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قQuranicpediaEncyclopedia of the Glorious Qur’an

The Scale (al-Mizan) الْمِيزَان

In review — pending scholar verification

The scale of perfect justice on which deeds will be weighed on the Day of Judgement — established by Allah such that no soul is wronged by even an atom's weight.

Overview

Al-Mīzān (Arabic: الْمِيزَان) is the scale of perfect justice on which the deeds of every responsible soul will be weighed on the Day of Judgement. The Quran promises that no soul will be wronged by even an atom's weight (Surah Al-Anbiya 21:47); whoever's scales are heavy with good deeds attains Paradise; whoever's are light is among those who lost themselves to Hell (Surah Al-Aʿraf 7:8–9; Al-Mu'minun 23:102–103; Al-Qari'ah 101:6–9).

Classical Sunni doctrine, articulated in creedal works (al-Ṭaḥāwiyyah, al-Wāsiṭiyyah), affirms a literal Scale, the precise mechanism of which is left to Allah; affirming the principle of perfect justice by direct measurement, without speculative reinterpretation.

Quranic references

  • Surah Al-Anbiya 21:47 — "And We place the scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection, so no soul will be treated unjustly at all. And if there is the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it forth."
  • Surah Al-Aʿraf 7:8–9 — "And the weighing on that Day will be the truth. So those whose scales are heavy — those will be the successful. And those whose scales are light — those will be the ones who lost themselves."
  • Surah Al-Mu'minun 23:102–103 — same teaching.
  • Surah Al-Qari'ah 101:6–11 — "As for one whose scales are heavy [with good deeds], he will be in a pleasant life. But as for one whose scales are light, his refuge will be an abyss [the Hāwiyah]."
  • Surah Az-Zalzalah 99:7–8 — "So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it."

Hadith

Abu Hurayra reported the Prophet ﷺ said: "Two phrases are light on the tongue, heavy on the Scale, beloved to the Most Merciful: Subḥān Allāhi wa-bi-ḥamdihi, Subḥān Allāhi al-ʿAẓīm — Glory and praise to Allah; glory to Allah the Magnificent." — Sahih al-Bukhari 6406; Sahih Muslim 2694
Abu ad-Dardāʾ reported the Prophet ﷺ said: "Nothing is heavier on the Scale of the believer on the Day of Resurrection than good character." — Jami at-Tirmidhi 2002 (graded Sahih by al-Albani); Sunan Abi Dawud 4799
Abu Hurayra reported the Prophet ﷺ said: "On the Day of Resurrection, a corpulent man will be brought forward — but he will not weigh, in the sight of Allah, even the wing of a mosquito." Then he ﷺ recited: "And We will not assign for them on the Day of Resurrection any weight" (Surah Al-Kahf 18:105). — Sahih al-Bukhari 4729; Sahih Muslim 2785

Significance

The Mīzān is the Quran's clearest image of cosmic justice. Its weights are not material in any worldly sense — the wing of a mosquito and a mountain of weighty deeds occupy the same scale at incommensurable values. The hadiths above repeatedly emphasise that the heaviest items are the simplest acts of remembrance, sincere good character, and patience — not visible quantity but inner quality.

See also

References

  1. The Quran (Sahih International translation): Surahs Al-Aʿraf 7:8–9; Al-Kahf 18:105; Al-Anbiya 21:47; Al-Mu'minun 23:102–103; Az-Zalzalah 99:7–8; Al-Qari'ah 101:6–11.
  2. Sahih al-Bukhari 4729, 6406; Sahih Muslim 2694, 2785.
  3. Jami at-Tirmidhi 2002 and Sunan Abi Dawud 4799, graded Sahih by al-Albani.
  4. al-Qurṭubī, at-Tadhkirah, sections on the Mīzān.
  5. Umar Sulayman al-Ashqar, al-Qiyāmah al-Kubrā.