| |
||||
| |
|
|
||
| |
||||
| |
|
|
||
| |
||||
| |
|
|||
| |
||||
| |
||||
| |
||||
| |
||||
| |
||||
| |
||||
| |
||||
| |
||||
| |
||||
| |
|
|
|
|
Islam is a religion of the Last Days. It is, according to the Koran and Islamic tradition, the final Revelation (or communication) of God to man before The Judgment. Nevertheless, it is a religion (like Christianity) that emphasizes God's Mercy over and above His Severity; so nearly all of the surat (chapters) of the Koran are introduced by the phrase In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful . This refrain is considered to contain the whole of the Koran in principle.
This is a story told by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) of God's Mercy on the Day of Judgment. It is recorded in the Jami al-Sunan of Al-Tirmidhi, one of the six most authoritative collections of hadith or traditions of the Prophet. This story is known as a hadith qudsi or sacred hadith : this title is reserved for those hadith in which God Himself speaks.
* * * * *
On the Day of Judgment, when all creatures will stand before God's Throne, He will select one (Everyman) and lay out before him the register of his deeds. Ninety-nine great books, the record of his iniquities, shall be spread out before him.
God will say to him: ‘ Do you deny any of this? Were my scribes who noted down your deeds unjust to you? ' and Man will reply: ‘No, my Lord!' Then God will say: ‘ Do you have any explanation? ' and, again, Man will reply ‘No, my Lord!' ‘ Truly, ' God will say, ‘ you have no explanation. However, you have done a good deed and therefore you will not be harmed. '
Then a single slip of paper will be brought forward containing the words: ‘I bear witness that there is no god but God, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Messenger'. This is the Testimony of Faith, by the pronouncement of which (in the presence of a Muslim) one enters the religion of Islam. The Shahadah or Testimony recorded on this slip of paper was the man's one good deed.
Then God will say: ‘ Witness your scales, ' the scales upon which will be weighed Man's deeds, iniquitous and righteous, and Man will complain: ‘O my Lord, what is this slip of paper compared to these great books?' and God will assure him: ‘ You will suffer no injustice. '
Then the ninety-nine great books will be placed upon one side of the scales and the small slip of paper containing the Shahadah upon the other. Then those scales of divine justice will tip in favour of the single slip of paper. ‘For, ' said the Prophet, ‘in comparison to God's name nothing has weight.'
* * * * *
A similar hadith qudsi is recorded in the Sunan al-Nasa‘i :
God said to the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him): ‘O Musa (Moses in Arabic). If the seven heavens and the seven earths and all that inhabit them other than Me were to be placed on one side of the scales and the Shahadah on the other side, the Shahadah would weigh heavier than all of creation put together.'
Graeme Castleman