What Is the Day of Reckoning?
ما هو يوم الحساب؟
It is the day that Allah brings the earlier as well as the later generations together for account. (Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Most certainly, earlier and later generations will surely be gathered ˹together˺ for the appointed Day.”) [Al-Waqi’ah 56:49-50]
Then, Allah the Almighty tells them about their deeds. After that, He calls them to account for their deeds; whoever does a good deed will find it, and whoever does a bad deed will find it. Allah the Almighty says: (So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it. And whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.) [Az-Zalzalah 99:7-8]
هو أن يجمع الله الأولين والآخرين للحساب، قال الله تعالى: (قُلْ إِنَّ الْأَوَّلِينَ وَالْآخِرِينَ لَمَجْمُوعُونَ إِلَىٰ مِيقَاتِ يَوْمٍ مَّعْلُومٍ) [الواقعة 56: 49-50]
ثم يطلعهم على أعمالهم ويعرفهم بها ثم يجازيهم حسب أعمالهم، فمن عمل خيرا وجده ومن عمل شرا وجده، قال تعالى: (فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ) [الزلزلة 99: 7-8]
1. Earlier and Later Generations Gathered | لمجموعون إلى ميقات يوم معلوم
Allah says: Say, Most certainly, earlier and later generations will surely be gathered together for the appointed Day (56:49-50). Ibn Kathir explains: tell them that the first and the last of the children of Adam will be gathered to the plains of the Resurrection, and none of them will be left out; and that Day has a set time that comes neither earlier nor later, and is neither longer nor shorter. The Day itself is explained in what the Last Day is.
لَمَجْمُوعُونَ إِلَىٰ مِيقَاتِ يَوْمٍ مَّعْلُومٍ (سورة الواقعة: 50)
قال تعالى: (قل إن الأولين والآخرين لمجموعون إلى ميقات يوم معلوم) (الواقعة 56: 49-50)، قال ابن كثير: أي: أخبرهم يا محمد أن الأولين والآخرين من بني آدم سيجمعون إلى عرصات القيامة، لا نغادر منهم أحدا ... ولهذا قال هاهنا: (لمجموعون إلى ميقات يوم معلوم) أي: هو موقت بوقت محدد، لا يتقدم ولا يتأخر، ولا يزيد ولا ينقص.
2. Read Your Record | اقرأ كتابك
The scholar says that Allah makes them know their deeds. On the Day of Judgment We will bring forth to each person a record which they will find laid open (17:13), and it will be said: Read your record. You alone are sufficient this Day to take account of yourself (17:14). Ibn Kathir explains: all his deeds are gathered in a book given to him on the Day of Resurrection, in his right hand if he is among the happy or in his left if he is among the wretched; and you know that you were not wronged and nothing was written against you except what you did.
اقْرَأْ كِتَابَكَ كَفَىٰ بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيبًا (سورة الإسراء: 14)
ذكر الجواب أن الله تعالى يعرّفهم بأعمالهم. قال تعالى: (ونخرج له يوم القيامة كتابا يلقاه منشورا اقرأ كتابك كفى بنفسك اليوم عليك حسيبا) (الإسراء 17: 13-14)، قال ابن كثير: أي: نجمع له عمله كله في كتاب يعطاه يوم القيامة، إما بيمينه إن كان سعيدا، أو بشماله إن كان شقيا ... ولهذا قال تعالى: (اقرأ كتابك كفى بنفسك اليوم عليك حسيبا) أي: إنك تعلم أنك لم تظلم ولم يكتب عليك غير ما عملت.
3. The Easy Reckoning | فسوف يحاسب حسابا يسيرا
As for those who are given their record in their right hand, they will have an easy reckoning (84:7-8). Ibn Kathir explains: easy, without hardship, meaning that the details of all his deeds are not examined, for whoever is examined that way is ruined. Aisha asked the Prophet about this verse, and he said: That is only the presentation, but whoever is argued with in the reckoning is ruined (Sahih al-Bukhari 103). He also said: Allah brings the believer near, places His shelter over him and screens him, and says: Do you acknowledge such a sin? Do you acknowledge such a sin? He says: Yes, my Lord. When He has made him admit his sins and he sees himself ruined, He says: I covered them for you in the world, and I forgive them for you today (Sahih al-Bukhari 2441).
