[ابوالوليد المسلم]

those who have reckoning upon them

‘Abdullah bin Hamoud al-Furaih

complete justice (8)

the way (of handling) the reckoning
People who are accounted for are in two categories:
The second category: those who have reckoning upon them
They are of two types:
The first type: who is accounted for (with) an easy account?
They do not discuss the reckoning. Meaning: it is not difficult upon them. Their sins are presented to them and then Allah will exceed it for them.
In Sahih Muslim, there is the Hadith of Ibn Omar (may Allah be pleased with them) that he heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) say: “A believer will be brought to his Lord, the Exalted and Glorious, on the Day of Resurrection and He would place upon him His veil (of Light) and make him confess his faults and say: Do you recognise (your faults)? He would say: My Lord, I do recognise (them). He (the Lord) would say: I concealed them for you in the world. And today I forgive them. And he would then be given the Book containing (the account of his) good deeds. And so far as the non-believers and hypocrites are concerned, there would be general announcement about them before all creation telling them that these (people, i. e. non-believers and hypocrites) told a lie about Allah.”[1]
How great is the tolerance of Allah Almighty over His slaves and blessed are the ones whose reckoning on that day are easy so Allah Almighty accepts from them.
Allah Almighty said:
﴿ فَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَابَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ * فَسَوْفَ يُحَاسَبُ حِسَابًا يَسِيرًا ﴾
“Then as for he who is given his record in his right hand. He will be judged with an easy account” [Al Inshiqaq: 7-8]
Sheikh Ibn Al Othaimeen (may Allah be please with him) (said) about the reckoning of the believers: “with that, His Highness, Almighty puts away His cover so that nobody seems Him and nobody hears him. This is from the honour that Allah, His Highness, has over the believers. If people commit falonies in front of people and it is permissible for you, it has some disgrace. But if that is by yourself, than that is is hidden from you”[2]
In the two Sahih, there is the Hadith of `A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): “Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him), said, "None will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection, but will be ruined." I said "O Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him)! Hasn't Allah said:
﴿ فَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَابَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ * فَسَوْفَ يُحَاسَبُ حِسَابًا يَسِيرًا ﴾
“Then as for him who will be given his record in his right hand, he surely will receive an easy reckoning” [Al Inshiqaq: 8]

Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "That (Verse) means only the presentation of the reckoning, but anybody whose account (record) is questioned on the Day of Resurrection, will surely be punished." In a narration: “but will be ruined” means: that the account that is easy is the display; the display of sins to the believers. As for being questioned and being accounted for the punishment of the fire; we ask Allah for peace and tranquillity.[3]
Al Nawawi (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him): anybody whose account (record) is questioned on the Day of Resurrection, will surely be punished.” Meaning of questioned: investigated
Al Qadi said: his words “punished (Uthiba)” has two meanings: one of them is that the same discussion, displaying the sins and stopping at them is a punishment and dislike for what is in them. The second is that he is sure that he is conducive of the punishment of the fire and that leads to the second narration “punished (Halaka)” instead of “Uthiba.” These are the words of Al Qadi.
The second is correct. It means that shortcomings are usually in slaves. Whoever was short of it and was not forgiven will be destroyed and enter the fire but Allah Almighty is forgives and is merciful for (what is) other than associating partners with Him for whoever He wills.[4]
There are the sinners from among the monotheists whose reckoning may be prolonged and be difficult. They could be harsh because of their great sins and their large numbers. We ask Allah for peace and tranquility from that.
-The two hypocrites: in Sahih Muslim, there is the Hadith of Abu Hurayrah (peace be upon him). He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying: “The first of men (whose case) will be decided on the Day of Judgment will be a man who died as a martyr. He shall be brought (before the Judgment Seat). Allah will make him recount His blessings (i. e. the blessings which He had bestowed upon him) and he will recount them (and admit having enjoyed them in his life). (Then) will Allah say: What did you do (to requite these blessings)? He will say: I fought for Thee until I died as a martyr. Allah will say: You have told a lie. You fought that you might be called a" brave warrior". And you were called so. (Then) orders will be passed against him and he will be dragged with his face downward and cast into Hell. Then will be brought forward a man who acquired knowledge and imparted it (to others) and recited the Qur'an. He will be brought And Allah will make him recount His blessings and he will recount them (and admit having enjoyed them in his lifetime). Then will Allah ask: What did you do (to requite these blessings)? He will say: I acquired knowledge and disseminated it and recited the Qur'an seeking Thy pleasure. Allah will say: You have told a lie. You acquired knowledge so that you might be called" a scholar," and you recited the Qur'an so that it might be said:" He is a Qari" and such has been said. Then orders will be passed against him and he shall be dragged with his face downward and cast into the Fire. Then will be brought a man whom Allah had made abundantly rich and had granted every kind of wealth. He will be brought and Allah will make him recount His blessings and he will recount them and (admit having enjoyed them in his lifetime). Allah will (then) ask: What have you done (to requite these blessings)? He will say: I spent money in every cause in which Thou wished that it should be spent. Allah will say: You are lying. You did (so) that it might be said about (You):" He is a generous fellow" and so it was said. Then will Allah pass orders and he will be dragged with his face downward and thrown into Hell.”[5]
-Among them are those who show that they refute wrongdoing in front of people and they are steadfast upon it and they ordain good and they leave it
In Sahih Al Bukhari, there is the Hadith of Osama (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying: “A man will be brought on the Day of Resurrection and thrown in the (Hell) Fire, so that his intestines will come out, and he will go around like a donkey goes around a millstone. The people of (Hell) Fire will gather around him and say: O so-and-so! What is wrong with you? Didn't you use to order us to do good deeds and forbid us to do bad deeds? He will reply: Yes, I used to order you to do good deeds, but I did not do them myself, and I used to forbid you to do bad deeds, yet I used to do them myself.”[6]
What is meant is not the one who ordains good and does not attend to it or forbids wrong and goes to it because of a weakness or a shortcoming of themselves. It is one who struggles within themselves to finish it, because people are not free from errors. The situation is with the one who shows this character and they are neglectful of it. This Hadith does not make the slave an opening to leave ordaining good and forbidding wrong.
There are others from the categories of sinners who are under the will of Allah Almighty. If He wants, He punishes them and if he wants, he can forgive them.
﴿ إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللّهِ فَقَدِ افْتَرَى إِثْماً عَظِيماً ﴾
“Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin.” [Al Nisa: 48]
What a loss it is for those who Allah Almighty did not accept from by lightening their scales, reckoning and punish him. There is no doubt that there are those among the monotheists who will enter the fire as it came in the Hadiths. We ask Allah for peace and tranquility
The second type: the one who will be accounted for (with) a harsh account
The disbeliever will be accounted for (with) a very harsh account. Allah Almighty said:
﴿ الْمُلْكُ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْحَقُّ لِلرَّحْمَنِ وَكَانَ يَوْماً عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ عَسِيراً ﴾
“True sovereignty, that Day, is for the Most Merciful. And it will be upon the disbelievers a difficult Day.” [Al Furqan: 26]


He said: ﴿ وَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ عَتَتْ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهَا وَرُسُلِهِ فَحَاسَبْنَاهَا حِسَاباً شَدِيداً وَعَذَّبْنَاهَا عَذَاباً نُّكْراً ﴾
“And how many a city was insolent toward the command of its Lord and His messengers, so We took it to severe account and punished it with a terrible punishment.” [Al Talaq: 8]


Allah Almighty mentioned that when they see the details of their reckoning; what will they say? ﴿ وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَابُ فَتَرَى الْمُجْرِمِينَ مُشْفِقِينَ مِمَّا فِيهِ وَيَقُولُونَ يَا وَيْلَتَنَا مَالِ هَذَا الْكِتَابِ لَا يُغَادِرُ صَغِيرَةً وَلَا كَبِيرَةً إِلَّا أَحْصَاهَا وَوَجَدُوا مَا عَمِلُوا حَاضِراً وَلَا يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَداً ﴾
“And 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.” [Al Kahf: 49]
It was mentioned recently the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him): “And so far as the non-believers and hypocrites are concerned, there would be general announcement about them before all creation telling them that these (people, i. e. non-believers and hypocrites) told a lie about Allah.”[7]

[1] Narrated by Muslim number (2768)

[2] Look at: Sharh Al Aqeeda Al Wasitiyya (page: 513)

[3] Look at: Fatah Al Bari (11/402)

[4] Look at: the explanation of Al Nawawi for Sahih Muslim 17/208

[5] Narrated by Muslim number (1905)

[6] Narrated by Al Bukhari number (3267)

[7] Narrated by Muslim number (2768)