Ahl-sunnah wa-al Jama’ah have used the Quran, the Sunnah, and the sayings of the scholars to prove the weight of deeds and the establishment of the scales on the Day of Judgment. In the following, the reasons for each section are mentioned in detail:
A) Quranic Verses
1. Allah Almighty says: «وَالْوَزْنُ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْحَقُّ فَمَنْ ثَقُلَتْ مَوَازِينُهُ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ وَمَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَازِينُهُ فَأُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِينَ خَسِرُوا أَنفُسَهُم بِمَا كَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا يَظْلِمُونَ» Translation: “On that Day, the weighing of deeds will be in truth. Those whose scales of good deeds are heavy will be successful, and those whose scales of good deeds are light will have harmed themselves because they denied Our signs.”
2. In another verse, it is said: «وَنَضَعُ الْمَوَازِينَ الْقِسْطَ لِيَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ فَلَا تُظْلَمُ نَفْسٌ شَيْئًا وَإِن كَانَ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍ مِّنْ خَرْدَلٍ أَتَيْنَا بِهَا وَكَفَىٰ بِنَا حَاسِبِينَ» Translation: “And on the Day of Judgement, we will set up the scales of justice, and no soul will see any injustice. If [a deed] is as heavy as a mustard seed, we will bring it, and We are sufficient in reckoning.”
3. Allah Almighty also said: «فَمَنْ ثَقُلَتْ مَوَازِينُهُ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ وَمَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَازِينُهُ فَأُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِينَ خَسِرُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ فِي جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدُونَ» Translation: “Those whose scales of good deeds are heavy will be successful, and those whose scales of good deeds are light will be those who have harmed themselves and will remain in Hell forever.”
These verses clearly indicate the existence of a scale on the Day of Judgment and its relationship to the salvation or harm of humans.
B) Prophetic Hadiths
1. It is stated in Sahih Al-Bukhari that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There are two words that are light on the tongue and beloved to Allah, the Exalted, but heavy on the Scale: Subhan Allah wa be Hamdih, Subhan Allah Al-Azeem.”
2. It is stated in Sahih Muslim that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Cleanliness is half of faith, and saying Al-Hamdu Lillah fills the scale.”
3. Hazrat Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: “In the scale, nothing is heavier than good morals.”
These hadiths clearly show the existence of the scale and the importance of good deeds. The scale and balance will be used on the Day of Judgment as a means of showing the status of humans, especially based on deeds and morals.
C) The Views of the Scholars
The views of the scholars regarding the scale and weight of deeds on the Day of Judgment are clear and accepted, based on the Quran, Sunnah, and the consensus of the Ummah. Some of their views are mentioned below:
1. Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 150 AH): He said: “The weighing of deeds in the balance on the Day of Judgment is true.” He cited the verse: «ونضع الموازین القسط لیوم القیامة» and stated that belief in the scale is among the established beliefs.
2. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 241 AH): He writes in his works: “We believe in the Bridge of the Sirat, the Scale, Paradise, Hell, and Reckoning. We do not deny these matters and we do not allow any doubt in them.”
3. Abu Ishaq al-Zajjaj (d. 311 AH): He says: “The Sunnis are unanimous in believing in the Scale and that the deeds of the servants will be weighed on the Day of Judgment.”
4. Allamah Saffarini (d. 1188 AH): He emphasizes: “Belief in the Scale, like the belief in the receipt of the Scriptures, has been proven through the Book, the Sunnah, and consensus.”
5. Allamah Qurtubi (d. 1188 AH): He writes about the order of reckoning and weighing of deeds: “After the reckoning is over, the weighing of deeds begins. The weighing of deeds is for punishment, and the reckoning is for establishing deeds. Weighing is done to show the quantities of deeds so that they can be punished accordingly.” He also points out that there may be several scales by which different kinds of deeds can be weighed.
6. Allamah Taftazani (may Allah have mercy on him): He states in Sharh al-Aqa’id: “The scale is an instrument by which the quantities of deeds are known, but its quality is beyond the comprehension of reason.”
Response to the Arguments of Jahm ibn Safwan
1. The Jahmiyyah, citing some interpretations, have interpreted the scale as justice and claim that the scale in the Hereafter does not mean a real scale. This argument stems from their misinterpretation of verses such as: «والسماء رفعها ووضع المیزان» “And He raised the heavens and placed the scale.” However, it should be noted that the subject we are discussing is the scale on the Day of Judgment, which is clearly proven by numerous verses and hadiths.
In the Holy Quran, the word “scale” and its derivatives are mentioned in twenty-three verses:
1. Fifteen verses are about establishing justice in the scales of this world and avoiding betrayal and short-selling in transactions.
2. Eight verses refer to the weighing of deeds on the Day of Judgment, which is the main subject of our discussion.
This difference shows the clear distinction between the two types of use of the scale (this world and the Hereafter) in the Quran. These references prove the weighing of deeds and the existence of the scale as one of the infallible principles of belief in the Hereafter.
2. Jahm ibn Safwan and his followers have neglected the wisdom of setting up the scales and weighing deeds on the Day of Judgment. Allah Almighty, as the Wise and Just Being, does not do anything without wisdom and expediency. Setting up the scales on the Day of Judgment is also full of wisdom; some of which will be discussed below:
1. Reminding the Servants About Deeds: One of the wisdoms of weighing deeds is reminding the servants about their deeds. By doing this, the servants will understand what good and bad deeds they have done and the extent of their impact on their eternal life. The weight of deeds serves as an argument and proof against people who are not fully aware of their actions.
2. Expressing Divine Justice: The weighing of deeds reflects the absolute justice of Allah Almighty. Allah Almighty wants to show His servants that He does not allow any injustice to them and that their reward is exactly according to their deeds. Allah says: «وإن کان مثقال حبة من خردل أتینا بها وکفی بنا حاسبین» “And if [the good and bad deeds of each person] were equal in weight to a grain of mustard seed, We would bring it [into the scale], and We would suffice as keepers of account.”
3. Highlighting Hidden Wisdom: Allamah Ibn Abi al-Izz Hanafi, may Allah have mercy on him, writes in this regard: “If there were no other wisdom in weighing deeds than the manifestation of Allah Almighty’s justice for His servants, this would still be acceptable; but there are many hidden wisdoms behind this weighing that we are not aware of.”
4. Proving the Responsibility of the Doer, the Actions, and the Records: It is stated in the hadiths of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that: The actions themselves (e.g., prayer, fasting, and charity), the doer (human being), and the records of deeds are all weighed. This shows the comprehensiveness of divine justice, in which no aspect of a person’s good or bad deeds is ignored.
The commentator of the Al-Tahawiyyah creed, Allamah Ibn Abi al-Izz, after considering the verses, hadiths, and the sayings of the scholars, concludes: “The weighing of deeds, the doer, and the records is done with a scale and balance that has two sides. Only Allah knows the exact quality of this scale; therefore, we must believe in this matter without adding or subtracting, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) informed us.”
Note: Unseen matters, such as setting up the scales and weighing deeds, are beyond human reason and understanding. In these cases, the Muslim’s duty is to submit to revelation and accept what is stated in the Quran and Sunnah without any doubt or hesitation, because the human intellect is limited and does not have the ability to understand all of Allah’s wisdom.
By admin2
