The Book of Deeds in Islamic traditions

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The reality of the Book of DeedsThe Book of Deeds before everyone

The issue about the book of deeds or the scroll of deeds has been given a great importance. Some of them have already been discussed under the explanation of verses. There are others and we present a few as samples each having its special points.

Imam Sadiq is reported to have said in a Hadith:

“Man will be given his book of deeds on the Day of Judgment and he will be told, “Read!” the narrator said so I asked him, “will he know what will be in it?’

The Imam answered: “God will remind him. He will remember even the batting of the eyelids, words of his mouth, the steps he had taken and he will remember all other work that he had done as if he had just done all of it.” (1)

And then he will say “Woe is me! What manner of book is this that has noted every thing big and small.”

In one of his sermons recorded in the Nahjul Balagha Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib said:

“I ask for forgiveness from God for the things His knowledge encompasses and written in His Book (The Book of Deeds). There is no depreciation in his knowledge. It is a Book of Deeds that has not omitted anything.”(2)

Imam Mohammad Baqir is reported to have said:

The body parts of the believer will not stand witness against him. This witness will be only against those who deserve punishment. The Book of Deeds of the believer will be given in his right hand. (3)

In another Imam Sadiq is reported to have said:

“When God desires to take the account of a believer then he will be given his book of deeds in the right hand and will be asked to do so himself. God will tell him: “O my servant! Did you do such and such? He will answer, “Yes I have.” It will be said, “I have forgiven you and your sins (because of those goodness which are more) and converted your sins into goodness (during this time he will come before those who are devoid of all sins) and they will say, “Subhanaalh! Has this person not committed any sin?’ And this is what God has said in the Qura’n:

“And as for him who will be given his record in the right hand will surely have an easy reckoning and will return to his family in happiness.” (4)

Sunan Tirmizi records the words of the Messenger in the Hadith:

“ On the Day of Reckoning humans will come thrice before God. In the first two instances they will give excuses and try to blame someone else for their sins but the third time their books of deeds will fly and come into their hands, for some in the right hands and for some in the left.” (5)

This des c r i p tion tells us about the flight of the book of deeds and this has come in various writings. The books of deeds will fly from ( the Illiyin and Sijjeen) God’s custody and come to the hands of the humans. This tells us that the books of deeds are not a page of human existence but have an external existence that can stand witness.

 


 

1. Behar-ol-Anwar vol.7 page 315
2. Nahjul Balagha Sermon 114
3. Behar-ol-Anwar vol.7 page 318 Hadith 14
4. Behar–ol-Anwar vol.7 page 324 Hadith 17
5. Sunan Tirmizi vol.4 page 617 hadith 2425

 

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