الطريق الى الخلود
STAGES OR STAGES OF THE HEREAFTER
THE PATH TO ETERNITY
By
Yasin T. al-Jibouri
9) STAGE NINE OF THE LIFE HEREAFTER
Al-Mizan: The Scales of Deeds
الميزان
Al-Mizan: The Scales of Deeds is one of the terrifying stages/stages of the hereafter; the Almighty says the following in Surat al-A`raf:
وَالْوَزْنُ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْحَقُّ، فَمَن ثَقُلَتْ مَوَازِينُهُ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ، وَمَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَازِينُهُ فَأُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ خَسِرُواْ أَنفُسَهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا يَظْلِمُونَ .
“And truly We shall recount their whole story with knowledge, for We were never absent (at any time or place). The balance that Day will be (absolutely) true: Those whose scales (of good deeds) will be heavy will prosper” (Qur’an, 7:8-9). Following is Surat al-Qari`a, Chapter of the noise and clamor that announce the reckoning:
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم: الْقَارِعَة: مَا الْقَارِعَة؟ وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْقَارِعَةُ؟ يَوْمَ يَكُونُ النَّاسُ كَالْفَرَاشِ الْمَبْثُوثِ وَتَكُونُ الْجِبَالُ كَالْعِهْنِ الْمَنفُوشِ فَأَمَّا مَن ثَقُلَتْ مَوَازِينُهُ فَهُوفِي عِيشَةٍ رَّاضِيَة، وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَازِينُهُ فَأُمُّهُ هَاوِيَةٌ، وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا هِيَ؟ نَارٌ حَامِيَة.
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. The (Day) of noise and clamor: What is the (Day) of noise and clamor? And what will explain to you what the (Day) of noise and clamor is? (It is) a Day on which men will be scattered about like moths, and the mountains will be like carded wool. It is then that one whose balance (of good deeds) will be (found) heavy, he will be in a life of good pleasure and satisfaction. But if one’s balance (of good deeds) will be (found) light, he will have his home in a (bottomless) pit (of hell). And what will explain to you what this (pit) is? (It is) a fiercely blazing Fire” (Qur’an, 101:1-11). It is called so because it hammers on the hearts with fear and terror. We read the following on p. 64 of al-Qummi’s book Manazil al-Akhira:
إعلم أنه ربما لا يساوي عمل لترجيح كفة الميزان في ثقله مثل الصلاة على النبي الكريم وآله البررة (صلوات الله عليهم أجمعين) ومثل الخلق الحسن
Be informed that perhaps there is nothing that tilts the scales of good deeds due to its weight like blessing the Venerable Prophet and his righteous progeny, peace and blessings of Allah be with them all, and like good manners. On p. 49, Vol. 2 of Safeenat al-Bihar, we read the following:
سأل من روى الحديث : كيف نصلي على محمد وآله؟ فقال الصادق (عليه السلام): تقول: صلوات الله وصلوات ملائكته وانبيائه ورسله وجميع خلقه على محمد وآل محمد والسلام عليه وعليهم ورحمة الله وبركاته . قال الراوي : فسألت الامام: ما ثواب من صلى على النبي هكذا؟ فقال الصادق (عليه السلام): ثوابه الخروج من معاصيه وسيئاته، اي انه يتطهر منها كمن ولد من أمه.
“The person who narrated this tradition asked Imam as-Sadiq (as): ‘How should we bless Muhammed and his progeny?’ The Imam (as) said, ‘You should say: Blessings of Allah, of His angels, prophets and messengers and all creation be with Muhammed and the progeny of Muhammed; greeting upon him and upon them, the mercy of Allah and His blessing.’ The narrator said, ‘I asked the Imam (as): What is the reward of one who thus blesses the Prophet (P)? The Imam (as) said: Its reward is one coming out of his transgressions and sins, that is, he will be purged of them as though he has just been born.” On p. 443, Vol. 4 of the Tafsir book by Sheikh Abu al-Fitooh ar-Razi, we read the following text:
روى الشيخ أبوالفتوح الرازي عن رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) أنه قال:
في ليلة المعراج، عندما وصلت الى السماء، رأيت ملكا له ألف يد، وفي كل يد ألف إصبع، كان يعد بأصابعه. فسألت جبرائيل عن إسمه ووظيفته وعمله، فقال: إنه ملك موكل على عد قطرات المطر النازلة الى الأرض. فسألت الملك: هل تعلم عدد قطرات المطر الساقطة على الأرض منذ أن خلق الله تعالى الأرض؟ فاجاب الملك قائلا: يا رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)، والذي بعثك بالحق نبيا الى الخلائق، إني لأعلم عدد قطرات المطر النازلة من السماء الى الأرض عامة، كما أعلم الساقطة في البحار والقفار والمعمورة والمزروعة والأرض السبخة والمقابر. قال النبي (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم): فتعجبت من ذكائه وذاكرته في الحساب.
