The Scales & Records

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: «كَلِمَتَانِ خَفِيفَتَانِ عَلَى اللِّسَانِ، ثَقِيلَتَانِ فِي الْمِيزَانِ، حَبِيبَتَانِ إِلَى الرَّحْمَنِ: سُبْحَانَ اللهِ الْعَظِيمِ، سُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told about two words that the tongue utters without effort and in any condition, they bring great reward when weighed on the scale, and the Most Merciful Lord loves them: Glory be to Allah, the Majestic; glory and praise be to Allah. This is because these two words contain attributes of greatness and perfection of Allah Almighty and exalting Him far above defects and imperfections.

• The best dhikr is that which combines the exaltation of Allah and praise of Him.
• The Hadīth shows Allah's vast mercy to His servants, as He gives abundant rewards in return for simple deeds.

صحيح البخاري (8/ 86) (6406). صحيح مسلم (4/ 2072) (2694). منحة العلام في شرح بلوغ المرام، لعبد الله الفوزان (10/ 480). فتح ذي الجلال والإكرام بشرح بلوغ المرام، لابن عثيمين (6/ 519).

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ العَاصِ رضي الله عنهما قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنَّ اللهَ سَيُخَلِّصُ رَجُلًا مِنْ أُمَّتِي عَلَى رُءُوسِ الْخَلَائِقِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، فَيَنْشُرُ عَلَيْهِ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ سِجِلًّا، كُلُّ سِجِلٍّ مِثْلُ مَدِّ الْبَصَرِ، ثُمَّ يَقُولُ: أَتُنْكِرُ مِنْ هَذَا شَيْئًا؟ أَظَلَمَكَ كَتَبَتِي الْحَافِظُونَ؟ فَيَقُولُ: لَا يَا رَبِّ، فَيَقُولُ: أَفَلَكَ عُذْرٌ؟ فَيَقُولُ: لَا يَا رَبِّ، فَيَقُولُ: بَلَى إِنَّ لَكَ عِنْدَنَا حَسَنَةً، فَإِنَّهُ لَا ظُلْمَ عَلَيْكَ الْيَوْمَ، فَتُخْرَجُ بِطَاقَةٌ فِيهَا: أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، فَيَقُولُ: احْضُرْ وَزْنَكَ، فَيَقُولُ: يَا رَبِّ مَا هَذِهِ الْبِطَاقَةُ مَعَ هَذِهِ السِّجِلَّاتِ؟ فَقَالَ: إِنَّكَ لَا تُظْلَمُ، قَالَ: فَتُوضَعُ السِّجِلَّاتُ فِي كِفَّةٍ، وَالْبِطَاقَةُ فِي كِفَّةٍ، فَطَاشَتِ السِّجِلَّاتُ، وَثَقُلَتِ الْبِطَاقَةُ، فَلَا يَثْقُلُ مَعَ اسْمِ اللهِ شَيْءٌ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reported that Allah will select a man from his Ummah before all the creation on the Day of Judgment. He will be summoned for reckoning. Ninety-nine scrolls, the records of his bad deeds which he did in worldly life will be presented to him, with each scroll being as long as the eye can see. Then, Allah Almighty will say to this the person: Do you deny any of what is written in these scrolls? Have My scribe angels wronged you? The person will say: No, O Lord. Then, Allah Almighty will say: Do you have an excuse that may be accepted regarding the deeds you did in worldly life, like doing them out of forgetfulness or ignorance or by mistake? The man will say: No, Lord, I have no excuse. Allah Almighty will say: Rather, you have a good deed with us, and you will not be wronged today. He said: He will bring out a card, in which it is written, I testify that there is no god but Allah and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. Then, Allah Almighty will say to this man: Bring your scale. The man will say in wonder: O Lord, what weight can this card have next to these scrolls?! Allah Almighty will say: You will not be subject to injustice. He said: The scrolls will be put on one pan, and the card on the other pan. The pan of the scrolls will be light, and the pan of the card will be heavier, so Allah will forgive him.

• It shows the immense value of the testimony of faith "there is no god but Allah" and how it is heavy on the Scale.
• It is not sufficient to merely say "There is no god but Allah" by the tongue; rather, one should know its meaning and act according to it.
• Sincerity and strong monotheistic belief are a means for expiating sins.
• Faith varies in level in accordance with the varying degrees of sincerity in people's hearts. Some people may utter this testimony, yet they will be punished in proportion to their sins.

سنن الترمذي (4/ 379) (2639)، سنن ابن ماجه (5/ 356) (4300)، شرح المصابيح (6/49)، مرقاة المفاتيح (8/3531)، تحفة الأحوذي (7/ 330).

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه مرفوعاً: «أتدرون من المفلس؟» قالوا: المُفْلِس فينا من لا دِرهَمَ له ولا مَتَاع، فقال: «إن المفلس من أمتي من يأتي يوم القيامة بصلاة وصيام وزكاة، ويأتي وقد شَتَمَ هذا، وقذف هذا، وأكل مال هذا، وسَفَكَ دم هذا، وضرب هذا، فيعطى هذا من حسناته، وهذا من حسناته، فإن فنيت حسناته قبل أن يُقْضَى ما عليه، أخذ من خطاياهم فَطُرِحتْ عليه، ثم طُرِحَ في النار».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them): Do you know who is the bankrupt? They gave him the expected answer, which is that the bankrupt is the poor person who has no wealth or property. He then told them that the bankrupt in this nation (of Muslims) is the one who comes on the Day of Judgment with abundant good deeds, such as praying, fasting, and giving charity; but with an account of bad deeds like insulting others, beating others, consuming others’ wealth without right, accusing others of committing immoral acts, and killing others. All of them will seek retribution, for whatever rights they do not receive in the life of this world they will receive in the Hereafter. So, retribution will be exacted against him and each of them will take some of his good deeds. If his good deeds are not enough to settle the score, then some of their own evil deeds will be cast on him then he will be thrown in the fire of Hell.

- رياض الصالحين من كلام سيد المرسلين؛ للإمام أبي زكريا النووي، تحقيق د. ماهر الفحل، دار ابن كثير-دمشق، الطبعة الأولى، 1428ه . - بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف سليم الهلالي، دار ابن الجوزي- الطبعة الأولى1418ه - نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف د. مصطفى الخِن وغيره، مؤسسة الرسالة-بيروت، الطبعة الرابعة عشر، 1407هـ. - صحيح مسلم؛ للإمام مسلم بن الحجاج، حققه ورقمه محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار عالم الكتب-الرياض، الطبعة الأولى، 1417هـ. - شرح رياض الصالحين؛ للشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين، مدار الوطن، الرياض، 1426هـ.