By Sheikh Saleh ibn Muhammad al-Talib – 24 Shawaal 1437

His Eminence Sheikh Saleh ibn Muhammad al-Talib –May Allah protect him– delivered this Friday Khutbah titled “Deeds that Weigh Heavily on the Scales on Resurrection Day” in which he talked about the Muslim’s duty to take advantage of his time and spend it in total obedience to Allah, the Almighty. One does not know which good deed might be the cause of Allah’s Mercy on him and which misdeed might bring him Allah’s wrath. Throughout his Khutbah, the Sheikh mentioned some of the deeds which might weigh heavily on the servant’s scales on Resurrection Day.
 
Praise be to Allah! We praise Him, seek His assistance, and pray Him for forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evils of our own selves and from our misdeeds. He whom Allah guides will never be led astray, and he whom Allah misguides will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah alone with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. May Allah send His profuse Salat (Graces, Honours, and Mercy), Peace and Blessing upon him, his Family, his Companions, and the tabi’in (the contemporaries of the Companions of the Prophet ‒ May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ after his death).

Now then,
Verily, the best of all discourse is the Book of Allah, and the best of all guidance is available in the teachings of Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him! The worst of all matters are those invented in religion (after it was already perfected); every such invention is considered bid’ah (fabricated precept in religion), and every bid’ah is misguidance and loss.

“O you who believe! Fear Allâh and keep your duty to Him. And let every person look to what he has sent forth for the morrow, and fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is All-Aware of what you do.” [Al-Hashr: 18]

So, do observe Taqwa vis-à-vis Allah, and perform further good deeds, for you are soon departing (this mundane life).   
 
“Whosoever does a good deed, it is for his ownself, and whosoever does evil, it is against (his ownself). Then to your Lord you will be made to return.” [Al-Jathiyah: 15]

Remember Allah in your well-being, and He will remember you in times of trials and hardships. Whenever you remember or mention death, consider yourself among the departed, and whenever you feel inclined towards any of the mundane pleasures, do meditate on your destiny.    

O Servants of Allah!

On resurrection day, people will get out from their graves naked, barefooted, and with parched lips.   

“… That is a Day whereon mankind will be gathered together, and that is a Day when all (the dwellers of the heavens and the earth) will be present.” [Hood: 103]

“The disbelievers pretend that they will never be resurrected (for the Account). Say (O Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam): “Yes! By my Lord, you will certainly be resurrected, then you will be informed of (and recompensed for) what you did, and that is easy for Allâh.” [Al-Taghabun: 7]

On that awesome day, Allah will set up scales to weigh human deeds and to demonstrate His perfect justice –May He be glorified!  
 
“And We shall set up balances of justice on the Day of Resurrection, then none will be dealt with unjustly in anything. And if there be the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it. And Sufficient are We as Reckoners.” [Al-Anbiya: 47]

“Then, those whose scales (of good deeds) are heavy, – these, 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.” [Al-Mu’minoon: 102-3]

Blessed be the one whose good deeds will weigh heavily on the scales, and what a huge loss it will be for the one whose misdeeds will instead weigh heavily on Resurrection Day!  
“Then as for him whose balance (of good deeds) will be heavy, He will live a pleasant life (in Paradise). But as for him whose balance (of good deeds) will be light, He will have his home in Hawiyah (pit, i.e. Hell). And what will make you know what it is? (It is) a hot blazing Fire!” [Al-Qari’ah: 6-11]

On that day, one would wish to gain an extra good deed to raise the status of one’s belief or any good deed which could weigh heavily on the scales. In this respect, Prophet Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– mentioned acts which can weigh heavily on the scales on Resurrection Day. It stands to reason that one should try to identify and hold on to such acts.  

One of those deeds – May Allah protect you – is the realisation of tawheed (monotheism) and the sincere proclamation of the two shahadas (the statement whereby one bears witness that there is no deity except Allah alone without a partner and that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger) to Allah –the Lord of the Worlds.

