The Weighing of Deeds on the Day of Judgment: A Islamic Perspective

The Weighing of Deeds: What Happens to the Disbelievers?

In the Name of Allāh, the Entirely Gracious, the Exclusively Merciful

Question:

The questioner asks: What is the preponderant view regarding the deeds of the disbelievers? Will they be weighed on the Day of Judgment or not?

Answer:

Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says: 

{فَمَن ثَقُلَتْ مَوَازِينُهُ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ – وَمَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَازِينُهُ فَأُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ خَسِرُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ فِي جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدُونَ – تَلْفَحُ وُجُوهَهُمُ النَّارُ وَهُمْ فِيهَا كَالِحُونَ – أَلَمْ تَكُنْ آيَاتِي تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ فَكُنتُم بِهَا تُكَذِّبُونَ}  

“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 selves, in Hell will they abide. The Fire will burn their faces, and therein they will grin, with displaced lips (disfigured). Were not My Ayaat (this Qur’an) recited to you, and then you used to deny them?” [Surah Al-Mu’minun, 23:102-105)] 

These Ayaat refer to the disbelievers, as indicated by the words فِي جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدُونَ “abiding eternally therein” and فَكُنتُم بِهَا تُكَذِّبُونَ “you used to deny them”. Allah affirmed that their scales will be light, and thus their deeds will be weighed.

The correct view is that their deeds will indeed be weighed, but they will not have any good deeds. Rather, Allah will manifest His justice by showing them their evil deeds and how they filled their scales, as an expression of divine justice. Their scales will be light due to the abundance of their evil deeds. 

The correct position is that their deeds are weighed, but they will not have any good deeds. Allah (عز وجل) says: 

{وَقَدِمْنَا إِلَىٰ مَا عَمِلُوا مِنْ عَمَلٍ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ هَبَاءً مَّنثُورًا} 

And We shall turn to whatever deeds they (disbelievers/polytheists) did, and We shall make such deeds as scattered floating particles of dust.” [Surah Al-Furqan, 25:23] 

They will have no good deeds, but this weighing is meant to show Allah’s justice in their case. He will show them their evil deeds in the scales, with no good deeds to be placed in the scale of good deeds. We ask Allah for His protection.

In the two Sahihs, it is narrated from Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنهم) that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 

(يؤتى بالرجل السمين العظيم يوم القيامة لا يزن عند الله جناح بعوضة اقرؤوا إن شئتم {فَلَا نُقِيمُ لَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَزْنًا}) 

“On the Day of Judgment, a man who was fat and huge will be brought forth, but he will not weigh before Allah the weight of a mosquito’s wing. Recite if you wish: 

{فَلَا نُقِيمُ لَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَزْنًا} 

“So We will not assign to them on the Day of Judgment any weight.” [Surah Al-Kahf, 18:105]  

This means they will have no weight because they do not have any deeds. Their scales will not weigh even the wing of a mosquito due to the absence of good deeds.

فتاوى فضيلة الشيخ محمد بن حزام الفضلي البعداني حفظه الله وتولاه