Khaberni - Dr. Amr Khaled, the Islamic preacher, said that Surat Al-Zalzalah aims to stir awareness, awaken human senses, and alert people from negligence before the universe is shaken in its entirety, where the only constants are faith and righteous deeds.
In the fourteenth episode of his Ramadan show "Guide - A Journey with the Quran," Khaled reviewed scenes from Surat Al-Zalzalah, starting with what he described as a "scream in the face of humanity" "When the earth is shaken with its [final] earthquake" and the call at its end to do good however small, as no atom’s weight of good is lost with Allah.
Meanings and lessons learned from Surat Al-Zalzalah
Khaled then extracted the main meanings and lessons from Surat Al-Zalzalah, as follows:
-"When the earth is shaken with its [final] earthquake": As if the whole existence trembles in submission before Allah. This scene allows you to see Judgment Day as if you are witnessing it right before your eyes, seeing yourself there as if regaining your consciousness as it will happen on that day.
-"And the earth discharges its burdens": The dead and the secrets buried in the earth, the treasures contained within its depths, and all of human history: virtues and vices, the good deeds done by good, charitable people, and the evil done by wicked, oppressive people, illegitimately hidden wealth, buried crimes, intentions that were never revealed.
-"And man will say, 'What is [wrong] with it?'": Humanity with all its technology stands mute, incapacitated. A moment of astonishment for the heedless who deal with the world as if it's stable, grumbling at any change, and when the great upheaval occurs, they ask: "What is wrong with it?", despite having the Quran and the cosmic signs, which should remind and awaken them. Thus, the heedless person is worse than the sinful, because the devil sedates them.
-"That Day, it will report its news": When inanimate objects turn into speaking beings, and humans become silent from their inability to explain. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: Do you know what its news is? They said: Allah and His Messenger know best, he said: Its news is that it will testify against every servant or slave with what they did on its back, saying: You did such and such on such and such day, so these are its news. It will testify for those who prayed, those who disobeyed, those who betrayed, and those who were truthful.
-"Because your Lord has commanded it": The divine command came, and the earth quaked and discharged its burdens, and spoke of its news. It did not act on its own, but by the command of its Lord. So, everything happening around us are messages inspired by Allah so that we wake up from our heedlessness.
-"On that Day, people will emerge dispersed [into groups] to be shown their deeds": People will scatter, separated (dispersed), each going to face the consequences they themselves have created, "On the Day a man will flee from his brother*and his mother and his father* and his companion and his children* For every man, that Day, will be a matter adequate for him."
- "So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it: Do not underestimate anything, as all small things will be stored by Allah for that day, glorification, kindness to parents, a kind word, good faith in Allah; the deeds that save during the Day of Judgment may be simple but significant before Allah.
Small deeds that might be the saving ones
After a long day’s work, you return home, carrying groceries for your mother, ask you about something you forgot, you smile, then go back to buy it, so she prays for you, maybe this will be the saving one. You go with your father to the doctor despite your busyness, he prays for you: may Allah be pleased with you, maybe this will be the saving one. Your child jumps on your back while you are praying, you prolong your prostration until they finish playing, and you do as the Prophet peace be upon him did, when he used to carry his grandchildren while praying, maybe this will be the saving one.
You see a worker in the heat, you stop your car and give him a bottle of cold water, maybe this will be the saving one. You place rice grains in a place for birds to eat from, maybe this will be the saving one. You see something that might cause an accident on the road and you get down to remove it yourself, maybe this will be the saving one.
Righteousness is the highest level of awareness of Allah, to live every moment of your life at the highest degrees of activating human feeling, for a human is not a machine, but substance and soul.
5 rules for life from Surat Al-Zalzalah
Khaled identified five rules for life from Surat Al-Zalzalah, as follows:
1-Build deeds that stand firm and establish your footing on the Day of the earthquake "When the earth is shaken with its [final] earthquake".
2-Do not bet on perpetual concealment, for all your secrets shall be revealed "And the earth discharges its burdens".
3-Fill your heart with certainty of Allah by frequently remembering there is no deity but Allah so you are not shocked that day "And man will say, 'What is [wrong] with it'?".
4-Do not be deceived that the universe is silent now; it is recording your actions today and will testify against you tomorrow "That Day, it will report its news." Remember your geography (your home, your work, your street: the testimony of place and time).
5-Create deeds you would be proud to see tomorrow "On that Day, people will emerge dispersed to be shown their deeds".
Watch the episode:
https://youtu.be/ohCKNR4sDjM?si=PjkIUXLvSiQbTtKI
