يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ زَلْزَلَةَ ٱلسَّاعَةِ شَىْءٌ عَظِيمٌ 1
Translations
O mankind, fear your Lord. Indeed, the convulsion of the [final] Hour is a terrible thing.
Transliteration
Ya ayyuha an-nasu ittaqū rabbakum innā zalzalata as-sā'ati shay'un 'azīm
Tafsir (Explanation)
This opening ayah of Surah Al-Hajj serves as a universal call to all of humanity to fear and obey Allah, grounding this exhortation in the terrifying reality of the Day of Judgment. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that the earthquake of the Hour (zalzalat as-sā'ah) refers to the cosmic upheaval that will occur when the world ends, and this awesome event is presented as motivation for taqwa (God-consciousness and piety). The scholars note that by beginning the surah with this powerful image, Allah compels believers to reflect on accountability and the weightiness of the afterlife.
Revelation Context
This ayah opens Surah Al-Hajj in Medina and establishes the thematic foundation of the surah, which deals with the pilgrimage, divine signs, and the Day of Judgment. The opening address to 'all people' (an-nās) reflects the universal message of Islam and the obligation of believers to warn humanity about the coming Hour.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'The Hour will not be established until... the earth will be shaken with a quake' (Sahih Muslim 2905). Additionally, Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet said regarding the Day of Judgment: 'None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself' - contextualizing taqwa as preparation for that Day (Sahih Bukhari 13).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that consciousness of Allah and preparation for the afterlife should be the foundation of our spiritual practice; the contemplation of the Hour's terrifying nature is not meant to inspire despair but rather to motivate righteous action and sincere devotion in the present life.