. J (cont.)

Allah has said, ௅ Ÿ .,J \;"_J .,t::ೞ ;' / :- ଛ f..J'" " ุif "Whoever works evil will have the recompense thereof' (al-Nisaa 123). Ibn Rajah then states that it has been reported from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)1 that the believers will be recompensed for their evil deeds in this world while the reward for their good deeds will be stored for them for the Hereafter. However, the disbelievers will be recompensed for their good deeds in this life while their evil deeds will be stored and recompensed in the Hereafter. 2 "The one who finds good should give praises to Allah." Allah says, /. J .i.. ,,,. ,,,. ., .;t1 l'. Ÿ .. ଜ '4! ; .. ǡ IL /L- . u 1 ".. 1Gi } § / நன பt /L- . / L>r.: * • ;.. • if) ೜ ೝ . ;.. . if ெ .. ... ,, . ,, / ,,,. ,,,. "Whoever brings a good deed shall have ten times the like thereof to his credit, and whoever brings an evil deed shall have only the recompense of the like thereof, and they will not be wronged" (al-Anaam 160). Allah records all deeds and recompenses them. But His reward for good deeds is so just and excellent that He is deserving of praise. He is the One who mercifully ordered those good deeds, who guided the people to them deeds and helped people to perform them; He is also the One who recorded those deeds and then recompensed the person for those deeds. All of this is due to Allah's grace and goodness and He is to be praised for it. Ibn Taimiya points out that although it is true that Allah has prescribed for Himself mercy and has promised to help the believers, this obligation that Allah has put upon Himself is different from the obligations that people have upon one another. Human obligations are based on justice but not on grace. Humans do acts on behalf of each other to benefit one another. Therefore, they are deserving of a fair and just recompense. With respect to Allah, the situation is very different, as this hadith demonstrates. Believing servants do not benefit Allah in any way. Hence, when Allah rewards them it is not a "just recompense". In reality, then, no one has a right upon Allah due to the good he has done toward Allah. Instead, it is Allah and Allah alone who, out of His 1 The way ibn Rajab stated this implies that he does not consider it a sound narration. 2 lbn Rajab, Jaami, vol. 2, p. 52. Cf., al-Haitami, Fath, p. 199. Hadith #24: "O My Servants, I have Forbidden Wrongdoing ... " grace and mercy, has made that right upon Himself. This is all a bounty and mercy from Allah. 1 "The one who finds other than that should not blame anyone but himself." The one who finds that his deeds are evil has no one to blame but himself. He is the one who has chosen to remain astray, as in this hadith, "You are all astray .. ," instead of following the guidance that has come from Allah. Those who do wrong may try to blame many others for their sins.2 They sometimes blame their leaders for taking them down the wrong path. They will blame Satan for enticing them to do evil. They may even blame society for convincing them to accept as right what they must have known was wrong. This portion of the hadith shows that, in reality, they have no one to blame but themselves. When it comes to right and wrong, the influence of others is no excuse. The person himself makes his own decision what path to follow and what acts to perform. Hence, he can only blame himself for the decisions that he has made. It is him and him alone who is responsible for what he has done. On the Day of Judgment, he will be alone with the book of his deeds. Then he will completely realize that he has no excuse and he can only blame himself for his actions. Allah says, .... ,,,. J. ... .... J ,,,. .:Jj Ʈ ::/ .:..iJi .:J u-:::")·S J)C• #1:: $ _.;,'%& ;_"Ji :; !ij ȕ L  . ଚ ·.f ƭ ೚ wwT ..:..JƯ 1'"1 ,,.- ȒÆ .. .. .. ฦ .. :. ... J , , , "But as for him who will be given his Record in his left hand, he will say, 'Woe to me, I wish that I had not been given my record and that I had never known how my account is. Would that it [death] had been my end. My wealth has not availed me. My power has gone from me.' [It will be said,] 'Seize him and fetter him. Then throw him in the blazing Fire"' (al-Haaqah 25-31). lbn Rajah points out that these last two phrases in this hadith may be with respect to this world or the Hereafter.