Allah says in the Qur'an: "And when the books (of deeds) are spread". (Surah-at-Takweer: 10). It is one of the important stages of the hereafter and belief in it is
incumbent. It is stated in the Qur'an : "And most surely there are keepers over you, Kiraman katebeen, they know what you do". (Surah-al-Infitar: 10-12). In another place
the two Angels are also referred to as `Raqeeb` and `Ateed`.Whatever a man does, or sees, or even intends doing, is noticed and written down by these two Angels. Someone asked Imam (A.S.) as to how could `Kiraman-Katebeen'
know of the intentions (niyyah) of people (to perform good or bad deeds), so as to record them.
The Imam (A.S.) replied that, "When a person intends doing a good deed, sweet fragrance emits from his mouth.The Angels smell this fragrance and come to know.
Whereas when a person intends doing an evil deed, a foul odour emits from his mouth, and the Angels become aware". If a person intends doing a good deed, one good deed is written down in his scrolls, and if he performs that intended deed, ten good deeds are written down. Whereas if a person intends doing an evil deed, the same is not written down in his scrolls till he actually performs it. As written in
It is one of the countless mercies of Allah that when a person commits a sin, `Ateed' tries to enter it in his scrolls,but 'Raqeeb' tells him to wait lest the person may feel
ashamed and apologize for his act.
He does not record the deed for five or seven hours. And if within that period the person does not repent, Ateed says: "Verily he is shameless", and then records one evil deed in his scrolls.
It is stated in traditions (Ahadees) that every man has two scrolls of deeds, first in which are recorded all good and virtuous deeds, and second in which are recorded all bad and evil ones. All the acts of men are written in it, even to the extent that the air which he blows out of his mouth to lit a fire is also recorded.
"And everything they have done is in the writings, And everything small and big is written down". (Surah-al-Qamar 52,53)
Shaikh Sadooq relates in "E'eteqadatul Imamiyah", that once the commander of the faithful Ali (A.S.) passed by some youths who were busy in vain and useless gossip, and
They said, "O Master! are these also recorded"? Imam Ali (a.s.) replied, "Yes, and even the breath that you exhale.The reward of removing a thorn or a stone or a skin from the path of other people are also recorded. These small deeds too do not go wasted". (Ma'ad)
"Then as for him who is given his book in his right hand, he will say: Lo! read my book, Surely I knew that I shall meet my account. So he shall be in a life of pleasure, in a lofty position". (Surah-al-Haqqah : 19-22). A child who secures first rank in his school is so excited and happy, that he calls out to his friends "Come and see my result, that I have passed in the first rank". In the same manner, on the day of Qayamat, a believer (Mo' min) will be given his scrolls in his right hand, and he will call out in excitement: "Lo! come and read my book. My Prayers (Namaz), Fasts
(Siyam), and other deeds are accepted by Allah. Come and have a look at them. Surely I knew that I shall meet my account. In the world I was always worried about what would be the outcome of my deeds on the day of Qayamat. Today my accounting is over'. So he shall be in a life of pleasure. Verily the person will be fortunate, and will
"And as for him who is given his book behind his back, he shall call for perdition, and enter into burning fire". (Surah-al-Inshiqaq : l0-l2)
The (sinner) person will be given his scrolls from behind, in a manner that his right hand will be tied with his neck, and his left hand will be stretched behind. The scrolls
will then be given in his left hand and it will be said unto him "Read your scrolls". He will say, "How can I see what's behind so as to read". Then his neck will be twisted around. In some narratives it is stated that his neck will be turned around pulling him by the beard. And it will be said unto him, "Read your book, your own self is sufficient as a reckoner against you this day". (Surah-al-Bani Israeel : 14)
He will read his scrolls of deeds and cry out "'Sabbora" (perdition)
"Woe to us! What a book is this! It does not omit a small one nor a great one, but numbers them (all), and what they had done they shall find present (there), and your Lord does not deal unjustly with anyone". (Surah-al-Kahf : 49). (Ma'ad).
It is narrated that many people at that time will refuse to accept what is written in the scrolls., and will say, "O Allah! the deeds and actions written in these scrolls are surely not ours"
Imam Ja'far-as-Sadiq (A.S.) says, that at that time Allah will bring forth the Angels (who wrote the scrolls) to testify. They will say, "O Allah! Verily these are Your own Angels and will testify in Your favour, while the reality is that we
have not committed these acts", and they will swear upon it.