فَسَوْفَ يُحَاسَبُ حِسَابًا يَسِيرًا (سورة الانشقاق: 8)
قال تعالى: (فأما من أوتي كتابه بيمينه فسوف يحاسب حسابا يسيرا) (الانشقاق 84: 7-8)، قال ابن كثير: أي: سهلا بلا تعسير، أي: لا يحقق عليه جميع دقائق أعماله، فإن من حوسب كذلك يهلك لا محالة. وقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم لعائشة لما سألته عن هذه الآية: "إنما ذلك العرض، ولكن من نوقش الحساب يهلك" (صحيح البخاري 103). وقال صلى الله عليه وسلم في حديث آخر: "إن الله يدني المؤمن فيضع عليه كنفه ويستره، فيقول: أتعرف ذنب كذا؟ أتعرف ذنب كذا؟ فيقول: نعم أي رب، حتى إذا قرره بذنوبه ورأى في نفسه أنه هلك قال: سترتها عليك في الدنيا، وأنا أغفرها لك اليوم" (صحيح البخاري 2441).
4. Just Scales and Rights Restored | ونضع الموازين القسط ليوم القيامة
We set up the scales of justice for the Day of Judgment, so no soul will be wronged in the least. And even if a deed is the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it forth (21:47). Ibn Kathir explains that most scholars hold it is one scale, named in the plural for the many deeds weighed on it. Even the rights between creatures are settled: the Prophet said: Rights will be restored to those entitled to them on the Day of Resurrection, until the hornless sheep is given its due from the horned sheep (Sahih Muslim 2582).
وَنَضَعُ الْمَوَازِينَ الْقِسْطَ لِيَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ فَلَا تُظْلَمُ نَفْسٌ شَيْئًا (سورة الأنبياء: 47)
قال تعالى: (ونضع الموازين القسط ليوم القيامة فلا تظلم نفس شيئا وإن كان مثقال حبة من خردل أتينا بها) (الأنبياء 21: 47)، قال ابن كثير: الأكثر على أنه إنما هو ميزان واحد، وإنما جمع باعتبار تعدد الأعمال الموزونة فيه. انتهى كلام ابن كثير. وتُقضى الحقوق بين الخلائق أيضا؛ قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: "لتؤدن الحقوق إلى أهلها يوم القيامة حتى يقاد للشاة الجلحاء من الشاة القرناء" (صحيح مسلم 2582).
Scholarly Insight: Prayer and fasting do not cancel what a person owes others. The Prophet asked: Do you know who the bankrupt is? They said: The bankrupt among us is one who has neither dirham nor goods. He said: The bankrupt of my community is one who comes on the Day of Resurrection with prayer, fasting and zakat, but he abused this one, slandered that one, consumed the wealth of this one, shed the blood of that one and struck this one, so each is given of his good deeds, and if his good deeds run out before what he owes is settled, some of their sins are taken and thrown on him, and then he is thrown into the Fire (Sahih Muslim 2581). Read more in the tafsir of Surah Al-Anbiya.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
What is the Day of Reckoning?
The day Allah gathers the earlier and later generations for the account (56:49-50), shows them their deeds and repays them by their deeds.
Will even small deeds be counted?
Yes. Whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it (99:7-8).
What is the easy reckoning?
The Prophet said it is only the presentation of deeds, but whoever is argued with in the reckoning is ruined (Sahih al-Bukhari 103).
Who is the bankrupt person on the Day of Resurrection?
One who comes with prayer, fasting and zakat but abused, slandered and wronged people, so his good deeds are given to them (Sahih Muslim 2581).
Prepared by Eng. Ghada Homad, founder of IslamFAQ, researched and written in consultation with qualified scholars, reviewed by Professor Khaled Jassem Al-Houli, Associate Professor of Comparative Jurisprudence and Islamic Politics, Faculty of Sharia and Islamic Studies, University of Kuwait. Read more about the authors and this project →