Misery and Felicity Occur Through His Justice and Mercy

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

Misery and Felicity Occur Through His Justice and Mercy

Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali




The true purpose of his (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wasallam) words, "Your actions alone will not save any of you" and "Actions alone will not cause one to enter Paradise" can be further understood when it is realised that the reward of good deeds, multiplied manifold, only comes about by the beneficence and grace of Allah, Mighty and Magnificent. He recompenses a good deed tenfold to seven-hundred fold to whatever He wills.[1] Were He to recompense a good deed with its like, in the same way that He does for an evil deed, good deeds would never have the strength to render void the evil deeds, and one would surely be destroyed.
Ibn Mas'ud (radhyAlldhu ‘anhu) said, while describing good deeds,
'If one is an ally (wali) of Allah, and there remain an atoms weight of good [after the mutual recompense], Allah would increase this manifold such that he enter Paradise through it.[2] If he be one for whom misery is decreed, the Angel says, "My Lord, His good deeds have vanished yet many more people remain seeking [mutual recompense]." He will reply, "Take their evil deeds and add them to his evil deeds, then prepare for him a place of torment in the Fire."[3]
Therefore it becomes clear that Allah multiplies the good deeds of those He wishes felicity for until they are able to pay off any penalties [from any who seek mutual recompense]; and if, after all this; there remains even an atoms weight worth of good, Allah will multiply this until He enters Paradise through it. All this by His grace and beneficence! However, whoever Allah has decreed misery for; his deeds will not be multiplied to the extent that they are able to pay off his penalties. Instead any good deeds performed by this latter person will only be multiplied ten-fold, apportioned amongst his creditors who will accept them all and yet still require further repayment for remaining injustices, and therefore their bad deeds are piled onto his, thereby causing him to enter the Fire. This by His justice![4]
It is in this light that Yahya ibn Mu'adh said, 'When He extends His grace, not a single evil deed remains for that person! When His justice is brought forth, not a single good deed remains for that person.’[5]
It is also established in Bukhari and Muslim that the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Whoever’s account is scrutinised will be destroyed.” [6]
In another narration, "...will be punished"[7] and in another narration, "...Will be defeated."[8]
Abu Nu'aym records on the authority of ‘Ali that the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said,
"Allah revealed to a Prophet amongst the Prophets of the Children of Israel, 'Say to those who obey Me amongst your nation that they should not overly rely on their deeds for on the Day of Judgment I will not settle the accounts of a servant I wish to punish except that I will punish him. Say to those who disobey me amongst your nation that they should not despair for I readily forgive even the great sins"[9]
'Abdu'l- (Aziz ibn Abu Rawwad said, 'Allah inspired Dawud (alayhis-salam) saying, "Dawud, give glad tidings to the sinners and warn those who give in charity." Surprised, Dawud said, "My Lord, why should I give glad tidings to the sinners and warn those who give in charity?" He replied, "Give glad tidings to the sinners that there is no sin that I find too grievous to forgive,[10] and warn those who give in charity that there is no servant upon whom I mete My justice and judgment except that he is destroyed" [11]
Ibn ‘Uyaynah said, 'Scrutiny here means to undergo the evil of a thorough examination such that nothing is leftover’[12]
Ibn Yazid said, ‘The severe reckoning is that which contains no pardoning[13] and the easy reckoning is that in which ones sins are forgiven and good deeds accepted’[14]
All of these narrations show that that servant cannot possibly succeed without forgiveness, mercy and the overlooking of his faults. They also show that when Allah enacts pure justice upon the servant, he will certainly be destroyed.

[1] Muslim #131/338.

[2] This meaning is also recorded by Hakim #7641, 7642 on the authority of ibn (Abbas that the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, ".... then if a good deed remains, Allah will expand generously [a place] for him in Paradise." Hakim said it was sahih with Dhahabi agreeing.

[3] Abu Nu'aym, vol. 4, p. 224 #5328; ibn al-Mubarak, al-Zuhd#1416.

[4] Muslim #2581/6579 records on the authority of Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked, "Do you know the bankrupt person is?" They said, 'A bankrupt man amongst us is one who has neither dirham with him nor wealth.' He said, "The bankrupt person of my nation would be he who comes on the Day of Resurrection with prayers and fasts and Zakat but he hurled abuses upon this person, brought calumny against that person, unlawfully consumed the wealth of that person, shed the blood of that person, and beat that person. So his good deeds would be credited to the deeds of those people [by way of retaliation] and if his good deeds fall short to cleat the account, their sins would be added to his and he would be thrown in the Fire,"
Muslim #2582/6580 records on the authority of Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, "All rights will be restored to their owners on the Day of Judgment. Even a hornless goat that is butted by a ram will have justice."

[5] Abu Nu'aym, vol 10, p. 69 #14593.

[6] Bukhari #6537 and Muslim #2876/7227, 7228 on the authority ‘A'ishah. The wording of Bukhari has ‘A’ishah then asking, 'Does not Allah say, "Then he who is given his Record in his right hand, soon will his account be taken by an easy reckoning" [Surah al-Inshiqaq (84): 7-8]?' He replied, "That is not the scrutiny that is a presentation, whoever’s account is scrutinised will be punished."

[7] Bukhari #6536 and Muslim #2876/7225 on the authority ‘A’ishah.
This wording mentioned above is also recorded by Tirmidhi #3338 on the authority of Anas.

[8] Hakim #8728 and Dhahabi said the isnad contained a weak narrator.
Ibn Abi Shaybah, vol. 13, p. 360, has the wording, "...will not be forgiven," and ibn al-Mubarak, al-Zuhd#1324 also records this wording as a statement of ‘A’ishah.

[9] Tabarani, al-Awsat #4844. Its isnad contains a weak narrator as per Haythami, vol. 1, p. 307. The author, Jami al- (Ulum, vol. 1, p. 177, said the isnad was da'if.

[10] Even shirk if one repents from it.

[11] Abu Nu'aym, vol 8, p, 211 #11906.

[12] Ibn Abi Shaybah #35644 records that Abu al-Jawza’ said concerning the verse, "...and dread a woeful reckoning." [Surah al-Ra’d (13): 21], 'It means to undergo a questioning about one’s deeds.

[13] Al-‘Afw, the overlooking of a sin.

[14] Tabari #34361, 36738. Ahmad #24215-25515 records on the authority of 'A'ishah that she asked the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wasallam) what the "easy reckoning" [Surah al-lnshiqaq (84): 8] was to which he replied, "A person has his sins presented before him only to have them overlooked. For sure, the one whose account is questioned will be destroyed,"
It was declared sahih by ibn Hibban #7372, ibn Khuzaymah #849, and Hakim #936 with Dhahabi agreeing.