8. Quran verse and the related Ahadith:

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاتة

بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِٱلرَّحِيمِ

 

We have bound every human’s destiny to their neck. And on the Day of Judgment, We will bring forth to each person a record which they will find laid open. And it will be said, “Read your record. You alone are sufficient this Day to take account of yourself.” (17:13 & 14).

The deeds of men are recorded:

The deeds of the sons of Adam whether they are great or small, are recorded night and day, morning and evening and preserved in the form a Book. The following verses from Quran confirm this:

“Indeed, Allah is ever over you, watching.”   [4:1]

“And indeed, [appointed] over you are keepers, Honorable angels [كِرَامًۭا كَـٰتِبِينَ] recording everything. They know whatever you do” (82:10 -12).

“Do they suppose that We do not hear their secret thoughts and their secret talks? Yes, indeed! And with them are Our messengers, writing down” (43:80).

“Surely Our messenger-angels record whatever you devise.” (10:21).

“There is no soul without a vigilant angel recording everything” (86:4).

“As the two recording-angels—one sitting to the right, and the other to the left—note everything, not a word does a person utter without having a vigilant observer ready to write it down” (50:17-18).

Indeed, We always had your deeds recorded by the angels [45:29]

 “And everything they did is in written records. Every matter, small and large, is written precisely”. (54: 52 & 53).

The names of recording angels are ‘Raqeeb’ and ‘Ateed’. Ibn Kathir states that, according to the narration of Ahnaf ibn Qais, “The angel sitting on the right records the good deeds, and he is also the supervisor over the angel on the left. If a person commits a sin, the angel on the right says to the one on the left, "Do not write it yet; give him a chance; maybe he will repent; if he does, then let it go; otherwise record it in your record of deeds".

Receiving the book on the Day of Resurrection:  

Allah says on the Day of Resurrection to man, “This Our Record speaks about you with truth.” [45:29].  “Read your book. You yourself are sufficient as a reckoner against you this Day." (17:14). When the record [of deeds] will be placed [open], and you will see the criminals fearful of that within it, and they will say, "Oh, woe to us! What is this book that leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it?" And they will find what they did present [before them] And your Lord does injustice to no one” [18;49]. The book will be given to him either in his right hand, if he is one of the blessed or in his left hand if he is one of the wretched.'“

Those who get it with right hand:

As for the one who is given his record in his right hand, he will say, ‘Here, read my record! Indeed, I was certain that I would meet my account.’ So he will be in a pleasant life in an elevated Garden (69:19 to 22). So whoever will be given their record in their right hand will read it happily and will not be wronged (17:71). As for those who are given their record in their right hand, he will be judged with an easy account and will return to their people joyfully” (84:7 - 9).

Those who get it with left hand:

But as for he who is given his record in his left hand, he will say, "Oh, I wish I had not been given my record. And had not known what is my account. I wish death was the end! My wealth has not benefited me! Gone from me is my authority." [Allāh will say], "Seize him and shackle him, then burn them in Hell, then tie them up with chains seventy arms long. For they never had faith in Allah, the Greatest, nor encouraged the feeding of the poor. So this Day they will have no close friend here, nor any food except oozing pus, which none will eat except the evildoers.” (69:25 – 37)

Those who get it from behind their backs

And as for those who are given their record in their left hand from behind their backs, they will cry for instant destruction, and will burn in the blazing Fire. For they used to be prideful among their people, thinking they would never return to Allah. Yes, they would! Surely their Lord has always been All-Seeing of them. (84:10 to15).

Ma`mar said: Al-Hasan recited, “O son of Adam, your Book has been opened for you, and two noble angels have been entrusted to accompany you, one on your right and one on your left. The one who is on your right records your good deeds, and the one who is on your left records your bad deeds. `So do whatever you want, a lot or a little, until you die, then I will fold up your Book and tie it to your neck with you in your grave. Then when you come out on the Day of Resurrection, you will find the Book wide open, so read your Book.' By Allah, the One Who makes you accountable for your own deeds is being perfectly just."  {Ibn Khathir in thafsir of ayath 51:17}

Ahadhees:

Narrated Ibn `Abbas (RA): The Prophet (SAW) mentioned hadhees Qudhsi of his Lord said, "Allah ordered (the appointed angels over you) that the good and the bad deeds be written, and He then showed (the way) how (to write). If somebody intends to do a good deed and he does not do it, then Allah will write for him a full good deed (in his account with Him); and if he intends to do a good deed and actually did it, then Allah will write for him (in his account) with Him (its reward equal) from ten to seven hundred times to many more times: and if somebody intended to do a bad deed and he does not do it, then Allah will write a full good deed (in his account) with Him, and if he intended to do it (a bad deed) and actually did it, then Allah will write one bad deed (in his account) ." [Sahih al-Bukhari 6491: Riyad as-Salihin 11]

