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How heavy are your deeds?

How heavy are your deeds?
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April 05, 2022
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The scales

On the Day of Judgement, when the scales are erected then our Books of Deeds will be weighed, even the smallest deeds will be weighed. If they are good, then our end will be good, but if they are bad, our destination will be bad.

وَنَضَعُ ٱلْمَوَٰزِينَ ٱلْقِسْطَ لِيَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ فَلَا تُظْلَمُ نَفْسٌ شَيْـًٔا ۖ وَإِن كَانَ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍ مِّنْ خَرْدَلٍ أَتَيْنَا بِهَا ۗ وَكَفَىٰ بِنَا حَـٰسِبِينَ

We will set up the scales of justice on the Day of Judgment, so no soul will be wronged in the least. And ˹even˺ if a deed is the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it forth. And sufficient are We as a ˹vigilant˺ Reckoner. (21:47)

This reckoning is one of the final stages before people go to Jannah. Some people will have a long record of good deeds, whilst others will have a long record of bad deeds. Unfortunately for some they will begin with a long record of good deeds, but these will have no value, they will be treated like dust. Why will these deeds be negligible on the sales. Because they were not performed for Allah. Though some people’s deeds will be as high as mountains, Allah will not accept them.

Acceptance

We may feel happy we are accruing plenty of good deeds in our account, but can we be sure they will be accepted?

What are the conditions of acceptance? Firstly what you do must be intended for Allah (not for your ulterior purposes). Secondly they must be carried out according to the guidance of the Prophet (peace be on him). It is not enough to have a good intention, if your deeds are against the principles of prophetic guidance.  

Beg Allah for acceptance. Do not presume that your deeds will be accepted. Everything will be placed on the scale, which has the qualities of being absolutely just (qist) as well as incredibly precise. More accurate than electronic scales.

The heaviest deeds

What deeds will be the heaviest?  It is saying La ilaha illallah. That is heaviest.

Abu Salma reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:


عن أبي سَلْمَى عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ مَا أَثْقَلَهُنَّ فِي الْمِيزَانِ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَلا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَالْوَلَدُ الصَّالِحُ يُتَوَفَّى لِلْمَرْءِ الْمُسْلِمِ فَيَحْتَسِبُهُ

“Nothing is heavier on the Scale than to glorify Allah, to praise Allah, to declare there is no God but Allah, to declare Allah is the greatest, and a Muslim parent whose righteous child passes away and he bears it patiently for the sake of Allah.” (Ibn Hibban)

In the narration recorded by Tirmidhi, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Al-‘As (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“Indeed Allah will distinguish a man from my Ummah before all of creation on the Day of Judgement. Ninety-nine scrolls will be laid out for him, each scroll is as far as the eye can see, then He will say: ‘Do you deny any of this? Have those who recorded this wronged you?’ He will say: ‘No, O Lord!’ He will say: Do you have an excuse?’ He will say: ‘No, O Lord!’ So He will say: ‘Rather you have a good deed with us, so you shall not be wronged today.” Then He will bring out a card (Bitaqah); on it will be: “I testify to La Ilaha Illallah, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.” He will say: ‘Bring your scales.’ He will say: ‘O Lord! What good is this card next to these scrolls?’ He will say: ‘You shall not be wronged.’ He said: ‘The scrolls will be put on a pan (of the scale), and the card on (the other) pan: the scrolls will be light, and the card will be heavy, nothing is heavier than the Name of Allah.’” (Tirmidhi)

In the narration recorded by Ibn Majah, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Al-‘As (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:


“A man from my nation will be called before all of creation on the Day of Resurrection, and ninety-nine scrolls will be spread out for him, each one extending as far as the eye can see. Then Allah will say: “Do you deny anything of this?” He will say: “No, O Lord.” He will say: “Have My recording scribes been unfair to you?” Then He will say: “Apart from that, do you have any good deeds?” The man will be terrified and will say: “No.” (Allah) will say: “Indeed, you have good deeds with Us, and you will not be treated unjustly this Day.” Then a card will be brought out on which is written Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah wa anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluhu (I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger). He will say: “O Lord, what is this card compared with these scrolls?” He will say: “You will not be treated unjustly.” Then the scrolls will be placed in one side of the Balance and the card in the other. The scrolls will go up (i.e., be light) and the card will go down (i.e., will weigh heavily).” (Ibn Majah)