Al-Tirmithi, among other hadith scholars, reported a Hadith narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Al-‘As –May Allah be pleased with him and his father (Amr)– where Prophet Muhammad – May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him – said: “Allah will salvage a man from among my Ummah in presence of all creatures on Resurrection Day. He will unfold for him ninety-nine registers where his sins had been recorded; the size of each register reaches the horizon. Then, Allah –to Whom belong all might and majesty– says: ‘Has any of my angel scribes (who minutely record human deeds) been unfair to you?’ The man says: ‘No, O Lord!’ Then, Allah says: ‘Do you have any excuse?’ The man replies: ‘No, O Lord!’ Allah says: ‘Oh yes! You have a good deed in Our registers. There is definitely no injustice today! Then, a card is brought forth to the man, on which is written: ‘I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.’ The man says: ‘What can this card do in front of all these registers?’ Then, the card will be placed on one plate of the scales while all the registers of the bad deeds will be placed on the other. So, the registers will be ejected out and the card will weigh heavily, for nothing can outweigh the name of Allah, the Almighty.”

O Servants of Allah!

This is a great Hadith for which some scholars (of religion) have devoted entire volumes. The Truth (Allah) ‒Exalted be He‒ has truthfully said:  

“Verily, Allâh forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases, and whoever sets up partners with Allâh in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin.” [Al-Nissa’: 48]
In the verse of ‘hope’, He also says:

“Say: “O ‘Ibâdî (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allâh, verily Allâh forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Al-Zumar: 53]

Have you noticed what the two shahadas have done for those multitudes of sins and how they weighed heavily on the servant’s scales on Resurrection Day? This is because the man uttered the shahadas wholeheartedly with full dedication to Allah; he did not commit actions which contradicted or breached them, such as supplicating or worshipping any other divinity except Allah, believing in sorcery and fortune-telling, or being a disciple to anybody else except Allah.

O Muslims!

Another deed which weighs heavily on the scales is the nobility of character. Abu Al-Darda’ –May Allah be pleased with him– narrated that Prophet Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– said: “Nothing weighs heavier on the scales than the nobility of character.”  [This hadith is narrated by Abu Al-Darda’ and others]  

The nobility of character means saying kind words to people, smiling to your Muslim brother, being tactful, kind, magnanimous, friendly, benevolent, giving charity, and abstaining from harming people. That is why Allah has linked kind speech to major acts of worship. He, the Almighty, says:  

“And (remember) when We took a covenant from the Children of Israel, (saying): Worship none but Allâh (Alone) and be dutiful and good to parents, and to kindred, and to orphans and Al-Masâkîn (the poor), [Tafsir At-Tabarî, Vol. 10, Page 158 (Verse 9:60)] and speak good to people [i.e. enjoin righteousness and forbid evil, and say the truth about Muhammad Peace be upon him ], and perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and give Zakât. Then you slid back, except a few of you, while you are backsliders.” [Al-Baqarah: 83]

He –May He be glorified– also said:

“And say to My slaves (i.e. the true believers of Islâmic Monotheism) that they should (only) say those words that are the best. (Because) Shaitân (Satan) verily, sows disagreements among them…” [Al-Issra’: 53]

Thus, if there is a choice between words that are kind and others that are kinder, then choose the ones that are kinder.   

The nobility of character should be used with all people without exception: believers and non-believers, youngsters and adults, rich and poor. Prophet Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– says: “Man can attain with the nobility of his character the rank of someone observing fast and performing Qiyam (night prayers).” [Narrated by Imam Ahmed and Abu Dawood]

He also says: “The most endeared amongst you to me and the closest in my company on Resurrection Day are those with the noblest character,” [Narrated by Al-Tirmithi]. Prophet Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– also says: “The most frequent causes of people’s entry to paradise are taqwa vis-à-vis Allah and the nobility of character.” [Narrated by Imam Ahmed and Imam Al-Tirmithi]

Those who mostly deserve your nobility of character are your next of kin: your parents, wives, and children. Prophet Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– says: “The best amongst you are those whose treatment of their family is best; I am the best amongst you in treating my family.” [Narrated by Al-Tirmithi and ibn Majah]
 
O Servants of Allah!

