Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #38

Scale: What will be measured?

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

[Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen, pg. 3/448-450]

Shaikh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

Allaah تعالى said:

{فمن ثقلت موازينه فأولئك هم المفلحون}

{So, as for those whose Scales will be heavy, they will be the ones who are successful} [Surah al-Mu’minoon (23):102]

الموازين (al-Mawaazeen - scales) is the plural of ميزان (Meezaan - scale).

And it is mentioned in the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم as both in singular and plural forms.

Allaah تعالى says:

{فمن ثقلت موازينه}

{So, as for those whose Scales will be heavy} [Surah al-Mu’minoon (23):102]

And the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

"كلمتان حبيبتان إلى الرحمن، خفيفتان على اللسان، ثقيلتان في الميزان: سبحان الله وبحمده سبحان الله العظيم"

“(There are) two words which are dear to al-Rahmaan and very light (easy) for the tongue (to say), but very heavy in weight on the scale. They are: ‘Subhan Allaah wa-bi hamdihi’ and ‘Subhan Allaah Al-`Adheem.’” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (6406, 6682, 7563) and Saheeh Muslim (2697) on the authority of Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه]

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: في الميزان “in the scale” (in singular form) and he did not say في الموازين “in the scales”. So it is mentioned in plural in one place and singular in another, and this is because of the many things that will be weighted.

Because of the many things that will be weighted it is mentioned in plural, even though it is a single scale; there will be no injustice nor will any deed be undervalued.

As for what will be weighted, some of the scholars said: “the thing that will be weighted will be the deeds”, while the other scholars said: “the one who will be weighted is the doer himself.” This (difference) is because both of these have been mentioned in the Ahaadeeth.

As for those who say: “the deeds will be weighted” took the evidence from the saying of Allaah تعالى:

{فمن يعمل مثقال ذرة خيراً يره * ومن يعمل مثقال ذرة شراً يره}

{So, whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant) shall see it. * And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant) shall see it.} [Surah al-Zalzalah (99):7-8]

From this, they took that what will be measured are the deeds.

As for those who say: “the things that will be measured are the record books”, took the evidence from the Hadeeth of al-Bataaqah (the card), where the person will come on the Day of Judgment whose scrolls (i.e. many pages), which will be extending as far as the eyes can see, full of his evil deeds, till he realizes that he is destroyed, Allaah تعالى will say to him:

{إن لك عندنا حسنة فيؤتى ببطاقة فيها لا إله إلا الله}

{On the contrary you have with Us a good deed and the card will be presented in which it will be mentioned Laa ilaaha illaallaah} [1]

The card will be placed on one side of the scale and the those scrolls on the other side, and the card will be heavy. This is an evidence that what will be weighted will be the record books.

As for those who say: “”the thing that will be measured is the doer himself”, take the evidence from the saying of Allaah تعالى:

{فلا نقيم لهم يوم القيامة وزنا}

{On the Day of Resurrection, We shall not give them any weight.} [Surah al-Kahf (18): 105]

What matters most is that on the Day of Judgment, when the deeds or the scrolls or the doer are weighted:

{فمن ثقلت موازينه فأولئك هم المفلحون*ومن خفت موازينه فأولئك الذين خسروا أنفسهم في جهنم خالدون}

{Then, those whose Scales are heavy, they are the successful * And those whose Scales are light, they are those who lose their own selves, in Hell will they abide} [Surah al-Mu’minoon (23):102-103]

We ask Allaah that He تعالى, by His pleasure, makes us and you of those whose scales will be heavy, and those who are successful.

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[1] The complete Hadeeth is as follows:

Narrated `Abdullaah ibn `Amr رضي الله عنهما: Allaah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “On the Day of Resurrection Allaah تعالى will separate a man from my Ummah in presence of all creatures and ninety-nine scrolls will be spread out for him, each scroll extending as far as the eye could see, then say: “Do you deny any of this?” He will say: “No, O Lord.” He تعالى will say: “Have my recording scribes been unfair to you?” He will reply: “No, O Lord.” He تعالى will say: “Apart from that do you have any good deeds?” The man will be terrified and will say: “No.” He تعالى will say: “On the contrary you have with Us a good deed, and you will not be wronged today.” A card will then be brought out containing: “I testify that there is no one worthy of being worshiped but Allaah and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.” He will ask his Lord: “What is this card compared to these scrolls?” And He تعالى will reply: “You will not be treated unjustly.” The scrolls will then be put in one side of the scale and the card in the other, and the scrolls will become light and the card heavy, for nothing could compare in weight with Allaah's name.”

[Ibn Majah (4300), and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee in “al-Saheehah” (135), and by Shaikh Muqbil in “Saheeh al-Musnad” (792) and it is authentic as per the condition of Imaam Muslim]