Abu Huraira (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah, (SAW) said, “Allah says to the angels: If My servant intends to commit a sin, do not record it against him until he does it. If he does it, record it against him as one bad deed. If he leaves it for My sake, record it for him as one good deed. If he intends to do a good deed and he does not do it, record it for him as one good deed. If he does it, record it for him as ten good deeds up to seven hundred times as much.” [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 7501, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 128a]

Our deeds are presented to Allah Subhanahuthala:

Daily:

“When the two guardian angels ascend to Allah with what they have recorded during the night or the day, and Allah finds good at the beginning of the scroll and at the end of the scroll, Allah Thala says: I call you to witness that I have forgiven my servant for everything recorded between the two ends of the scroll.” [Sunan Tirmidhi, 981]

Weekly twice:

Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: "Deeds are presented on Monday and Thursday, and I love that my deeds be presented while I am fasting." [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 747]

On the Day of Judgement:

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik (RA) said: We were with the Messenger of Allah (SAW) and he smiled. He said: “Do you know why I am smiling?” We said: Allah and His Messenger know best. He said: “Because of the conversation that a slave will have with his Lord. He will say: O Lord, did You not guarantee me protection from injustice? He will say: Yes. He will say: I do not deem valid any witness against me but my own self. He will say: Your own self will be sufficient as a witness against you this Day, and the witness of the two recording angels. Then a seal will be placed on his mouth and it will be said to his limbs: Speak. And they will speak of his deeds. Then he will be allowed to speak and he will say: Away with you and may the curse of Allah be upon you! It was on your behalf that I contended.” [Sahih Muslim 2969]

Narrated Safwan bin Muhriz Al-Mazini: While I was walking with Ibn `Umar holding his hand, a man came in front of us and asked, "What have you heard from Allah's Messenger (SAW) about An-Najwa?" Ibn `Umar said, "I heard Allah's Messenger (SAW) saying, 'Allah will bring a believer near Him and shelter him with His Screen and ask him: Did you commit such-and-such sins? He will say: Yes, my Lord. Allah will keep on asking him till he will confess all his sins and will think that he is ruined. Allah will say: 'I did screen your sins in the world and I forgive them for you today', and then he will be given the book of his good deeds. Regarding infidels and hypocrites (their evil acts will be exposed publicly) and the witnesses will say: These are the people who lied against their Lord. Behold! The Curse of Allah is upon the wrongdoers." (11.18) [Sahih al-Bukhari 2441]

How to balance between good and bad deeds:

It was narrated from Anas (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: “Envy consumes good deeds just as fire consumes wood, and charity extinguishes bad deeds just as water extinguishes fire. Prayer is the light of the believer and fasting is a shield against the Fire.” [Sunan Ibn Majah 4210]

It was narrated from 'Ayesha (RA) that the Prophet (SAW) used to say: "Allahum-maj'alni minal-ladhina idha ahsanu istabsharu, wa idha asa'u istaghfaru (O Allah, make me one of those who, if they do good deeds, they rejoice, and if they do bad deeds, they seek forgiveness)." [Sunan Ibn Majah 3820]

Abu Dharr and Mu'adh bin Jabal (May Allah be pleased with them) reported that: Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, "Fear Allah wherever you are, do good deeds after doing bad ones, the former will wipe out the latter, and behave decently towards people". [Riyad as-Salihin 61]

Nature of Book:

The actual nature of book is known only to Allah. Both illiterate and literate will be capable of reading it. The book or the ledger of deeds would not be made up of ordinary paper, so that there should be any difficulty in understanding how it will go with him in the grave and remain there with him until the Day of Resurrection.

Supplication to add good deeds and erase bad deeds:

Narrated Abu Huraira (RA): Allah's Messenger (SAW) said, "If one says one-hundred times in one day: "None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, the Alone Who has no partners, to Him belongs Dominion and to Him belong all the Praises, and He has power over all things (i.e. Omnipotent)", one will get the reward of manumitting ten slaves, and one-hundred good deeds will be written in his account, and one-hundred bad deeds will be wiped off or erased from his account, and on that day he will be protected from the morning till evening from Satan, and nobody will be superior to him except one who has done more than that which he has done."

الحمدلله