EARTHQUAKES? MESSAGE AND HEAVY BURDENS

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EARTHQUAKES? MESSAGE AND HEAVY BURDENS

1- When the earth is severely quaked. 
2- And the earth throws out its heavy burdens. 
3- And man enquires, ?What has come over it?? 
4- On that day, it will tell its information. 
99-The Earthquake, 1-4 

The Arabic word ?zilzal? means ?earthquake.? The above verses are quoted from 
the sura The Earthquake. These verses are believed to refer justifiably to the 
earthquake expected to occur in the end of the world; however, we should take 
due notice of its wider sense, depicting earthquakes in general. The fourth 
verse announces that men will be informed on that day. A terrible disaster like 
an earthquake associates in one?s mind destruction in the first place causing 
material damage and bodily injury, leading to a general terror and panic. This 
announcement must have astounded the public. 

To establish a link between earthquakes and knowledge of certain facts seemed 
inconceivable to people up until the last century. Today we have a great many 
data in our possession regarding the ground beneath our feet, thanks to 
earthquakes. The shortest radius we could draw from where we might be to the 
center of the earth is longer than 6000 km, a distance we can never cover. Yes, 
an earthquake provides information about that portion of the earth inaccessible 
to us. (During the earthquake to take place at the end of the world, it is 
possible that men will be further enlightened on subjects beyond His prediction. 
We certainly do not assert that the verse?s meaning is limited to our 
interpretation.)

BURDENS OF THE EARTH
The second verse of the sura Earthquake is interesting in that it refers to the 
burdens of the earth. Years have gone by and men have failed to understand what 
those burdens might be. The widely accepted interpretation was that the sura 
referred to the earthquake that was going to take place at the end of the world 
when the dead would be resurrected and treasures hidden underground would rise 
to the surface. No one could have guessed that the ground beneath was formed of 
dense and heavy matter that would rise to the surface. References to earthquakes 
in the Quran contribute to our better appreciation of them. Let us not forget 
that people believed at the time that the earth rested on the horns of an ox or 
on a fish whose tail, when it moved, produced earthquakes (The commentary of Ibn 
Kethir is an example). The fact that the Quran made no reference to such false 
beliefs is another indication of its miraculous character. 

The more we know about the contents of the Quran and about the universe, the 
more we appreciate God?s artistry and the perfection of his religion. 

9- Say: ?Are those who know equal to those who do not know? Only men of 
understanding take heed.? 
39-The Throngs, 9

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