• 6. That Day, the people will depart separated [into categories] to be shown [the result of] their deeds.
• 7. So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it,
• 8. And whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.

Every human will be judged fairly with every action being weighed by the scales of justice. Although this world may not seem just and fair for all individuals –  our mortal lives serve primarily as a test in which we will be graded on how we handled the good and the bad and the in between. How we utilized our free time and the gifts we have been provided. Did we show patience through trials and tribulations? Did we live lives based on fairness and justice? All will be answered on this final day. If we earned the mercy of our Lord on this final day based upon our actions in this world –  then we truly have passed the test and our lives can be truly called a success!

Now let us get back to the miraculous nature of this wording – the mention is of the earth shaking and then subsequently “throws out” its burdens. Literally an Earthquake followed by a Volcanic eruption (in this order)!

As the field of Geology has advanced –  there is a specialty called Volcanology. Volcanology (also spelled vulcanology) is the study of volcanoes, lava, magma and related geological, geophysical and geochemical phenomena (volcanism). The term volcanology is derived from the Latin word vulcan. Vulcan was the ancient Roman god of fire.

Volcanologists dedicate their lives studying and understanding volcanoes. Physical Volcanologists study the processes and deposits of volcanic eruptions. Geophysicists study seismology (the study of earthquakes – very useful in volcano monitoring), gravity, magnetics, and other geophysical measurements which have advanced in the last 50 yrs. A central focus is helping predict volcanic activity to help mitigate the loss of life, property, and geologic disruptions. 

It is now known that Seismic Activity (earthquakes and tremors) ALWAYS occur as volcanoes awaken and prepare to erupt and are a very important link to eruptions. Volcanic seismicity has three major forms: short-period earthquake, long-period earthquake, and harmonic tremor.

• Short-period earthquakes are like normal fault-generated earthquakes. They are caused by the fracturing of brittle rock as magma forces its way upward. These short-period earthquakes signify the growth of a magma body near the surface and are known as ‘A’ waves. These type of seismic events are often also referred to as Volcano-Tectonic (or VT) events or earthquakes.
• Long-period earthquakes are believed to indicate increased gas pressure in a volcano’s plumbing system. They are similar to the clanging sometimes heard in a house’s plumbing system, which is known as “water hammer“. These oscillations are the equivalent of acoustic vibrations in a chamber, in the context of magma chambers within the volcanic dome and are known as ‘B’ waves. These are also known as resonance waves and long period resonance events.
• Harmonic tremors are often the result of magma pushing against the overlying rock below the surface. They can sometimes be strong enough to be felt as humming or buzzing by people and animals, hence the name.

1400 years ago without any geological measuring tools at the time – The Quran mentions the Earthquake and then the Volcanic eruption in this specific order. Now we should all focus on the ending of this Surah – the purpose of our life in this world is to prepare for that final test with our actions. To have faith, do good, avoid evil, be productive, walk with morality, help spread knowledge, and spread justice knowing we will have to answer for our actions ourselves and will be justly graded by the Creator. If we earned the mercy of our Lord on this final day based upon our actions in this world –  then we truly have passed the test and our lives can be truly called a success!