Alhuda Bolton · Al-Ha'iyyah #12: The Weighing Scale

📖Today’s Lesson Summary:

  • What is the Weighing Scale on the Day of Judgement?
  • Is there just one? how does it look like?
  • What will be weighed?
  • Your possible outcomes

On the Day of Judgement, Allah will judge each person as to their good and bad deeds during their life in this world. We are informed in the Qur’an

In this lesson we will learn about some aspects of the Weighing Scale based on the Qur’an and Sunnah.


How many Weighing scales are there?

  • Some scholars state that there will be multiple weighing scales, for example:
    • For each nation,
    • For each action (e.g. the prayer)
    • For each action
    • ❓Question: What is the evidence for this position?
  • Other scholars say that there is only one weighing scale:
    • The Hadith of Salmān (may Allah be pleased with him)
  • How do we understand each position?

What does it look like?

The Weighing scale on the day of judgement is a real weighing scale with two sides measuring up and down to a precise amount. There are multiple verses in the Qur’an and many hadith which confirm this belief.

Some of the people of innovation claim that it is not a real weighing scale, that it is just a metaphor. However this is false claim and has no evidence.

What is it that will be weighed?

There is a difference of opinion amongst the scholars with regards to what will be placed into the Weighing Scale. There are three main opinions.

  • First opinion: The Records
    • Your scrolls of deeds which were written by the two Angels sitting on each shoulder (Right Angel records good deeds, )
    • 💡Evidence: The Hadith of the man with the 99 Scrolls
  • Second opinion: The Acts themselves
    • ❓Question: How can an action be weighed?
    • 💡Evidence: Hadith about good manners and supplications being heavy on the Weighing Scale
  • Third Opinion: The Person
    • 💡Evidence: The Hadith of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him)

Which Actions will be weighed?

  • What actions will be weighed?
  • Justice between people

The outcome of the Weighing

  • That your good deeds outweigh your bad ones
    • Such a person is successful and will enter Paradise
    • ❓Question: What if the good deeds outweigh the bad ones, but he had major sins for which he did not repent?
  • That your evil deeds are greater than your good ones
    • Such a person is under the Will of Allah
    • Perhaps Allah will forgive him or her (Paradise)
    • Perhaps Allah will punish him or her (Hell)
  • That the good and evil deeds are equal
    • These will go onto The Heights (Al-A’raf)

Who is excused from the Weighing?

The scholars mention several groups

  • The believers who do not have accountability
  • The Disbelievers do not have their

Will the deeds of disbeliever be weighed?

  • First opinion: That they will be weighed
  • Second opinion: That they will not be weighed
  • Third opinion:
    • That some will be weighed whilst other will not. Ibn Hajar mentioned:
      • A disbeliever who did not do any good will go to Hellfire immediately
      • A disbeliever who performed good deeds will have their deeds weighed