Indeed, Allah will distinguish a man from my Ummah before all of creation on the Day of Judgment
Authenticعَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ العَاصِ رضي الله عنهما قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنَّ اللهَ سَيُخَلِّصُ رَجُلًا مِنْ أُمَّتِي عَلَى رُءُوسِ الْخَلَائِقِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، فَيَنْشُرُ عَلَيْهِ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ سِجِلًّا، كُلُّ سِجِلٍّ مِثْلُ مَدِّ الْبَصَرِ، ثُمَّ يَقُولُ: أَتُنْكِرُ مِنْ هَذَا شَيْئًا؟ أَظَلَمَكَ كَتَبَتِي الْحَافِظُونَ؟ فَيَقُولُ: لَا يَا رَبِّ، فَيَقُولُ: أَفَلَكَ عُذْرٌ؟ فَيَقُولُ: لَا يَا رَبِّ، فَيَقُولُ: بَلَى إِنَّ لَكَ عِنْدَنَا حَسَنَةً، فَإِنَّهُ لَا ظُلْمَ عَلَيْكَ الْيَوْمَ، فَتُخْرَجُ بِطَاقَةٌ فِيهَا: أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، فَيَقُولُ: احْضُرْ وَزْنَكَ، فَيَقُولُ: يَا رَبِّ مَا هَذِهِ الْبِطَاقَةُ مَعَ هَذِهِ السِّجِلَّاتِ؟ فَقَالَ: إِنَّكَ لَا تُظْلَمُ، قَالَ: فَتُوضَعُ السِّجِلَّاتُ فِي كِفَّةٍ، وَالْبِطَاقَةُ فِي كِفَّةٍ، فَطَاشَتِ السِّجِلَّاتُ، وَثَقُلَتِ الْبِطَاقَةُ، فَلَا يَثْقُلُ مَعَ اسْمِ اللهِ شَيْءٌ».
‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah will distinguish a man from my Ummah before all of creation on the Day of Judgment. Ninety-nine scrolls will be laid out for him; each scroll will be as far as the eye can see. Then, He will say: 'Do you deny any of this? Have those who recorded this wronged you?' He will say: 'No, O Lord!' He will say: 'Do you have an excuse?' He will say: 'No, O Lord!' So, He will say: 'Rather you have a good deed with us; so, you will not be wronged today.' Then, He will bring out a card, in which it is written: 'I testify that there is no god but Allah and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.' He will say: 'Bring your scale.' He will say: 'O Lord, what good is this card next to these scrolls?' He will say: 'You will not be wronged.' The scrolls will be put on a pan (of the scale), and the card on (the other) pan. The scrolls will be light, and the card will be heavy, for nothing is heavier than the name of Allah."
Explanation
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reported that Allah will select a man from his Ummah before all the creation on the Day of Judgment. He will be summoned for reckoning. Ninety-nine scrolls, the records of his bad deeds which he did in worldly life will be presented to him, with each scroll being as long as the eye can see. Then, Allah Almighty will say to this the person: Do you deny any of what is written in these scrolls? Have My scribe angels wronged you? The person will say: No, O Lord. Then, Allah Almighty will say: Do you have an excuse that may be accepted regarding the deeds you did in worldly life, like doing them out of forgetfulness or ignorance or by mistake? The man will say: No, Lord, I have no excuse. Allah Almighty will say: Rather, you have a good deed with us, and you will not be wronged today. He said: He will bring out a card, in which it is written, I testify that there is no god but Allah and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. Then, Allah Almighty will say to this man: Bring your scale. The man will say in wonder: O Lord, what weight can this card have next to these scrolls?! Allah Almighty will say: You will not be subject to injustice. He said: The scrolls will be put on one pan, and the card on the other pan. The pan of the scrolls will be light, and the pan of the card will be heavier, so Allah will forgive him.
Benefits
- It shows the immense value of the testimony of faith "there is no god but Allah" and how it is heavy on the Scale.
- It is not sufficient to merely say "There is no god but Allah" by the tongue; rather, one should know its meaning and act according to it.
- Sincerity and strong monotheistic belief are a means for expiating sins.
- Faith varies in level in accordance with the varying degrees of sincerity in people's hearts. Some people may utter this testimony, yet they will be punished in proportion to their sins.
Source · Narrated by At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Mājah
From the Hadith Encyclopedia (hadeethenc.com).