Topic: Earthquake (Rajfah, Zalzalah)

7:92; 11:68; 15:84; 26:159.

Important Words:

الرجفة (earthquake) is derived from رجف which means, it was or became in a state of motion, commotion, convulsion or disturbance or in a state of violent motion, etc. رجفة means, commotion or convulsion, particularly an earthquake; a violent earthquake; a vehement cry from heaven; any punishment that befalls a people (Lane).

اصبحوا (lay) is derived from اصبح which again is derived from صبح. They say صبح القوم i.e. he came to the people in the morning. اصبح means: (1) he entered upon the time of morning; (2) he became; or he entered upon a certain state. اصبح زید عالماmeans, Zaid became learned. So جاثمین اصبحوا means, they became prostrate, i.e. they lay prostrate; or they entered upon the time of morning, while they lay prostrate (Lane & Aqrab).

جاثمین (prostrate on the ground) is the plural of جاثم which is the active participle from جثم which means, she clove to the ground, or he fell upon his breast; or he kept to his place, not quitting it. So جاثم means, one who, or that which, cleaves to the ground or falls upon his or its breast. It also means motionless or dead (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

According to the different meanings of the word جثم given under Important Words, the verse would mean that (1) they were crushed to death by the earthquake and lay prostrate; (2) when the earthquake overtook them, they were terrified and fell prostrate on the ground, praying to God for deliverance.

7:79; 11:68; 15:84; 26:159.

Important Words:

الرجفة (earthquake). See 7:79 above.

Commentary:

The people of Shu‘aib were destroyed by an earthquake probably in the early morning.

13:28.

Commentary:

This verse shows that the tablets were not broken as alleged by the Bible; for if they were broken, how could the very tablets have been taken up again. The word نسخة (writing) explained above also hints that Moses did not receive any written tablets from God but that he himself wrote them under divine inspiration.

The word سفھاء (the foolish) is used here not in the general sense but in the specific sense of the foolish in the ways of God, i.e. "ignorant", for every act of disobedience is born of ignorance, even if it is committed intentionally. Those, who were clever enough to render Aaron helpless, could not be called fools in the ordinary sense of the word. They are called سفھاء (fools) because they did not possess the sense and intelligence to understand the Word of God.

The incident of the calf proved to be the first occasion when the transgressors among the Israelites became distinguished from true believers, and the prophecy, Soon shall I show you the abode of the transgressors (7:146), was fulfilled.

7:79; 26:159; 54:32.

Important Words:

الصیحة (punishment) is derived from صاح which means, he called out or cried vehemently or he shouted with his utmost force or power. صاح علیه means, he rebuked him. صیح بھم means, they were frightened or terrified. صیح فیھم means, they perished. صاحت الشجرة means, the tree became tall. صیحة means, a loud cry; punishment, castigation or chastisement; a hostile or predatory incursion by which a tribe is surprised (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

Seven different words and expressions have been used in the Quran to describe the punishment which overtook the tribe of Thamud. In the verse under comment and in 54:32, the word used is صیحة (punishment); in 7:79, رجفة (an earthquake); in 26:159, عذاب (chastisement); in 27:52, دمرناھم (We utterly destroyed them); in 51:45, صاعقة (thunderbolt; any destructive punishment); in 69:6,طاغیة (an extraordinary punishment); and in 91:15, دمدم علیھم (their Lord destroyed them completely). Though the words and expressions employed to describe the visitation seem to be different in form, yet they possess no discrepancy in meaning. The only words which appear to be contradictory are Rajfah, Saihah, Sa‘iqah and Taghiyah. As, however, the last three also mean punishment, therefore if the tribe of Thamud were destroyed by means of an earthquake, all the above words may be rightly used to describe that catastrophe.

7:79; 11:68.

Commentary:

It appears from 7:79 that the calamity referred to in this verse was an earthquake.

