(Naam-e A'maal) -Scrolls of Deeds

Feb 7, '13 12:50 PM for everyone

We live in a world in which many things are hidden. We are not aware of what is in the minds and hearts of others, their inner conditions, their good or bad beliefs and their true motives and intentions – be they even the closest of our friends. In fact, we are not completely aware of our own selves. But Qiyamat is a day of honesty and justice; every person's scroll of deeds will be visible for all to see. It is the day where all the hidden secrets will be open and known to all.

The Lord of the Universe has, in His infinite Mercy, appointed two angels, Raqeeb and Ateeb, to serve as keepers over us, recording our every good and evil deed in this world so that we may be cautious and mindful of our each and every action. On the Day of Resurrection, we will each be given these scrolls of deeds and told to read them. There will be those whose happiness upon reading their scrolls will know no limits, while others will experience such severe pain after reading them that all the joints of their bodies will disintegrate, and blood and dirt will flow from their eyes in agony.

It is written in Haqqul Yaqeen that Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said that when Allah will wish to take account of a believer, He will give his scrolls in his right hand, and He Himself will take his accounting so that no one else may come to know about his affairs. He will forgive his sins and replace them with good deeds, and people will look at him with awe in Paradise exclaiming, "Glory be to Allah! Verily this person is free from all sins." Indeed, as Allah tells us in the Qur'an: "Then as to him who is given his book in his right hand, he shall be reckoned with by an easy reckoning, and shall go back to his people joyfully." (84:7-9) A narrator once asked the Imam regarding this verse, as to who are the relatives of the believer in Paradise, upon which Imam replied, "His relatives will be the same as in this world, provided they are believers."

Whereas for the evil-doers, Allah will take the accounting out in the open in front of all those present on that day. He will end all communication with such people, and give their scrolls in their left hands from behind. Such people will cry out, "O what a catastrophe!" and will fall head-long into hell. These will be of those who led luxurious and careless lives with their families in this world and disbelieved in the Hereafter. It has also been narrated that Allah will tie the hands of the hypocrites (Munafiqeen) and disbelievers behind their necks.

Shaikh ibn Quwailah narrates from Imam Sadiq that he said, whoever in the month of Ramadan goes for the Ziyarat to the shrine of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) or dies on the way while going there, on the day of Qiyamat there will be no accounting and reckoning for him, and he shall enter Paradise without fear or anxiety. Allamah Majlisi narrates from Imam Ridha (peace be upon him) in Tuhfatus Sa'imeen that he said: "Whoever comes to visit my grave from far and near, on the day of Qiyamat we shall save him from three calamities: We shall give him refuge from the terrors of Qiyamat when the scrolls of good doers will be given in their right hands and of the evil ones in their left hands, he will be safe from the punishment at the Bridge of Siraat, and we will help him during the weighing of scales (Mizaan)."

The sayings and narrations mentioned in this article are taken from Martyr Ayatollah Dastghaib Shirazi's The Hereafter  and Shaikh Abbas al-Qummi's book Manazelul Akhera.