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) said:

وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ ‏ “‏كلمتان خفيفتان على اللسان، ثقيلتان في الميزان، حبيبتان إلى الرحمن‏:‏ سبحان الله وبحمده، سبحان الله العظيم‏”‏ ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

“There are two statements that are light for the tongue to remember, heavy in the Scales and are dear to the Merciful: ‘Subhan-Allahi wa bihamdihi, Subhan-Allahil-Azim [Glory be to Allah and His is the praise, (and) Allah, the Greatest is free from imperfection]’.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

Be good to parents

Next on the scale is obedience to your parents, regardless if they are Muslim or non-Muslim, unless they ask you to do something haram or against Islamic guidance, in which case you do not obey but you must remain kind and courteous to them at all times.

“And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Wheter one or both of them reach old age (while) with you, say not to them (so much as), “uff”, and do not repel them but speak to them a noble world.” (17:23)

“And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, “My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up (when i was) small.” (17:24)

Your character

In another narration we were told that the heaviest weight on the scales is one’s character. Abu ad-Darda’ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) said:

وَعَنْ أَبِي اَلدَّرْدَاءِ ‏- رضى الله عنه ‏- قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ ‏- صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏-{ مَا مِنْ شَيْءٍ فِي اَلْمِيزَانِ أَثْقَلُ مِنْ حُسْنِ اَلْخُلُقِ } أَخْرَجَهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ, وَاَلتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَصَحَّحَهُ .‏

“The heaviest thing which will be put on the believer’s scale (on the Day of Resurrection) will be good morals.” (Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi)

Absolute justice

There is no injustice in Allah’s scale. True justice will be served. Everyone will be given their rights, even the animals will be resurrected and their accounts will be settled, before they are turned to dust.

In dunya, there is widespread injustice, but be completely assured that in akhirah full justice will be served.

If someone has wronged you and you did not get justice – perhaps you could not take them to court, or they were oppressive, all the oppression will be an accumulation of good deeds in your scales. Of course, you should fight for your rights, but do not be disappointed if you do not win. You WILL get justice. You WILL be satisfied by the final outcome. The Prophet (peace be on him) taught us to say in the face of a calamity or loss:

When you are afflicted by a test say Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un i.e. ‘We belong to Allah and to Him we will return’. (Ahmad and Muslim)

Do not say ‘Why me? Why now?’ Otherwise you lose the reward for bearing with it with patience.

Instead ask Allah to reward you and replace your loss with something better. Say:

O Allah, reward me in my affliction and follow it up with something better for me),’ without Allah rewarding him in his affliction and following it with something better for him.” (Ahmad and Muslim)

Deep down in your heart, have full trust and tawakkul in Allah that He will reward you.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : “يَقُولُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي بِي

As per the Hadith Qudsi, Allah Almighty said:

I am as My servant thinks I am. (Bukhari)

If you have a good opinion of Allah, He will never disappoint you.

We ask Allah to give us full trust in Him.

Shaykh Haytham Tamim – Tarawih 5

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The virtue of la ilaha illa allah

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Shaykh Haytham Tamim is the founder and main teacher of the Utrujj Foundation. He has provided a leading vision for Islamic learning in the UK, which has influenced the way Islamic knowledge is disseminated. He has orchestrated the design and delivery of over 200 unique courses since Utrujj started in 2001. His extensive expertise spans over 30 years across the main Islamic jurisprudence schools of thought. He has studied with some of the foremost scholars in their expertise; he holds some of the highest Ijazahs (certificates) in Quran, Hadith (the Prophetic traditions) and Fiqh (Islamic rulings). His own gift for teaching was evident when he gave his first sermon to a large audience at the age of 17 and went on to serve as a senior lecturer of Islamic transactions and comparative jurisprudence at the Islamic University of Beirut (Shariah College). He has continued to teach; travelling around the UK, Europe and wider afield, and won the 2015 BISCA award (British Imams & Scholars Contributions & Achievements Awards) for Outstanding Contribution to Education and Teaching.

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