Islamic prayer
Surah Zalzalah
Surah Zalzalah in Arabic, in English letters and with its meaning.
- 8 verses
- Under a minute to recite
- From the Qur'an
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ إِذَا زُلْزِلَتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ زِلْزَالَهَاوَأَخْرَجَتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ أَثْقَالَهَاوَقَالَ ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ مَا لَهَايَوْمَئِذٍ تُحَدِّثُ أَخْبَارَهَابِأَنَّ رَبَّكَ أَوْحَىٰ لَهَايَوْمَئِذٍ يَصْدُرُ ٱلنَّاسُ أَشْتَاتًا لِّيُرَوْا۟ أَعْمَٰلَهُمْفَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُۥوَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُۥ
Copied word for word from the edition named here
Phrase by phrase
Show
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Bismi Allahi ar‑Rahmani ar‑Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
- 1
إِذَا زُلْزِلَتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ زِلْزَالَهَا
Idha zulzilati al‑ardu zilzalaha
When Earth is shaken with her (final) earthquake
- 2
وَأَخْرَجَتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ أَثْقَالَهَا
Wa akhrajati al‑ardu athqalaha
And Earth yieldeth up her burdens,
- 3
وَقَالَ ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ مَا لَهَا
Wa qala al‑insanu ma laha
And man saith: What aileth her?
- 4
يَوْمَئِذٍ تُحَدِّثُ أَخْبَارَهَا
Yawma'idhin tuhaddithu akhbaraha
That day she will relate her chronicles,
- 5
بِأَنَّ رَبَّكَ أَوْحَىٰ لَهَا
Bi'anna rabbaka awha laha
Because thy Lord inspireth her.
- 6
يَوْمَئِذٍ يَصْدُرُ ٱلنَّاسُ أَشْتَاتًا لِّيُرَوْا۟ أَعْمَٰلَهُمْ
Yawma'idhin yasduru an‑nasu ashtatan liyuraw a'malahum
That day mankind will issue forth in scattered groups to be shown their deeds.
- 7
فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُۥ
Faman ya'mal mithqala dharratin khayran yarah
And whoso doeth good an atom's weight will see it then,
- 8
وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُۥ
Waman ya'mal mithqala dharratin sharran yarah
And whoso doeth ill an atom's weight will see it then.
Free to read, copy and print. No sign-in.
When it is recited
Many Sunni Muslims recite Surah Zalzalah during daily prayers or personal Qur'an reading. In the tradition, its description of the earth's shaking and the revealing of deeds is a reminder of resurrection and accountability before Allah.
Where it comes from
Surah Zalzalah comes from the Qur'an, which Muslims believe is Allah's revelation to the Prophet Muhammad. Its name refers to the earthquake described at its opening. The surah describes the earth bearing witness and people being shown their deeds.
The Library of Alexandria
Every prayer, and the books they come from
Unlimited eBooks, audiobooks and 15-minute summaries, and printed books at cost price: paperback, hardcover and large print. 5 accounts for the price of one, in 25 languages. Free to start.
- The scriptures, saints and mystics of every faith
- 5 accounts for the price of one, for your whole household
- Paperback, hardcover and large print, at the cost of printing
Free to start. Renews every year. Cancel anytime.
Related prayers and texts
- IslamicSurah YasinA Qur'anic surah about revelation, resurrection and accountability before Allah.
- IslamicSurah MulkA Qur’anic surah about Allah’s sovereignty, creation and human accountability.
- IslamicSurah BaqarahThe Qur'an's longest surah, with teachings on faith, worship and community life.
- IslamicSurah WaqiahA Qur’anic surah about the Resurrection, judgment and human dependence on Allah.
Questions about Surah Zalzalah
How many verses does Surah Zalzalah have?
Surah Zalzalah has 8 verses.
What does Zalzalah mean?
Zalzalah means "the earthquake" or "the shaking." The title refers to the earth's shaking described at the beginning of the surah.
What is the main message of Surah Zalzalah?
It describes resurrection and accountability before Allah. Its closing verses teach that even the smallest good or evil deed will be seen.
When can I recite Surah Zalzalah?
It may be recited during daily prayers or as part of personal Qur'an reading, without a particular day or season.
How long does it take to recite?
It can be recited in under a minute, though the time varies with the reciter's pace.