Important Words:

زلزلة (earthquake) is derived from زلزل. They say زلزل اللّٰه الارض i.e. God shook the earth. زلزله means, he frightened him. زلزل الابل means, he drove the camels harshly. زلزلة means, a shaking of the earth; an earthquake; a calamity; a terrible visitation; زلازل (plural) i.e. calamities, miseries, trials, afflictions (Aqrab). The word also means: a war or the effects of war. The last two World Wars were called زلزلة (an earthquake) because they shook the foundation of human society and brought about new political and social changes and also a revolutionary change in the beliefs, ideas and ideals of men. The word has been used in the Quran in the sense of a calamity (2:215) and also in the sense of war or the effects of war (33:11, 12).

الساعة (Hour) is derived from ساع. They say ساع الشیء i.e. the thing was lost, it degraded. ساعت الابل means, the camels went away grazing without a driver. ساعة means, an hour; a part of time; a while or a little while; a space; a period; an indefinite time; a watch. الساعة means, the present time; now; just now; this moment. It also means, difficulty, distress or affliction; distance; remoteness. الساعة (Hour) or القیامة is used in three senses: (a) death of a great and famous person. It is called القیامة الصغری or الساعةالصغری i.e. the small resurrection; (b) a national calamity or the doom that overtakes a whole people on account of their evil deeds. It is called الساعة الوسطی i.e. the Middle Hour; (c) the Day of Judgement. It is called القیامة الکبری or الساعة الکبری i.e. the Great Hour (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The word الساعة has been used in the Quran in the last two senses mentioned under "Important Words" above. The context shows that in the verse under comment it has been used in the second sense, i.e. in the sense of a national calamity that shakes the very foundation of a people. It may have particular reference to the impending doom of the Arabs when Mecca, the citadel of their political power, would fall and their political power and whole social system would break and crumble or it may refer to a terrible calamity that would overtake mankind in the form of a global war and would bring calamitous changes in its wake. The present verse read along with 2:213 lends further support to the inference that the words الساعة (the Hour) or یوم القیامة (the Day of Judgement) used in the Quran generally signify a great national calamity that overtakes a people.

7:79; 11:68; 54:32.

56:5-6; 73:15.

Important Words:

رجف (shall quake). رجف means, it was or became in a state of commotion, convulsion or disturbance. They say رجفت الارضi.e. the earth quaked. رجف القلب means, the heart became agitated. رجفته الحمی means, the fever caused him to shiver. رجف القومmeans, the people prepared for war. (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The verse means that the prophecy proclaimed in the foregoing verses will be fulfilled as the result of fighting that will take place between God’s righteous servants and the forces of evil in which the latter shall be routed (رجف meaning to prepare for war). The utter defeat of disbelief announced long time beforehand will constitute a strong proof of the Resurrection. The verse may apply to the Day of Reckoning also.

Important Words:

زلزلت (is shaken). زلزل الله الارض means, God made the earth to quake violently, or put the earth into a state of convulsion or violent motion. زلزل فلانا means, he frightened such a one and terrified him. زلزل الابل means, he drove the camels with violence or vehemence, means an earthquake, convulsion, commotion or violent agitation; a great calamity (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The expression زلزلت الارض زلزالھا means that the whole earth will experience all manner of internal as well as external commotion and upheavals. In our time not only has the earth been constantly shaken by most destructive earthquakes, wars and other calamities and catastrophes at frequent intervals, but also its dwellers have been subjected to violent and virulent agitation in every walk of life. Man has experienced catastrophic changes never witnessed by him before.

Important Words:

أثقالھا (her burdens) is the plural of ثقل which is inf. noun from ثقل (thaqula) which means, it was or became heavy, weighty or ponderous, or it became preponderant ideally; it was or became oppressive or grievous. ثقل (thiqlun) means, luggage of a traveller; household goods; anything held in high estimate or anything which is in much demand and is preserved; treasure or buried treasure; burden (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The verse may have one of the following interpretations:

1. The bowels of the earth will be ripped open and it will throw up its treasures of mineral wealth.

2. There will be a vast release and upsurge of knowledge of all kinds, relating to physical as well as spiritual sciences, especially in the sciences of geology and archaeology.

3. People will throw off the yoke of their rulers and religious leaders and will revolt against oppression, throwing the yoke of subjection off their shoulders.