Surah Al-Anbiyaa (21) — Ayah 47

(Ayah 47) ➊ {وَ نَضَعُ الْمَوَازِيْنَ الْقِسْطَ … :} In the previous verses, it was mentioned that as long as the disbelievers have power, they remain aloof from justice and fairness and persist in oppression and tyranny, and as soon as their authority ends, they begin to acknowledge the truth. In this verse, it is stated that Allah’s way is not like this; He is always established upon {’’قَائِمًا بِالْقِسْطِ‘‘} justice, to the extent that even on the Day of Resurrection, He will set up the scales of justice, and then no soul will be wronged in the least. (Biqā‘ī)
➋ {’’ الْمَوَازِيْنَ ‘‘ ’’مِيْزَانٌ‘‘} is the plural. {’’ الْقِسْطَ ‘‘} is a verbal noun which is in the meaning of the active participle { ’’مُقْسِطٌ‘‘ } and is an attribute of {’’ الْمَوَازِيْنَ ‘‘}, just as for emphasis, a just person is called {’’رَجُلٌ عَدْلٌ‘‘}, meaning such a just person that he is the embodiment of justice. That is, We will set up such scales that are so just as if they are justice itself. Whether the described noun is singular, dual, or plural, masculine or feminine, if its attribute is a verbal noun, it remains the same for all. {’’ الْقِسْطَ ‘‘} can also be a maf‘ūl lahu (object of reason), meaning We will set up many scales for the sake of justice.
➌ {’’ الْمَوَازِيْنَ ‘‘} shows that on the Day of Resurrection there will be multiple scales with which deeds will be weighed; then either there will be a separate scale for each person or for each deed. Also see Surah Al-A‘rāf (7).
➍ { فَلَا تُظْلَمُ نَفْسٌ شَيْـًٔا :} “Then no person will be wronged in the least,” meaning neither will there be any reduction in good deeds nor any addition in bad deeds.
➎ { وَ اِنْ كَانَ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍ … :} For its explanation, see Surah Az-Zalzalah (7, 8) and Luqmān (16).
➏ {وَ كَفٰى بِنَا حٰسِبِيْنَ :} We are sufficient as Reckoners; We do not need any helper, and after Our reckoning, there is no room for any review nor can there be any appeal anywhere.

47. 1. Mawazin is the plural of mizan (scale). For the weighing of deeds on the Day of Resurrection, either there will be many scales or there will be only one scale. Human deeds are weightless, meaning they have no apparent existence or body, so how will they be weighed? This question may have held some importance before, but today, scientific inventions have made it possible. Now, through these inventions, even weightless things can be weighed. When man has become capable of this, then for Allah, to show the weight of these deeds, He will transform these weightless deeds into bodies and then weigh them, as there is evidence in hadith of some deeds taking on physical form. For example, for the companion of the Quran, a handsome young man will come in his form and ask, "Who are you?" He will say, "I am the Quran, which you used to recite at night (qiyam al-layl) staying awake and during the day while thirsty." Similarly, in the grave of a believer, righteous deeds will come in the form of a handsome and fragrant young man, and for the disbeliever and hypocrite, in the opposite form (Musnad Ahmad 5:287). For further details, see the footnote of Surah Al-A'raf 7. Al-qist is a verbal noun and is the attribute of al-mawazin, meaning "those that possess justice"—the just scale or scales.

And We shall set up the scales of justice [42] on the Day of Resurrection, so that no soul will be wronged in the least. And if there is even the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it forth. And We are sufficient as Reckoners.

[42]
How Will Deeds Be Weighed, the Reality of the Scales of Deeds:

In this verse, the word ﴿مَوَازِيْنُ﴾ is used, which is the plural of "mizan" meaning scale. One meaning could be that a separate scale will be set for each person, and another is that there will be different scales according to the nature of various deeds. The true reality of what kind of scale will be used to accurately assess the reality of deeds is best known to Allah alone. To understand this, consider the example of a person who performs prayer in congregation on time with full humility and devotion. Another also joins the congregation but with a heavy heart, absorbed in other thoughts instead of the remembrance of Allah, and his prayer is as if he is an automatic machine whose switch has been pressed. Now, it is obvious that in terms of reward, there is a clear difference between the prayers of these two, even though their outward form is the same. Then, these are inner matters whose true knowledge no one but Allah can have—how much reality is there in a certain deed of a certain person—and the weighing will be of the realities of deeds, as stated at another place: ﴿وَالْوَزْنُ يَوْمَيِٕذِ الْحَقُّ﴾ [8: 7]

The Hadith of the Card (Hadith Bitaqah):

And this is also supported by the hadith which is famous as the Hadith of the Card (Hadith Bitaqah). That is, on the Day of Resurrection, a person will be called who will have ninety-nine records of sins, and he will be asked, "See, are the contents of these records correct, and have My «كراماً كاتبين» done any injustice to you?" He will say, "O Lord! All this is correct." Then Allah Almighty will ask, "Do you have any good deeds as well?" He will say, "None." So Allah Almighty will say, "You have no good deeds, and today no injustice will be done to anyone." Then a slip will be brought out for him, on which will be written: "Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh." He will say, "O Lord! What is the value of this slip compared to the ninety-nine records of sins?" Allah Almighty will say, "Today you will not be wronged in the least." Thus, on one side of the scale of deeds, the ninety-nine records of sins will be placed, and on the other, this slip; so the side with the sins will be lifted, and the side with the slip of good deeds will outweigh. [Sunan Ibn Majah, The Book of Zuhd (Asceticism), Chapter on what is hoped for from the mercy of Allah on the Day of Resurrection]

And its other aspect is that in weighing the realities of deeds, complete justice and fairness will be done with everyone. Then, accordingly, each person will be given the recompense of his deeds. Here, it should also be kept in mind that the opposite of the word "justice" or "equity" is "injustice," and injustice is contrary to the majesty of Allah Almighty. Therefore, it is neither possible that Allah does not reward even the smallest deed of anyone, nor is it possible that He gives less reward than the deed deserves. Both of these are forms of injustice. But it is possible that Allah grants someone a reward greater than justice for his deed, and this attribute is called "Ihsan," which is an attribute even higher than justice. Allah Almighty can do as He wills in this matter. He may give someone more reward than his deed, forgive someone's mistakes altogether, and if it is a matter of the rights of people, He may grant the rights to the people from Himself and forgive the offender. All this is possible, but injustice from Allah is not possible. And the third point is that Allah Almighty says that We know how to take account. We are well aware of determining the realities of deeds, and even the smallest deed, and in this matter, We need no helper. And the second meaning of "Kafa bina hasibeen" is that the account taken by Us will be final and decisive, which no one has the right to review, nor will there be any appeal anywhere. No one else will be able to help anyone in the presence of Allah Almighty.