Sermon's Title: The Flying of the Scrolls
Themes of the Sermon:
1- The awesomeness of the moment when the scrolls fly on the Day of Resurrection.
2- What are the scrolls, and what is recorded in them?
3- Belief in meeting Allah and its impact.
All praise is due to Allah, the Near, the Ever-Watchful, the Preserver, the Reckoner, Who originates creation and repeats it, and He is Witness over all things. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without any partner, and I bear witness that Muḥammad is His servant and Messenger. May Allah bless him and grant him abundant peace until the Day of Promised Punishment.
To proceed: Fear Allah, O servants of Allah, with the fear that is truly due to Him, and remain mindful of Him in secret and in private.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ
“O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims.” [Sūrat Āl ʿImrān: 102]
Servants of Allah:
One day, our mother ʿĀ’ishah asked the Prophet ﷺ, saying: “O Messenger of Allah! Will a lover remember his beloved on the Day of Resurrection?” He replied: “O ʿĀ’ishah! As for three situations, then no. As for the time at the Scale until it is known whether one's weight is heavy or light, then no. As for the time when the records fly, whether one is given his record in his right hand or his left hand, then no. And when a neck stretches out from the Fire, envelopes them, rages against them, and that neck says: ‘I have been entrusted with three types of people; I have been entrusted with whoever claimed another deity alongside Allah, I have been entrusted with whoever did not believe in the Day of Reckoning, and I have been entrusted with every stubborn tyrant.’ Then it envelopes them and flings them into the depths of Hell.” (Narrated by Aḥmad).
How immense are the terrors of the Day of Resurrection! It is the Day of Judgment, Reckoning, and Recompense. Among its greatest terrors—wherein a lover forgets his beloved—is the moment when the scrolls fly. When will that happen?
ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The people will be presented on the Day of Resurrection three times. As for two presentations, they will consist of arguments and excuses. But as for the third presentation, it is then that the records fly into the right and left hands.” (Narrated by al-Bayhaqī).
Three presentations before the Lord of the earth and the heavens. A presentation in which man argues with his Lord, thinking that through his arguing he might escape the reckoning. Another presentation in which man offers his excuses. Then, before the final judgment, the scrolls are unrolled and the records fly. The Almighty said:
وَإِذَا الصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتْ
“And when the pages are made public” [Sūrat al-Takwīr: 10].
It is the judgment of absolute justice among creation, where man will be a reckoner over himself, seeing his deeds with his own eyes. The Almighty said:
وَكُلَّ إِنْسَانٍ أَلْزَمْنَاهُ طَائِرَهُ فِي عُنُقِهِ وَنُخْرِجُ لَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ كِتَابًا يَلْقَاهُ مَنْشُورًا * اقْرَأْ كِتَابَكَ كَفَى بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيبًا
“And for every person We have fastened his fate to his neck, and We will produce for him on the Day of Resurrection a record which he will encounter open. It will be said, 'Read your record. Sufficient is yourself against you this Day as accountant.'” [Sūrat al-Isrā’: 13-14].
While people are standing in the land of gathering, the scrolls are suddenly unrolled and the records fly. As for the people of happiness, they will receive their records in their right hands, and their reckoning will be easy. As for the people of misery, they will receive their records in their left hands and from behind their backs, and their final destination will be the blazing Fire. The Almighty said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الْإِنْسَانُ إِنَّكَ كَادِحٌ إِلَى رَبِّكَ كَدْحًا فَمُلَاقِيهِ * فَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَابَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ * فَسَوْفَ يُحَاسَبُ حِسَابًا يَسِيرًا * وَيَنْقَلِبُ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ مَسْرُورًا * وَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَابَهُ وَرَاءَ ظَهْرِهِ * فَسَوْفَ يَدْعُو ثُبُورًا * وَيَصْلَى سَعِيرًا * إِنَّهُ كَانَ فِي أَهْلِهِ مَسْرُورًا * إِنَّهُ ظَنَّ أَنْ لَنْ يَحُورَ * بَلَى إِنَّ رَبَّهُ كَانَ بِهِ بَصِيرًا
“O mankind, indeed you are laboring toward your Lord with great exertion and will meet it. Then as for he who is given his record in his right hand, He will be judged with an easy account And return to his people in joy. But as for he who is given his record behind his back, He will cry out for destruction And burn in a Blaze. Indeed, he had been among his people joyful; Indeed, he thought he would never return to Allah. Yes! Indeed, his Lord was ever of him, Seeing.” [Sūrat al-Inshiqāq: 6-15].
