P1-QUR-09 Major themes of the Qur'an Paper 1, Question 1 · compulsory
Sura 99 — Al-Zalzala: the earthquake and the weighing of deeds
Sura al-Zalzala turns the familiar earth into a witness. The final earthquake exposes what was hidden, people are shown their deeds, and even the smallest good or evil is brought into the moral record.
Compulsory Question 1 Allah's relationship with the created world Madinan according to many classifications; accounts differ
Syllabus connection
- P1.T1.b1 The major theme or themes of the Qur'an that appear in each passage
- P1.T1.b2 The importance of these themes in the lives of Muslims today
- P1.T1.b3 Study the passages in a recognised English translation, with reference to the original Arabic text
- P1.T1.b4 Demonstrate knowledge of the original Arabic as well as the translation
- A1.9 Passage 9: Sura 99 Allah's relationship with the created world
Learn the material
Learning objectives
Key vocabulary
- zalzala
- A violent earthquake or convulsion.
- akhbar
- Reports or news; the earth’s testimony.
- wahy
- Inspiration or command from Allah.
- mithqal
- Weight or measure.
- dharra
- A minute particle, expressing the smallest imaginable amount.
Before you start
Answer from memory before opening the answers.
- Which prescribed group contains this passage?
- What is the difference between a theme and a paraphrase?
- In Question 1, how are your two chosen passages marked?
- Which phrase or image in this passage best supports the theme Resurrection and cosmic transformation?
Check your answers
- Allah's relationship with the created world.
- A theme names the teaching or idea, then shows it from the passage. A paraphrase merely retells what the passage says.
- Both passage answers are read together and receive one global mark out of 4 for part (a), and one global mark out of 4 for part (b).
- the earth is shaken and throws out its burdens.
The lesson
The prescribed passage
إِذَا زُلۡزِلَتِ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ زِلۡزَالَهَا وَأَخۡرَجَتِ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ أَثۡقَالَهَا وَقَالَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ مَا لَهَا يَوۡمَئِذٖ تُحَدِّثُ أَخۡبَارَهَا بِأَنَّ رَبَّكَ أَوۡحَىٰ لَهَا يَوۡمَئِذٖ يَصۡدُرُ ٱلنَّاسُ أَشۡتَاتٗا لِّيُرَوۡاْ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡ فَمَن يَعۡمَلۡ مِثۡقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيۡرٗا يَرَهُۥ وَمَن يَعۡمَلۡ مِثۡقَالَ ذَرَّةٖ شَرّٗا يَرَهُۥ
1. When the earth is shaken to her utmost convulsion, 2. And the earth throws up her burdens, 3. And man cries out: ‘What is the matter with her?’, 4. On that day will she declare her tidings: 5. For that your Lord will have given her inspiration. 6. On that day will men proceed in companies sorted out, to be shown their deeds. 7. Then shall anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good see it! 8. And anyone who has done an atom’s weight of evil shall see it.
Sura 99 · translation: Yusuf Ali (1934)
Place it before you analyse it
Group: Allah's relationship with the created world · Revelation: Madinan according to many classifications; accounts differ. The examination rewards themes and importance, not a long account of the sura’s background.
Working through the passage
The earth is shaken
The stability people assume is removed, showing that created order is subject to Allah.
The earth releases and reports
What seemed silent becomes a witness by Allah’s command; hidden actions cannot remain hidden forever.
People are shown their deeds
Judgement is personal and evidential: people confront what they actually did.
An atom’s weight
The ending makes justice exact. No good is too small to matter, and no evil is too small to dismiss.
Theme map
| Theme | Words or image | What it teaches |
|---|---|---|
| Resurrection and cosmic transformation | the earth is shaken and throws out its burdens | The Last Day overturns the ordinary world. |
| Allah’s command over creation | the earth speaks because the Lord inspires it | Creation obeys and can become evidence. |
| Witness and disclosure | the earth “declares her tidings” | Hidden deeds are brought into the open. |
| Individual accountability | people are shown their deeds | Each person confronts moral responsibility. |
| Exact justice | an atom’s weight of good or evil is seen | Nothing is lost from Allah’s judgement. |
Do not translate instead of identifying themes
A top answer says, for example, “The passage teaches Resurrection and cosmic transformation, shown by the earth is shaken and throws out its burdens.” It does not simply rewrite the full English translation.
Context and chronology
Scholars have classified the sura as Makkan or Madinan; this difference does not affect the themes required for the examination.
The imagery belongs to the Qur’an’s teaching about resurrection and the Last Day, where the present order is transformed.
Source discipline
Use context only where it is securely established and relevant. Do not add popular stories, exact dates or identities that the passage and reliable sources do not support. Context never replaces themes in Question 1.
People, places and events
- Humanity appears collectively, shocked by the earth’s transformation.
- The earth is personified as a witness but acts only because Allah commands it.
Where no person is named, that absence may itself help you see that the passage is focused on Allah, creation or a universal teaching.
Qur'an and Hadith evidence
Learn short evidence that can be placed inside a sentence. Accuracy matters more than length.