As said in the Qu'ran: "On the day that Allah will raise them up all, then they will swear to Him as they swear to you". (Surah-al-Mujadilah : 18)
And when their shamelessness reaches this stage, Allah will set a seal on their tongues, and their bodily parts will scream and testify against them. "On that day We will set a seal upon their mouths, and their hands shall speak to Us, and their feet shall bear witness of what they earned".
In another place it is stated: "And on the day that the enemies of Allah shall be brought together to the fire, then they shall be formed into groups. Until when they come to it, their ears and their eyes and their skins shall bear witness against them as to what they did". (Surah-al- Ha Meem Sajda : 19-20).
"And they shall say to their bodily components, "Why have you borne witness against us"'? They shall reply, "Allah who makes everything speak has given us speech". (Surah-al-Ha Meem Sajda : 21). At that time they will be rendered speechless.
"Say, then Allah is the conclusive argument". (Surah al-An'am : 150) Their refusal (to accept their faults) at that time, will be the proof of their ignorance. For if they accept
their faults, surely Allah would shower His mercy upon them and forgive.
It is narrated in "Anware No'maniyah", that when a person's deeds will be weighed, and his bad deeds will be more than his good ones, Allah will command His Angels
to throw him into hell fire. When the Angels will be taking him, he will turn around and see. Allah will ask him, "Why do you look behind"? He will reply, "0 my Lord! I had never expected that you would throw me to the flames." Allah will say, "0 my Angels! I swear by my Honour and
Shaikh Ayyashi narrates from Imam Ja'far-as-Sadiq (A.S.) that He said, that on the day of Qayamat every person will be given his scrolls (of deeds) and will be told
to read it. At that time Allah will recollect the person's strength of sight, speech and movement, and he will say, "O regrets What has happened to my scrolls, for there is
no big or small sin of mine which is not recorded in it". Shaikh Ibne Quwailah narrates from Imam Ja'far-as-Sadiq (A.S.) that He said, that whoever in the month of Ramazan goes for the Pilgrimage (Ziyarat) to the Shrine of Imam
Husain (A.S.) or dies on the way while going there, then on the day of Qayamat there will be no accounting and reckoning for him, and he shall enter Paradise without fear
or anxiety. Allamah Majlisi narrates from Imam Ali ar-Reza (A.S.) in `Tohfatus Saemeen' that He said, "Whoever comes to visit my grave from far and near, on the day of Qayamat We shall save him from three calamities: (1) We shall give him refuge from the terrors of Qayamat, when the scrolls of good doers will be given in their right hands, and evil ones in their left hands, (2) He will be safe from
the punishment at the Bridge (Pool) of Serat, (3) During weighing of scales We will help him".
It is written in `Haqqul Yaqeen' that Husaini bin Sa'eed in `Kitabuz Zohd' narrates from Imam Ja'far-as-Sadiq (A.S.) that He said, that when Allah will wish to take
account of a believer (mo'min), He will give his scrolls (of deeds) in his right hand. And Allah Himself will take his accounting so that no one else may come to know about his affairs. Allah will then ask him, "0 My valuable slave! Have you committed such and such acts also"? The believer will answer (in repentance), "Yes my Lord, I have committed them". Then Allah will say, "I have forgiven your sins and have replaced them with good deeds". People will look at him with awe in Paradise and exclaim : Glory be to Allah! Verily this person is free from all sins.
A narrator (rawi) asked Imam (A.S.) regarding Allah's words : "Then as to him who is given his book in his right hand, he shall be reckoned with by an easy reckoning, and shall go back to his people joyfully" (Surah-al-Inshiqaq : 7- 9), as to who are the relatives of the believer in Paradise. Imam (A.S.) replied, "His relatives will be the same as in this world, provided they be believers".