Servant of Allah:
Do you know who compiled these scrolls, and what has been recorded in them?
These are the scrolls in which the angels have precisely recorded the deeds of the servants. Have you not read the statement of your Lord:
وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ لَحَافِظِينَ * كِرَامًا كَاتِبِينَ * يَعْلَمُونَ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ
“And indeed, appointed over you are keepers, Noble and recording; They know whatever you do.” [Sūrat al-Infiṭār: 10-12].
There is no word spoken or deed done by a servant except that the recording angels write it down in the scrolls, as if it were an exact duplicate of your actions, leaving nothing out. The Almighty said:
وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَخْسَرُ الْمُبْطِلُونَ * وَتَرَى كُلَّ أُمَّةٍ جَاثِيَةً كُلُّ أُمَّةٍ تُدْعَى إِلَى كِتَابِهَا الْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ * هَذَا كِتَابُنَا يَنْطِقُ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْحَقِّ إِنَّا كُنَّا نَسْتَنْسِخُ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
“And the Day the Hour is established—that Day the falsifiers will lose. And you will see every nation kneeling from fear. Every nation will be called to its record, and it will be said, 'Today you will be recompensed for what you used to do. This, Our record, speaks about you in truth. Indeed, We were having transcribed whatever you used to do.'” [Sūrat al-Jāthiyah: 27-29].
In fact, there is not even a single word uttered except that it is written down by the observant angels who accompany the servants closely. The Almighty said:
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِ نَفْسُهُ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ * إِذْ يَتَلَقَّى الْمُتَلَقِّيَانِ عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ الشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٌ * مَا يَلْفِظُ مِنْ قَوْلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ
“And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than his jugular vein. When the two receivers receive, seated on the right and on the left. Man does not utter any word except that with him is an observer prepared.” [Sūrat Qāf: 16-18].
Indeed, a servant's awareness of these scrolls drives him to fear Allah, to have good hope in Him, and to possess immense love for Him. If you wish to truly feel this, listen to the words of Allah in the Divine Hadith regarding this matter.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Indeed, Allah has recorded the good deeds and the bad deeds and then He made that clear. Whosoever intends to do a good deed but does not do it, Allah records it with Himself as a complete good deed. If he intends to do it and then does it, Allah records it with Himself as ten good deeds, up to seven hundred times, up to many more times over. And whosoever intends to do a bad deed but does not do it, Allah records it with Himself as a complete good deed. If he intends to do it and then does it, Allah records it as a single bad deed.” (Narrated by al-Bukhārī and Muslim from the collection of ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbbās).
It is stated in the Divine Hadith that the recording angels say: “O Lord! That servant of Yours wants to commit a bad deed,” while He knows better about him. So He says: “Watch him. If he commits it, write it down for him as its equivalent. But if he leaves it, write it down for him as a good deed, for he only left it for My sake.” (Narrated by Muslim).
How immense is Allah’s favor, as He records a sincere intention as a complete good deed for the servant even if they do not perform it! Then, if they are guided to perform it, it is written down for them as ten good deeds up to many more times over, according to the faith and sincerity in their heart. And if they intend to do a bad deed but leave it for the sake of Allah, it is written down for them as a complete good deed, but if they commit it, it is recorded against them as only a single bad deed.
Among His immense favors, Glory be to Him, is that the angels record for the servant during the days of their illness or travel whatever good deeds they used to perform while they were healthy and resident at home.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “If a servant falls ill or travels, there is recorded for him the like of what he used to do when resident and healthy.” (Narrated by al-Bukhārī).
Among His immense favors is that the angels do not rush to record bad deeds; rather, the angel lifts the pen for six hours. If the person repents, it is not written down, and otherwise, they record it against him.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Indeed, the companion of the left lifts the pen for six hours from the mistaken or misbehaving Muslim servant. If he feels regret and seeks Allah’s forgiveness for it, the angel casts it aside, otherwise it is written down as a single bad deed.” (Narrated by al-Ṭabarānī).