يَوۡمَئِذٖ تُحَدِّثُ أَخۡبَارَهَا
On that day she will declare her tidings.
Evidence for the earth’s testimony.
فَمَن يَعۡمَلۡ مِثۡقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيۡرٗا يَرَهُۥ
Whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it.
Evidence for exact justice and the value of small good deeds.
You may quote in English. A precise short phrase attached to a developed point is more useful than a long quotation left unexplained.
Significance
- It makes belief in the Last Day concrete rather than abstract.
- It gives moral value to small, unnoticed acts of goodness.
- It warns against dismissing private or apparently minor wrongdoing.
Significance answers why the teaching matters. It should move beyond naming a belief and show what that belief protects, changes or makes possible.
Significance in practice
Use the pattern aspect → mechanism → effect. This prevents vague sentences such as “it helps Muslims”.
| Aspect | How it works | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Every deed is shown | A Muslim reviews conduct before judgement | repentance and self-correction become urgent. |
| Small good is preserved | Quiet kindness remains worthwhile without recognition | service is not dependent on praise. |
| The earth can testify | Use of places and resources is treated responsibly | environment and public space are not morally neutral. |
Connections with other topics
| Topic | Connection |
|---|---|
| Article of Faith: Last Day | The sura depicts resurrection, disclosure and judgement. |
| Sura 1 | Al-Fatiha names Allah as Master of Judgement; Sura 99 shows its operation. |
| Hadith on removing harm | An apparently small act can carry real weight. |
Use comparison to sharpen a theme, not to drift into a different essay.
Common misconceptions
Students often think ‘Atom’ is a modern scientific claim in the translation.
In fact The Arabic dharra communicates a tiny particle; the theological point is exact moral accounting.
Students often think Only major sins and achievements matter.
In fact The ending deliberately includes the smallest good and evil.
Students often think The earth acts independently.
In fact It reports because Allah inspires or commands it.
What the examiner wants
AO1: what you must know
- Place the passage accurately in Allah's relationship with the created world.
- Know the Arabic reference and the meaning of the full prescribed extract.
- Recall at least four distinct theme labels, not four paraphrases.
- Attach each theme to a word, phrase, image or movement within the passage.
- Use key vocabulary accurately: zalzala, akhbar, wahy, mithqal, dharra.
- Give balanced coverage when this passage is one of your two choices.
Top-band shape
Aim for three to five labelled themes, each briefly elaborated and tied to the passage. There is no need for an introduction or a retelling of every line.
AO2: what you must understand
For part (b), choose one or two strong aspects and reason from them.
Every deed is shown
Mechanism: A Muslim reviews conduct before judgement; therefore repentance and self-correction become urgent.
Small good is preserved
Mechanism: Quiet kindness remains worthwhile without recognition; therefore service is not dependent on praise.
The earth can testify
Mechanism: Use of places and resources is treated responsibly; therefore environment and public space are not morally neutral.
A personal view is creditworthy when it is reasoned. “I think this matters most because…” must be followed by a mechanism, example or consequence.
Worked examination example
Weaker response
This passage is about allah's relationship with the created world. It says several things and tells Muslims what to believe. It is important because Muslims follow it.
Why it is weak: no theme labels, no passage evidence, no development and a vague statement of importance.
Stronger response
Resurrection and cosmic transformation: the Last Day overturns the ordinary world, shown by the earth is shaken and throws out its burdens. Allah’s command over creation: creation obeys and can become evidence, shown by the earth speaks because the Lord inspires it. Witness and disclosure: hidden deeds are brought into the open, shown by the earth “declares her tidings”. Individual accountability: each person confronts moral responsibility, shown by people are shown their deeds.
Why it is stronger: each point names a theme, uses the passage and develops what the evidence teaches.
Practise
Guided practice
- Choose four rows from the theme map. Reduce each to a two-word label.
- Copy only the shortest evidence needed for each theme.
- Say the theme aloud, then evidence it: “The passage teaches ___, shown by ___.”
- Choose one application and rewrite it as aspect → mechanism → effect.
- Compare this passage with Sura 1 in two sentences: one similarity and one difference.
Before you write, answer these
- Which four themes will you use?
- What exact words or image support each one?
- Have you labelled the theme before explaining it?
The examination gives roughly a third of a page for a 4-mark answer. Aim for a short, dense paragraph — no introduction needed. Your work saves automatically in this browser.
Independent practice
- Write a 100–140 word part (a) response on this passage without looking.
- Learn both short quotations from the evidence section.
- Correct all three misconceptions in complete sentences.
- Write one paragraph comparing this passage with Sura 114.
- Write a 4-mark part (b) paragraph using one application and a specific contemporary example.
The examination gives roughly a third of a page for a 4-mark answer. Aim for a short, dense paragraph — no introduction needed. Your work saves automatically in this browser.
Check your understanding
Answer each question, then check it. Every option is explained — including the ones that are wrong — so read the feedback even when you were right.
Write a full answer
Exam-style practice question
Practise the real choice before writing. Select the two passages you can develop most evenly.
