Surah Al-Zilzal is included in the IGCSE Islamiyat 0493 syllabus under the theme “Allah’s Relationship with the Created World.” This Surah describes the Day of Judgement and shows how Allah controls the earth and holds human beings accountable for their actions. Students are expected to understand what this Surah teaches about Allah’s relationship with humanity and explain its importance in Muslim belief and practice.
“When the earth is shaken with its final earthquake,
And the earth discharges its burdens,
And man says, ‘What is wrong with it?’
That Day, it will report its news
Because your Lord has commanded it.
That Day, the people will depart separated [into categories] to be shown [the result of] their deeds.
So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it,
And whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.”
Reference: Surah Al-Zilzal (99)
In-book reference: Quran
إِذَا زُلْزِلَتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ زِلْزَالَهَا. وَأَخْرَجَتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ أَثْقَالَهَا. وَقَالَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ مَا لَهَا. يَوْمَئِذٍۢ تُحَدِّثُ أَخْبَارَهَا. بِأَنَّ رَبَّكَ أَوْحَىٰ لَهَا. يَوْمَئِذٍۢ يَصْدُرُ ٱلنَّاسُ أَشْتَاتًۭا لِّيُرَوْا۟ أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْ. فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًۭا يَرَهُۥ. وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍۢ شَرًّۭا يَرَهُۥ
Surah Al-Zilzal describes the power of Allah over the earth and the accountability of human beings. It explains that when the Day of Judgement comes, Allah will command the earth to shake and reveal everything that has happened on it.
Key teachings include:
This Surah shows that Allah is not distant from human actions. He is fully aware and will bring everything to account.
This passage belongs to this theme because it shows:
It explains how Allah deals with His creation, not just who Allah is.
This Surah is important because it:
For Muslims today, this means:
This affects daily behaviour, honesty, and responsibility.
In the exam, students may be asked to:
High-scoring answers will:
Giving narrative instead of explanation
Explain what Surah Al-Zilzal teaches about Allah’s relationship with the created world and describe its importance in the lives of Muslims today.
Surah Al-Zilzal teaches Muslims about the power, control, and justice of Allah in His relationship with creation. The Surah begins by describing the earth being shaken by Allah’s command, which shows that Allah has complete control over the physical world. The earth only moves and acts because Allah orders it to do so.
The passage explains that the earth will reveal everything that happened on it. This shows that Allah makes creation itself a witness against human actions. It teaches that nothing is hidden from Allah and that every action, no matter how small, is known to Him.
The Surah also states that people will be shown even an atom’s weight of good or evil. This highlights Allah’s perfect justice. It teaches that Allah is fair and that everyone will be judged according to their deeds. No good deed is wasted, and no bad deed is ignored.
For Muslims today, these teachings are extremely important because they encourage moral behaviour and responsibility. Knowing that Allah will bring every action to account makes Muslims more careful about how they live their lives. It encourages honesty, kindness, and obedience to Allah.
The Surah also strengthens belief in the Day of Judgement and reminds Muslims that this world is temporary. This helps Muslims stay patient during difficulties and avoid becoming too attached to worldly things.
In conclusion, Surah Al-Zilzal is important because it shows how Allah controls the earth, judges human actions, and holds His creation accountable, guiding Muslims to live responsible and righteous lives.