And when Allah will take account of the evil-doers, He shall do it in the open and in front of all those present in Qayamat. And Allah will end all correspondence with him,
and give his scrolls in his left hand from behind. The person will cry out: 0 what a catastrophe! And he willاللهم اعطني كتا بي بيميني والخلد في الجنان بيساري وحاسبني حسابا يسيرا اللهم لا تعطني كتابي بشمالي ولا من وراء ظهري ولا تجعلها مغلولة الى عنقي واعوذ بك من مقطعات النيران
Here I quote the narration of Sayyed Ibne Tawoos: When the month of Ramazan would commence, Imam Ali Zainul Abedeen (A.S.) would stop punishing his male and female servants for their faults. But He would note down their names and their faults (which they committed) in a book, instead of punishing them at that very moment. On the last night of the month of Ramazan He (A.S.) would gather all of them. He would then bring the book and tell each of them, "Do you remember that on such and such day you committed such and such crime, and I had not punished you for it"? They would accept their mistakes and say, "O son of the Prophet! Verily we have committed these crimes". Thereby He would make everyone accept
their faults. Then He (A.S.) would stand in their midst and tell them all to call out in a loud voice: "O Ali bin Husain!اللهم امين رب العالمين اذهبوا فقد عفوت عنكم واعتقت رقابكم رجاء للعفو عني واعتق رقبتي
Then when the day of Eidul Fitr would pass away, Imam (A.S.) would forgive all the things which His servants owed Him, and would make them independent of others.
And every year on the last night of the month of Ramazan, He (A.S.) would free around twenty slaves in the way of Allah and say, "Verily on each night of the month of Ramazan during the time of the breaking of fast (Iftaar), Allah grants amnesty to seven lac people from hell-fire, each one of whom is worthy of punishment. And on the last night of the month of Ramazan, He grants liberty to the amount of people He freed in the whole month. And I like
The Angels first take the scrolls to the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S.), and then to the Holy Imams (A.S.). Lastly the scrolls are handed over to Imam Mahdi (A.T.F.S.) for
scrutiny. Imam (A.S.) looks at both (good as well as bad) scrolls, and asks for forgiveness from Allah for the sins of His Shi'ahs written in them. And those sins which can be written off are done so. Hence Imam (A.S.) tells His Shi'ahs, "Beware! when your scrolls come to me, your sins should be such that can be written off, and should not be such that cannot be corrected or forgiven". Then the scrolls are taken to the heavens.
As said in the Qur'an: "And say: Work, so Allah will see your work and (so will) His Apostle and the Believers (Holy Aimmah)" (Surah al -Bara'at: 105)
Every sect has interpreted the meaning of Meezan according to their own views. Some opine that the deeds shall literally be weighed. While some say that the deeds shall be given a physical form and then weighed. The good deeds shall be given a beautiful face, while the evil deeds an ugly one. Allamah Ne'matullah Jazaeri in "Anware No'maniyah" says, that according to trustworthy and consecutively transmitted reports it clearly proves that the deeds shall be given a physical form and then they shall be weighed. (Ehsanul Fawaed).
In some traditions it is related, that this deeds will be weighed with the weight of the deeds of the prophets and their successors. Hence in one ziyarat it is stated: "peace
be on you, O the weighing scale" Here Imam Ali (A.S.) is referred to as the weighing scale. The prayers of all mankind will be weighed with the weight of the prayers of
Imam Ali (A.S.). Imam Ja'far-as-Sadiq (A.S) says, that the weighing scale (in which the prayer and deeds of men shall be weighed) are the prophets (Ambiya) and Their
Successors (Awsiya). On the day of Qayamat our prayers will be compared with the prayars of Imam Ali (A.S). Whether the humility and Sincerity, which were present in
Allah says in the Qur'an: "And the measuring out on that day they will be just, then as for him whose measure (of good deeds) is heavy, those are they who shall be
successful. And as for him whose measure (of bad deeds) is light, those are they who have made their souls suffer loss because they disbelieved in our communications" (Surah al-Aaraf: 9-10)
In another place He says: "The terrible calamity what is the terrible calamity and what will make you comprehend what the terrible calamity is?
The day on which men will be as scattered moths, And the mountains shall be as loosened wool.
Then as for him whose measure of good deeds is heavy, he shall live a pleasant life. And as for him whose measure of good deeds is light, his abode shall be the abyss. And whose will make you know what it is? A burning fire." (Surah-al-Qare'ah: 111)
The best actions which help to increase the measure of good deeds in the scales in Qayamat, are sending sa1awat on Mohammad (S.A.W.S.) and his progeny, and good character. I state below some traditions on the importance of Salawat, and later some incidents of good character.
Shaikh Kulaini narrates from Imam Ja'far-as-Sadiq (A.S.) or Imam Mohammad-al-Baqir (A.S.) that he said, "For increasing the measure of good deeds in the scales
(meezan), no other deed carries weight than sending Salawat on Mohammad (S.A.W.S) and His progeny. A person's deeds will be weighed, and when his good deeds will seem less, salawat will be brought and kept, and the good deeds will increase.
