What do we mean by good and bad deeds?

[Jafar moh]

I have a very important question that i need some clarification on. I recently saw a lecture by a man named Dr. Nabeel Qureshi who was a former muslim who became a christian and began to dwell on what sin actually means in Islam. He said that the idea of a balance with our good or bad deeds makes no sense as we shouldnt commit bad deeds in the first place and I guess in some certain aspects what he says is valid , but what I understand is that in the quran, there are many verses that speak about a mizan (a scale) that weighs our good deeds.

[7:8]  

And the weighing [of deeds] that Day will be the truth. So those whose scales are heavy - it is they who will be the successful.

 

[7:9] 

And those whose scales are light - they are the ones who will lose themselves for what injustice they were doing toward Our verses.

So if im correct this is not telling me that it weighs my good deeds over my bad deeds, but it weighs how plentiful and dense our good deeds were in order for them to be considered heavy? The thing that confuses me is that what if for example somebody had an almost equilibrium with his good and bad deeds, but has an increase of 1 in good deeds. Does he still deserve paradise? This is one of the points nabeel qureshi used to question and defend his self for leaving islam and I dont feel like he fully understood the complexity of what the mizan actually means, and neither do I. Can anyone define this for me?

Thank you, salam

[saeid tavakoli]

3 hours ago, Jafar moh said:

I have a very important question that i need some clarification on. I recently saw a lecture by a man named Dr. Nabeel Qureshi who was a former muslim who became a christian and began to dwell on what sin actually means in Islam. He said that the idea of a balance with our good or bad deeds makes no sense as we shouldnt commit bad deeds in the first place and I guess in some certain aspects what he says is valid , but what I understand is that in the quran, there are many verses that speak about a mizan (a scale) that weighs our good deeds.

[7:8]  

And the weighing [of deeds] that Day will be the truth. So those whose scales are heavy - it is they who will be the successful.

 

[7:9] 

And those whose scales are light - they are the ones who will lose themselves for what injustice they were doing toward Our verses.

So if im correct this is not telling me that it weighs my good deeds over my bad deeds, but it weighs how plentiful and dense our good deeds were in order for them to be considered heavy? The thing that confuses me is that what if for example somebody had an almost equilibrium with his good and bad deeds, but has an increase of 1 in good deeds. Does he still deserve paradise? This is one of the points nabeel qureshi used to question and defend his self for leaving islam and I dont feel like he fully understood the complexity of what the mizan actually means, and neither do I. Can anyone define this for me?

Thank you, salam

Surah Al-‘A’raf, Verse 8

وَالْوَزْنُ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْحَقُّ فَمَن ثَقُلَتْ مَوَازِينُهُ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

8. "And the measuring that Day will be just. Then whoever's a scale be heavy, those are they who shall be prosperous."

A 'scale' is the means of weighing. Each thing has a special means of measuring. The scale of a wall is a plummet. The heat of weather is measured by a thermometer. Fruits are measured in kilo. The length of cloth, as well as many other things, is measured by meter.

The means of measuring an ordinary person, from the point of spiritualities, is some particular complete persons who are accepted as the example and symbol of justice.

Upon the commentary of the phrase:

"And we will set up a just balance ..."

mentioned in verse 47 from Surah Al-Anbiya No. 21, Imam, Sadiq (as)said: "Prophets and saints are the scales."2

In the supplication of Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (as), addressing him (as),we recite:

"Peace be upon the Scale of deeds."

These immaculate persons, who are our leaders and our guides, are the scales and the means of measuring others.

In Kifayat-ul-Muwahhideen, it is narrated from Imam Sadiq (as) who said:

"We are the scales."

That is, Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (as) and all other immaculate Imams are the scale of distinguishing between right and wrong.

So, the verse says:

"And the measuring that Day will be just. Then whoever's a scale be heavy, those are they who shall be prosperous."

Explanations

1. On the Day of Resurrection, the possession is with the right3, and the Day is the day of right4, and the measuring is also just. (The above verse)

2. On that Day, arrangements of the Hereafter are justly measured and the reckoning, the judgment, the commandments, the rewards and retributions are wholly based on justice.

"And the measuring that Day will be just. ..."

Surah Al-‘A’raf, Verse 9

وَمَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَازِينُهُ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ خَسِرُواْ أَنفُسَهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا يِظْلِمُونَ

9. "And whoever's a scale be light, those are they who have ruined their selves for they used to be unjust unto Our Signs."

Those persons, whose scales are light, will be involved in an eternal punishment, because they have denied Allah’s Signs and reasoning in their lives.

The Arabic term /xusran/ (loss), mentioned in this verse, means 'to lose the capital'. The greatest capital of man is his self. When the self of a man falls into perdition, he has incurred a loss. On the contrary, those whose scales of good deeds are heavy on the Day of Judgment will be prosperous.

"And whoever's a scale be light, those are they who have ruined their selves for they used to be unjust unto Our Signs.

[narsis]

Bismillah.

Salaam.

His question is true only if the only criterion for judging deeds is measurement of good and bad deeds, but there are some other criteria that could be more important and also effective ... the most important one is Allah's mercy. As we know He is the most Merciful and He approached His creatures mercifully; the Qur'an says:

قُلْ لِمَنْ ما فِي السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ قُلْ لِلَّهِ كَتَبَ عَلى‏ نَفْسِهِ الرَّحْمَةَ

Say," To whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth?" Say," To Allah. He has made mercy incumbent upon Himself. (6:12)

And in other verse we read:

وَ إِذا جاءَكَ الَّذينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِآياتِنا فَقُلْ سَلامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلى‏ نَفْسِهِ الرَّحْمَةَ أَنَّهُ مَنْ عَمِلَ مِنْكُمْ سُوءاً بِجَهالَةٍ ثُمَّ تابَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَ أَصْلَحَ فَأَنَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحيمٌ

When those who have faith in Our signs come to you, say,"Peace to you! Your Lord has made mercy incumbent upon Himself: whoever of you commits an evil [deed] out of ignorance and then repents after that and reforms, then He is indeed all-forgiving, all-merciful." (6:54)

 

 

 

The other important instrument that could stir and disrupt the balance between good and bad deeds is intercession (Shafāʻah) that we have many verses and narrations confirming it.

And there are other things as well.

With Duas.

Narsis.