Tafseer of The Earthquake · Az-Zalzala · 99:2
And the earth discharges its burdens
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
And His statement: وَأَخْرَجَتِ الأرْضُ أَثْقَالَهَا (And the earth brings forth its burdens.) He says: and the earth brings forth what is in its interior of the dead, alive. The dead one in the interior of the earth is a burden upon it, and while alive, upon its surface, he was a burden upon it.
And in accordance with what we have said concerning this, the people of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) have spoken.
* Mention of those who said that:
Muḥammad ibn Sinān al-Qazzāz related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, on the authority of Shabīb, on the authority of ʿIkrima, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: وَأَخْرَجَتِ الأرْضُ أَثْقَالَهَا (And the earth brings forth its burdens), he said: the dead.
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: وَأَخْرَجَتِ الأرْضُ أَثْقَالَهَا (And the earth brings forth its burdens), he said: he means the dead.
Al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us, both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: وَأَخْرَجَتِ الأرْضُ أَثْقَالَهَا (And the earth brings forth its burdens): those who are in the graves.
