DISTRIBUTION OF BOOKS OF DEEDS
After people are gathered in the Place of Judgment for their reckoning, the "books of deeds," which contain what they did in the world, will be distributed to them. These books are unlike those in the world and their nature is unknown to us. The following is stated in the Qur’an about these books written by angels called Kirâmen Kâtibîn:
“And the book (of deeds) will be placed (before them), then you will see the guilty people scared of its contents and saying, ‘Woe to us! What a book is this! It has missed nothing, minor or major, but has taken it into account.’ Thus they will find whatever they did present before them, and your Lord will not wrong anyone.” (Al-Kahf 49)
The books of deeds are given to the people of heaven from the right, and to the people of hell from the left or from behind. Those who are given the books from the right are called “ ashab-ı yameen ”, and those who are given the books from the left or from behind are called “ ashab-ı shimaal ”. The book being given from the right is good news, while the book being given from the left is a sign of punishment.
In another verse, it is stated: “We have tied up every human’s fortune to his neck, and on the Day of Resurrection, We will bring forth a book for him that he will find wide open, (and We will say to him) “Read your book. Enough are you today to take your own account.” (Isra 13-14)
Those who are given their books in their right hand will have an easy reckoning. But those who are given their books in their left hand will be in difficulty.
Those who try to deny their deeds will have their tongues, hands, and feet testify against them. Almighty Allah declares this truth:
“On the Day when their tongues, their hands and their legs will testify against themselves of what they used to do.” (An-Nur 24)
QUESTIONING, RECKONING, AND THE SCALE (MIZAN)
When people receive their records of deeds and see that everything they did in the world, down to the smallest detail, is written in them, the reckoning will begin. In this reckoning and questioning, no one will be treated unjustly. Whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see its reward, and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see its consequence. This is stated in the noble verses as follows:
“Surely, Allah does not wrong (anyone), even to the measure of a particle. If it is a good deed, He multiplies it, and gives a great reward out of His Own pleasure.” (Nisa 40)
“So, whoever does any good act (even) to the weight of a particle will see it. And whoever does evil (even) to the weight of a particle will see it.” (Zalzalah 7-8)
“So, by your Lord, We shall question all of them. About what they have been doing.” (Al- Hijr 92-93)
The dictionary meaning of scale is “ mizan ”, which is the measure of divine justice on which everyone’s deeds are weighed after questioning. Those whose good deeds outweigh their bad deeds will be saved, while those whose good deeds are lighter will go to hell. The believers who enter Hell will be brought out of Hell and will be admitted to Paradise after suffering the punishment for the crime they committed. Almighty Allah says:
“We shall place scales to do justice on the Day of Judgment. So no one shall be wronged in the least. Even if it (a deed) is to the measure of a mustard seed, We will bring it forth, and We are enough to take account.” (Al-Anbiya 47)
“Be fearful of a day when you shall be returned to Allah, then every person shall be paid, in full, what he has earned, and they shall not be wronged.” (Al-Baqarah 281)
“But how will it be when We gather them together on a Day about which there is no doubt, and every soul will be paid out just what it has earned, without injustice?” (Ali Imran 25)
THE BRIDGE ( SIRAT)
In a hadith narrated by Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri [radiyallahu anh], the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] described the nature of the Sirat Bridge as follows:
“People will pass over the bridge of Hell. On that bridge, there are thorns, hooks, and iron claws that will catch and pull people from the sides. On the sides of the bridge, angels will pray, saying, ‘O Allah, save these people from here.’”
Some of them will cross it like lightning, some like the wind, some like a swiftly running horse, and others by running. Some will cross it at a normal walking pace, some by crawling, and others by dragging themselves.
As for those in Hell, they will neither die nor find rest; their place is there. As for those who are caught for their sins and mistakes, they will areburned in the Fire until they become like coals. Then, permission for intercession will be granted for them (and they will go to Paradise).”
THE POOL OF KAWTHAR (HAWD AL-KAWTHAR)
According to the hadiths, on the Day of Judgment, every prophet will have a pool, and each prophet and their followers will drink from it. The pool of the Prophet Muhammad [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] is very vast, its water is whiter than milk, its fragrance more pleasant than musk, and its cups more numerous than the stars in the sky.
Whoever drinks from it once will never feel thirst again for eternity.
The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] explained in his hadiths what " Al - Kawthar ," mentioned in the Qur'an in the chapter named " Al-Kawthar " refers to:
Anas ibn Malik [radiyallahu anh] narrated: The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] dozed off for a short while. Then he woke up, raised his head with a smile.
The companions asked,
- O Messenger of Allah! Why did you smile?
The Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] said,
- A verse was just revealed to me, and then he recited, ‘ Indeed, We have given you Al-Kawthar.’
Then he asked,
- Do you know what Al-Kawthar is?
They replied,
- Allah and His Messenger know best.
The Prophet [sallallahu alayhi wa sallam] said,
"Al-Kawthar is a river in Paradise that my Lord promised me. It has many blessings. There is a pool over it where my ummah will drink on the Day of Judgment. Its cups are as many as the stars in the sky."