THE BALANCE

Allah the All Wise created the skies and the earth without any defects, or flaws. He has appointed man to be His Representative on earth, and gave him choices. But He made it known to man that each person will be questioned on that Day regarding the reasons why a particular choice was made. This is because Allah gave man a complete code of conduct, and included in it the examples of people of bygone times; how they behaved regarding the Message that they were supposed to upheld. 

All human beings will be rewarded or punished according to the choice they made while living in this earthly life.

Allah is most Just, and has put in place the recording of every single matter that comes from every single person. He says:

He who does an atom weight of good will see it then; and he who does an atom weight of evil will see it then. (99:7-8)

Allah selected to preserve the records of each individual by keeping them in a bag which is hanging around his neck and which will never separate. He says:

Every man’s fate We have fastened on his own neck; On the Day of Judgment We shall bring out for him a scroll, which he will see spread open. (17:13)

The impact of the records will be visible as, upon its receipt, the person will either beam with brightness or will become dark and dismal.

In addition to the impact that the record will have on the individual, each person will have to stand before a scale, and perhaps, the record sheet will pass through the scale; where the data will be processed and the final verdict given. Allah says:

The balance, that Day, will be true. Those whose scale of good will be heavy, will prosper. Those whose scale will be light will find their souls in perdition; for that they wrongfully treated Our Signs. (7:8-9)

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (pboh) is reported to have said:

The son of Adam will be brought and stopped before the pans of the balance. An angel will be appointed for him. If his balance weighs heavy, the angel will say; so and so has been saved eternally.

But why will there be the need for having a scale when the records are accurately and properly kept? Perhaps, a reason can be because the records will not have written down the person’s intention. And even though it will be one of the factors that will impact upon the person upon receipt of the book of deeds, no one can know it except the person and the Lord. So Allah created a way whereby the intention, personal desires, and such other things will be processed as part of the data when the records go through the scale. Allah says:

And We set up a just scale for the Day of Resurrection, so that no soul is wronged aught. (21:47)

Allah informs us that we must take care regarding our Hereafter. He says:

Those whose balance of good deeds is heavy, they will attain salvation. But those whose balance is light, will be those who have lost their souls; in hell will they abide. (23:102-3)

As every day is important, precious and valuable for our future, we must ensure that we keep increasing the weight of our deeds in order to be able to benefit from Allah’s mercy.