The third type of good deed which weighs heavily on the scales on Resurrection Day is the remembrance of Allah, the Almighty.

In the two Sahihs (that of Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim), as narrated by Abu Hurairah –May Allah be pleased with him– the Messenger of Allah ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ was reported to have said: “There are two words that are light for the tongue to utter, heavy in the scales and are dear to the Merciful: ‘Subhana-Allahi wa bihamdihi! Subhana-Allahi-l-Alzim [Glory be to Allah and His is the praise! Glory be to Allah, the Great]’.”  This is the last hadith in the Sahih of Imam Bukhari.

He who wishes his good deeds to weigh heavily on Resurrection Day, let him say as many times as he can those words, and let his tongue be soft with the remembrance of Allah. The Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said: “That I should say: ‘Subhana-Allah, wa-l-hamdu lillah, wa la ilaha illallah, wa-llahu Akbar’ [Glory be to Allah; praise be to Allah; there is no deity but Allah; and Allah is the Greatest] is dearer to me than all that the sun has risen over.” [Narrated by Imam Muslim]

The Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ also said: “He who says: ‘Subhana-Allahi wa bihamdihi’ one hundred times a day, his sins will be effaced even if they are like sea foam.” [An agreed-upon hadith among hadith scholars]

The Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ once said to Abu Musa al- Asha’ari –May Allah be pleased with him: “Shall I guide you to a treasure from the treasures of Paradise?” I said: ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allah!’ He said: ‘La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah’ [There is neither power nor strength except with Allah].” [An agreed-upon hadith]

The Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ met with Ibrahim on the Night of Isra’ (his night journey from Makkah to Jerusalem) and Mi’raj (his ascension from Jerusalem to the seven Heavens) and he said to him: “O Muhammad, convey my greetings to your Ummah, and tell them that Paradise has a vast plain of pure soil and sweet water. It is a plain levelled land. Plants grow there by uttering: ‘Subhana-Allah, wa-l-hamdu lillah, wa la ilaha illallah, wa-llahu Akbar’.” [Narrated by al-Tirmidhi]
 
Juwayriyah bint al-Harith, the Mother of Believers –May Allah be pleased with her– reported that the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ left her early after fajr prayer while she was at the mosque. Then, he came back before noon and found her still sitting there. So, he said: “You have been in the same state and place since I left you. She said: ‘Yes’. He ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ said: “I said four words three times after I left you and if they are to be weighed against what you have said since morning, they would outweigh them. These words are: “Subhana-Allahi wa bi-hamdihi ‘adada khalqihi wa ridha nafsihi wa zinata ‘arshihi wa midad kalimatihi” [Glory be to Allah and praise be to Him as many times as the number of His creation, the pleasure of His Self, the weight of His Throne and as much as the ink used in recording His Words].” [Narrated by Imam Muslim]
 
We seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Satan:

“O you who believe! Remember Allâh with much remembrance. And glorify His Praises morning and afternoon [the early morning (Fajr) and ‘Asr prayers]. He it is Who sends Salât (His blessings) on you, and His angels too (ask Allâh to bless and forgive you), that He may bring you out from darkness (of disbelief and polytheism) into light (of Belief and Islâmic Monotheism). And He is Ever Most Merciful to the believers. Their greeting on the Day they shall meet Him will be “Salâm Peace (i.e. the angels will say to them: Salâmun ‘Alaikum)!” And He has prepared for them a generous reward (i.e. Paradise).”   [Al-Ahzab: 41-44]     

May Allah bless me and you with the Qur’an and the Sunnah and benefit us from the signs and wisdom they contain. I say this, and I ask Allah, the Almighty, to forgive me and you.