. J (cont.)

2 Therefore, one states al-hamd ("praise and gratitude") for Allah due to His acts that He has determined for Himself and are not forced upon Him, due to the bounties that He has bestowed upon a person, due to His perfect and sublime attributes and qualities, due to His being free from any imperfections and blemishes, and due to one's need and reliance upon Him. According to ibn al-Qayyim, al-shukr is more general than al-hamd in the sense that shukr or thankfulness is exhibited by one's heartfelt feelings, by the tongue in one's statement of thanks and by one's deeds in acting out one's feelings of thankfulness. Al-hamd, however, is exhibited only by one's heart and tongue.3 However, according to al-Raazi, hamd is also expressed by one's actions.4 Allah knows best. Belief in the Scale In this hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) made reference to the Balance or Scale. The belief in the existence of the Balance forms part of the Muslim's belief. Ibn Abu al-Izz has discussed the belief in the Balance in some detail. He wrote5, As for the Balance (al-Mizan), we believe in the Balance. Allah has referred to it in various verses of the Quran. For instance, "We shall set up scales (mawazin) of justice for the Day of Judgment, so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least. And if there be (no more than) the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it (to account). And enough are We to take account" (al-Anbiyaa 47). And, "Then those whose balance (of good deeds) is heavy they will attain salvation, but those whose balance is light will be those who have lost their soul, in Hell will they abide" (al-Muminoon 102-1 03). 1 Cf., al-Isfahaani (Daar al-Fikr), pp. 130. 2 Al-Raazi, vol. 1, p. 219. Al-Raazi also has a discussion of why the expression al-hamdulillah is superior to any other way of expressing praise and gratitude to Allah. See al-Raazi, vol. 1, pp. 219-220. 3 Cf., ibn al-Qayyim, Madaarij, vol. 2, p. 257. 4 Al-Raazi, vol. 1, p. 228. 5 The belief in the Balance is not discussed in much detail in the available English literature. For that reason, it is discussed in some detail here. Hadith #23: "Purification is Half of Faith . . . " Al-Qurtubi has said that scholars think that when the reckoning will finish, deeds will be put in the Balance. Since weighing is meant for determining reward or punishment, it will take place after the reckoning. Reckoning shall be for determining works, and weighing shall be for determining the value of works so that the reward or penalty may be fixed. The word mawazin in verse 47 of surah al-Anbiyaa quoted above is plural, it means that there will be a number of balances there. It may also mean that there will be different kinds of balances for weighing different kinds of work. True knowledge, however, is with Allah. There are many hadith on the subject that make it quite clear that the Balance will have two scales visible to the eyes. Imam Ahmad has recorded a hadith transmitted by Abu 'Abd al­ Rahman al-Hubuli from 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr that the Prophet (peace be on him) said, "Allah will pick out a person from my Ummah from all the creation, ask him to proceed forward, place before him ninety nine registers recording his deeds, each register as long as his eyes could see, and ask him, 'Do you deny any item mentioned in these registers? Have my scribes wronged you in any way?' He will say, 'No, my Lord!' Allah will then ask, 'Have you any excuse to offer or any good deed to mention which is not here?' He will say, 'I have nothing to say, my Lord! ' Allah will say, 'No, you have a good thing to mention. There will be no injustice to you this day.' A card will then be produced which will have, 'I witness that there is no god except Allah, and that Muhammad is his servant and messenger.' It will be handed to him, but he will wonder and say, 'What can this do in the presence of so many evil records?' Allah will say, 'You will not be wronged.' Then all the registers will be placed on one scale and that card will be placed on the other scale and it will outweigh them. Nothing can outweigh the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate."1 This is recorded by al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and lbn Abi al-Dunya from al-Layth. In al-Tirmidhi's version the last words are, "Nothing can outweigh the name of Allah."2 • • • Al-Bukhari has recorded a hadith from Abu Hurayrah in support of this hadith. The Prophet (peace be on him) said, "On the Day of Judgment, a very big and heavy man will be 1Recorded by Al-Tirmidhi, ibn Maajah, Ahmad, ibn Hibbaan and al-Haakim. The last sentence of this hadith is incorrect.