THE CARD OUTWEIGHTED NINETY-NINE RECORDS

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STORIES OF THE UNSEEN IN AUTHENTIC TRADITIONS

Prof Dr Umar S.Al-Ashqar

Introduction

This tradition relates the story of a person who was heavily burdened by sins and bad deeds that filled up ninety-nine records, each of which extended as far as the eye can see. However ALlah (swt) will show him a small card that outweighs all of those records of bad deeds.

Text of the Hadith

Abdullah bin Amr bin al-As (r.a) narrated that he heard the Messenger of ALlah (swt) saying, " A person from my ummah will be summoned in the presence of all creatures in the Day of Judgment. Ninety-nine records of his deeds will be unfolded, each extending as far as the eye can see. Then he will asked. 'Do you deny any of these deeds? Have my record writers done you any injustice?' He will reply, 'No, my Lord.' He will be asked, 'Do you have any excuse or any good deeds?'  The man will say, 'No, my Lord.' It will be said to him, "Yes. You have some good deeds. No inequity will befall you. A card will then be shown to him and on it will be written, "La ilaha illa ALlah, Muhammadun Rasulu ALlah." (There is no god but ALlah and Muhammad is His Messenger.)  The man will be asked to attend the weighting process. He will say, 'O' ALlah! What will this card do compared with these records?'  It will be said to him, 'No injustice will befall you.'  The ninety-nine records will then be placed in one side of the scale and the card in the other. The card will then outweigh the records because nothing can outweigh the Name of ALlah."

Explanation of the Hadith

This is a person for whom the honorable angles, the recorders of deeds, have filled out ninety-nine records with his bad deeds, each of which extends as far as the eye can see. ALlah (swt) will show him his records and ask him, "Do you deny any of these records? Have my record writes done you any injustice to you?" He will answer, "No, my Lord." Then, he will be asked if he had any excuses, but he will find nothing. Thus, he will believe that he is definitely going to be sent to Hell.

At that moment, it will be said to him, "Yes. You have some good deeds. No inequity will befall you." A card will then be shown to him in which he testified that there is no god but ALlah, and Muhammad is His Messenger. He will be asked to attend the weighing process.

Ninety-nine records of bad deeds, each of which extends as far as vision can see will be weighted against a small card on which Shahadatan (testifying that there is no god but ALlah and Muhammad is the Messenger of ALlah) is written. This man would say to the Lord of Honor, "O' my lord! This card against all of the records?!" It will be said to him, "No inequity will be befall you." The surprise will be incredible when the  small card outweighs the ninety-nine records. This agrees with what the Messenger of ALlah (swt) said, "Nothing can outweigh the Name of ALlah."

Morals of the Story

1. The story indicates that the Muslim's declaration of belief in the Oneness of God and acceptance as His Prophet will be rewarded by ALlah (swt) as it happened with the man in the story.

2. The honorable writers of deeds record both good and evil deeds which will be collected in one book. Nothing of one's deeds whether small or big will be forgotten.

3. The recods of good deeds will be placed on one side of the scale and those of the bad deeds in the other,
'Then, those whose scales {of good deeds) are heavy, they are the successful. And those whose scales (of good deeds) are light, they are those who lose their ownselves, in Hell will they abide.' [Qur'an Surah Al-Mu'minun : 102-103]

4. The scale in which human beings' deeds are weighted has two sides.

5. Weighing people's deeds is done in the presence of all people, publicly, and whoever is saved will not be disgraced on the Day of Judgment.