The Holy prophet (S.A.W.S) says, that on the day of Qayamat when the deeds shall be weighed, I will be present there, It a persons bad deeds will be weighing more than
his good ones, I will bring along the salawat which he sent upon Me, and add it to the good deeds thereby increasing its weight.
Shailkh Sadooq narrates from Imam Ali-ar-Reza (A.S.) that He said, that if a person does not have the means to lessen the stock of his bad deeds, he should send salawat
and salaam on Mohammad (S.A.W.S.) and His progeny
Allamah Qutubuddin Rawandi narrates in "Dawaat" that Hazrat Mohammad (S.A.W.S.) said that if a person in my love and affection sends salawat on me thrice every day and night, it becomes the right on Allah that He should forgive his sins which he committed during the day and night.
The Holy prophet (S.A.W.S.) says, that one night I saw in a dream my uncle ibne Abdul Muttalib and my cousin Ja'far ibne Abi Talib. In front of them was kept a tray full of plums. After sometime as they ate. the plums turned into grapes. Then again as they ate, the grapes turned into fresh dates. They again started eating them. I went towards them and asked, "May my father and mother be your ransom which particular deeds have you performed that has excelled all other deeds, and has mades these blessings to be showered on you ?" They replied, May our parents be
your ransom Those deeds are: sending salawat on You, feeding water to the pilgrims (of Haj), and Love (walayah) of Ali ibne Abi Talib (A.S.).
The Holy prophet (S.A.W.S.) says that, if anyone writes my name in a book and sends salawat on me, the Angels will seek forgiveness for him till my name remains in that book.
Shaikh Kulaini narrates from Imam Jafar-as-Sadiq (A.S.)
When a person sends salawat once on Him, Allah orders thousand ranks of His Angels to send a thousand salawat on the person himself. And because of Allah and His Angels sending salawat, the whole creation sends salawat on him. And the person who does not do so, is an arrogant and ignorant person. And Allah, His prophet, and the Holy Ahlulbait (A.S.) leaves such a person to himself.
It is written in "Ma aniyal Akhbaar" in the context of the meaning of the verse (Ayah) of salawat from Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (A.S.), that the meaning of salawat according to
Allah is blessings (Rehmat), while to the Angels it is safety and for the people it is a supplication (du'a). In the same book it is written that a narrator asked Imam (A.S.) as to how should we recite salawat on Mohammad (S.A.W.S.) and His progeny Imam (A.S.) replied,:
صلاة الله وصلاة ملائكته وانبيائه ورسله وجميع خلقه على محمد وال محمد والسلا م عليه وعليهم ورحمة الله وبركاته
The narrator continues, that I then asked Imam (A.S.) as to what was the reward for this Salawat? Imam (A.S) replied, "A person reciting this Salawat becomes clean
from the sins as if he was just born from his mother's womb".
(S.A.W.S.) that He said, "on the night of me'raj when I ascended to the heavens, I saw an Angel who had a thousand hands. On each of his hands there were a thousand fingers, and he was counting some thing on them. I asked Jibrael as to who that Angel was, and what was he counting? Jibrael replied that the Angel had been
appointed by Allah to count the drops of rain, so that it may be known as to how many drops have fallen down to the earth. I turned towards the Angel and asked him, "Do you know the total amount of the rain-drops which have fallen down on the earth from the day Allah created this world till now"? To which he replied. "O prophet of Allah I swear by my Lord who has chosen You (as a blessing) for mankind, verily I know the total amount of rain-drops fallen on the earth till now. Even to the extent that how many drops have fallen in the wilds, in the properous lands, in the gardens
and also in the cemetery".
Then I told him that I was wary much surprised by the power of his mind and intellect and the ability to remember, to which he replied, O prophet of Allah verily this ability to count proves futile I try to count only one thing". I asked him as to what calculation was that. He replied, "'when people of Your Ummah gather at one place
and send salawat upon You, it is beyond my ability and
Shaikh Kulaini relates, that whoever recites the
following salawat seven times during Asr on Fridays, Allah
gives him the rewards equal to all His servants, and accepts
his deeds and prayers of that day. It is also related that the
reward will be equal to the sight in the eyes of all man:
اللهم صل على محمد وال محمد الاوصياء المرضيين بافضل صلواتك وبارك عليهم بافضل بركات والسلام عليه وعليهم ورحمة الله وبركاته.
It is related that whoever recites the following salawat
after morning prayers, will not die un till he sees his
Imame zaman (.A.S).
اللهم صل على محمد وعلى محمد وعجل فرجهم