فقال الملك: يا رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)، ولكني بما لدي من الأيدي والأصابع وما عندي من الذاكرة والذكاء، فاني أعجز من عد أمر واحد. فقلت له: وما ذاك الامر؟ قال: اذا اجتمع عدد من أفراد أمتك في محفل وذكروا اسمك فصلوا عليك، فحينذاك أعجز عن حفظ ما لهؤلاء من الأجر والثواب إزاء صلواتهم عليك.
Sheikh Abu al-Fitooh ar-Razi has quoted the Messenger of Allah, peace and salutation of Allah be with him and his progeny, saying, “In the Ascension Night, when I reached the heavens, I saw an angel having a thousand hands. In each hand he had a thousand fingers. He was counting with his fingers. I asked Gabriel about his name, function and job. Gabriel said, ‘He is an angel in charge of counting the drops of water that fall to the ground.’ I asked the angel, ‘Do you [really] know the number of rain drops that fall on the earth since Allah Almighty created the earth?’ The angel answered saying, ‘O Messenger of Allah (peace and salutation of Allah be with him and his progeny), by the One Who sent you in truth as a Prophet to the creation, I know the number of the rain drops that fall from the sky to the earth, all of it. I also know those that fall in the seas, on the deserts, on inhabited areas, on farms, on salty land and on the grave sites.’ The Prophet (peace and salutation of Allah be with him and his progeny) said, ‘I was amazed at his intelligence and memory in calculation.’ The angel, therefore, said, ‘O Messenger of Allah (peace and salutation of Allah be with him and his progeny), but despite all the hands, fingers, memory and intelligence, I am unable to count one thing.’ I said to him, ‘What is it?’ He said, ‘If some members of your nation gather together, mention your name and bless you, it is then that I am unable to calculate how many rewards they will receive for having blessed you.'” Also, al-Kulayni, the mentor, articulated the following after having performed the prayers ritual in the afternoon of a Friday:
روى الشيخ الكليني ذيل صلوات عصر الجمعة:
اللهم صلي على محمد وآل محمد الأوصياء المرضيين بأفضل صلواتك وبارك عليهم بأفضل بركاتك، والسلام عليه وعليهم ورحمة الله وبركاته.
إنه من قرأ هذه الصلوات سبع مرات، فإن الله يرد عليه بعدد كل عبد حسنة، وعمله مقبول يوم القيامة، ويأتي يوم القيامة وبين عينيه نور.
Lord! Send Your peace upon Muhammed and the progeny of Muhammed, the wasis, the pleased ones, bless them with the best of Your blessings, peace be with him and with them, the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Anyone who recites this supplication seven times will be rewarded by Allah with rewards the number of which equals that of all of His servants; his good deeds will be accepted on the Judgment Day, and he will come out on the Judgment Day with noor (celestial light) shining between his eyes.” On p. 49, Vol. 2 of Safeenat al-Bihar, we read the following text:
روي أنه من قال بعد صلاة الصبح والظهر: اللهم صلي على محمد وآله وعجل فرجهم واحشرنا معهم وارزقنا شفاعتهم، فانه لا يموت الا ومدرك القائم من آل محمد (عليهم السلام)
“One who recites the following after the morning and afternoon prayers will not die before seeing al-Qa’im [al-Mahdi, may Allah hasten his reappearance] from among the progeny of Muhammed, peace with them all: ‘Lord! Bless Muhammed and his progeny, speed up their ease, gather us in their company and grant us their intercession.'”
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