There is nothing small or great except that it is recorded against us—whether it is good or evil, truth or falsehood. The Almighty said:
مَا كَانَ لِأَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُمْ مِنَ الْأَعْرَابِ أَنْ يَتَخَلَّفُوا عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ وَلَا يَرْغَبُوا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ لَا يُصِيبُهُمْ ظَمَأٌ وَلَا نَصَبٌ وَلَا مَخْمَصَةٌ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلَا يَطَئُونَ مَوْطِئًا يَغِيظُ الْكُفَّارَ وَلَا يَنَالُونَ مِنْ عَدُوٍّ نَيْلًا إِلَّا كُتِبَ لَهُمْ بِهِ عَمَلٌ صَالِحٌ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ * وَلَا يُنْفِقُونَ نَفَقَةً صَغِيرَةً وَلَا كَبِيرَةً وَلَا يَقْطَعُونَ وَادِيًا إِلَّا كُتِبَ لَهُمْ لِيَجْزِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
“It was not for the people of Madīnah and those around them of the bedouins that they remain behind after the Messenger of Allah or that they prefer themselves over his self. That is because they are not afflicted by thirst or fatigue or hunger in the cause of Allah, nor do they take any step that enrages the disbelievers, nor do they inflict upon an enemy any infliction but that is registered for them as a righteous deed. Indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of the doers of good. Nor do they spend an expenditure, small or large, or cross a valley but that it is registered for them that Allah may reward them with the best of what they used to do.” [Sūrat al-Tawbah: 120-121].
Even your thirst and your fatigue for the sake of Allah is recorded for you by Allah, and everything you spend, even if it is minor, is recorded for you by Allah.
In contrast, every word or deed that does not please Allah is recorded against you.
ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿĀmir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: One day, my mother called me while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sitting in our house. She said: “Come here, I will give you something.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to her: “What did you intend to give him?” She said: “I intended to give him dates.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to her: “Know that if you had not given him anything, a lie would have been recorded against you.” (Narrated by Abū Dāwūd).
In fact, even the lasting traces of a person are recorded—that which they establish as a custom for people, becoming a cause for others to do good or evil. The Almighty said:
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْيِ الْمَوْتَى وَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَدَّمُوا وَآثَارَهُمْ وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَاهُ فِي إِمَامٍ مُبِينٍ
“Indeed, it is We who bring the dead to life and record what they have put forth and their traces, and all things We have enumerated in a clear register.” [Sūrat Yāsīn: 12].
Oh, glad tidings to the one who dies but whose good deeds do not stop! Oh, how ruined is the one who dies but whose sins do not stop!
And how immense is the regret when the disbelievers and criminals find their deeds right before their eyes—the small of it and the great of it, not an atom of it missing. The Almighty said:
وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَابُ فَتَرَى الْمُجْرِمِينَ مُشْفِقِينَ مِمَّا فِيهِ وَيَقُولُونَ يَا وَيْلَتَنَا مَالِ هَذَا الْكِتَابِ لَا يُغَادِرُ صَغِيرَةً وَلَا كَبِيرَةً إِلَّا أَحْصَاهَا وَوَجَدُوا مَا عَمِلُوا حَاضِرًا وَلَا يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا
“And the record of deeds will be placed, and you will see the criminals fearful of what is within it, and they will say, 'Oh, woe to us! What is this book that leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it?' And they will find what they did present. And your Lord does not wrong anyone.” [Sūrat al-Kahf: 49].
May Allah bless me and you in the Grand Qur’ān, and benefit me and you through the verses and wise reminders it contains. I seek forgiveness from Allah for myself and for you, so seek His forgiveness, for He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
The Second Sermon:
All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, his companions, and those who follow him. To proceed:
Servants of Allah:
What a vast difference there is between a person who believed in Allah, His meeting, and His reckoning, so their faith drove them to fear Allah, and their reward was that Allah gave them their record in their right hand, and their destination was Paradise and bliss—and another person who did not believe or have certainty in Allah or His meeting, forgot the Hereafter, forgot the reckoning, and was deluded by their wealth and authority, so their punishment was that they were given their record in their left hand, and their destination was the Fire and Hell.
Our Lord, Glory be to Him, says:
يَوْمَئِذٍ تُعْرَضُونَ لَا تَخْفَى مِنْكُمْ خَافِيَةٌ * فَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَابَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ فَيَقُولُ هَاