with it?"
4. That Day it will declare its information (about all what happened over it of good or evil).
5. Because your Lord has inspired it.
6. That Day mankind will proceed in scattered groups that they may be shown their deeds.[]
7. So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant), shall see it.
8. And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant), shall see it.
099.001
YUSUFALI: When the
earth is shaken to her (utmost) convulsion,
PICKTHAL: When Earth
is shaken with her (final) earthquake
SHAKIR: When the earth
is shaken with her (violent) shaking,
099.002
YUSUFALI: And the
earth throws up her burdens (from within),
PICKTHAL: And Earth
yieldeth up her burdens,
SHAKIR: And the earth
brings forth her burdens,
099.003
YUSUFALI: And man
cries (distressed): 'What is the matter with her?'-
PICKTHAL: And man
saith: What aileth her?
SHAKIR: And man says:
What has befallen her?
099.004
YUSUFALI: On that Day
will she declare her tidings:
PICKTHAL: That day she
will relate her chronicles,
SHAKIR: On that day
she shall tell her news,
099.005
YUSUFALI: For that thy
Lord will have given her inspiration.
PICKTHAL: Because thy
Lord inspireth her.
SHAKIR: Because your
Lord had inspired her.
099.006
YUSUFALI: On that Day
will men proceed in companies sorted out, to be shown the deeds that they (had
done).
PICKTHAL: That day
mankind will issue forth in scattered groups to be shown their deeds.
SHAKIR: On that day
men shall come forth in sundry bodies that they may be shown their works.
099.007
YUSUFALI: Then shall
anyone who has done an atom's weight of good, see it!
PICKTHAL: And whoso
doeth good an atom's weight will see it then,
SHAKIR: So. he who has
done an atom's weight of good shall see it
099.008
YUSUFALI: And anyone
who has done an atom's weight of evil, shall see it.
PICKTHAL: And whoso
doeth ill an atom's weight will see it then.
SHAKIR: And he who has
done an atom's weight of evil shall see it.