Passages set for this practice
- Sura 99 — this lesson
- Sura 1
- Sura 114
Exam-style practice question
Important: Question 1 is marked as a whole
Question 1 is marked as a whole. Both of your chosen passages are read together and given ONE mark out of 4 for part (a), and ONE mark out of 4 for part (b). This means balance matters: an excellent answer on one passage and a thin answer on the other is limited by the overall impression. Choose two passages you can develop equally well.
(a) Choose any two of the passages above. Briefly describe the main theme or themes in each passage. [4] AO1
(b) Briefly explain the importance of these themes in a Muslim’s life today. [4] AO2
Written by this course to match the style and demand of the examination. It is not a Cambridge question.
Plan your answer
Before you write, answer these
- Which two passages can you develop equally well?
- What three to five labelled themes will you give for each?
- What words from each passage will support the themes?
- For part (b), which aspect has the clearest mechanism and effect?
- Have you divided time and space evenly?
Out of scope here: Long sura background, unsupported revelation stories, a line-by-line translation, or a general essay on the topic.
The examination gives roughly a third of a page for a 4-mark answer. Aim for a short, dense paragraph — no introduction needed. Your work saves automatically in this browser.
Indicative answer
Show an indicative answer Write yours first — you will learn more
Part (a) — Sura 99
Resurrection and cosmic transformation: the Last Day overturns the ordinary world, shown by the earth is shaken and throws out its burdens. Allah’s command over creation: creation obeys and can become evidence, shown by the earth speaks because the Lord inspires it. Witness and disclosure: hidden deeds are brought into the open, shown by the earth “declares her tidings”. Individual accountability: each person confronts moral responsibility, shown by people are shown their deeds. Exact justice: nothing is lost from Allah’s judgement, shown by an atom’s weight of good or evil is seen.
Part (a) — Sura 1
Lordship and sustenance: Allah continuously cares for all creation. Mercy: Divine care frames the believer’s relationship with Allah. Judgement: Human actions have final moral consequences. Worship and dependence: Faith combines obedience with reliance.
Part (b) — importance today
Every deed is shown. A Muslim reviews conduct before judgement; therefore repentance and self-correction become urgent.
Small good is preserved. Quiet kindness remains worthwhile without recognition; therefore service is not dependent on praise.
Other answers are equally valid
- Marks are awarded for what is correct. Nothing is deducted for errors or omissions.
- Credit is given for valid answers that go beyond the syllabus and the mark scheme.
- It is entirely possible to reach the highest level using different information or a different argument from the one shown here.
- Answers are judged against the levels of response, not against a checklist of required points.
Marking guidance reference
Important: Question 1 is marked as a whole
Question 1 is marked as a whole. Both of your chosen passages are read together and given ONE mark out of 4 for part (a), and ONE mark out of 4 for part (b). This means balance matters: an excellent answer on one passage and a thin answer on the other is limited by the overall impression. Choose two passages you can develop equally well.
| Level | Marks | What the examiner is looking for |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 |
|
| 3 | 3 |
|
| 2 | 2 |
|
| 1 | 1 |
|
| 0 | 0 |
|
What moves an answer up: The clearest difference between Level 3 and Level 4 is comprehensiveness, development, and quotation. Level 3 "may quote"; Level 4 is "likely to quote".
| Level | Marks | What the examiner is looking for |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 3–4 |
|
| 1 | 1–2 |
|
| 0 | 0 |
|
What moves an answer up: The whole AO2 distinction is discussion versus description. A factually excellent but purely descriptive paragraph cannot reach Level 2.
Note that AO2 has two levels, not four. Some older textbooks and revision guides still show a four-level scale for part (b); that scale is out of date.
Self-assessment checklist reference
Judge your answer as a whole against the levels above, not by counting points. An answer can reach the top band using different material from the indicative answer.
Consolidate
Lesson summary
- The Last Day transforms the apparently stable earth.
- Creation becomes a witness by Allah’s command.
- People are shown their own deeds.
- Divine justice includes the smallest good and evil.
Examination takeaway: label the theme first, prove it from the passage, then stop. Save application and reasoning for part (b).
Retrieval flashcards
Further revision task reference
- Create a one-page sheet with the Arabic reference, group, five theme labels and two quotations.
- Cover the sheet and reconstruct it after 24 hours, one week and one month.
- Complete an eight-minute Question 1(a) practice pairing this passage with Sura 1.
- Complete a separate six-minute part (b) using one less obvious modern application.
- Record your strongest and weakest theme in the box below, then revisit the weak one.
Before you write, answer these
- Which theme can I recall most securely?
- Which theme lacks precise evidence?
- What will I retrieve again next time?
The examination gives roughly a third of a page for a 4-mark answer. Aim for a short, dense paragraph — no introduction needed. Your work saves automatically in this browser.
Your progress is saved in this browser only. Use My progress to export it if you change device.
Why this would reach the top band
The response labels themes, selects passage evidence and develops significance through clear mechanisms. A different selection of accurate themes can reach the same level.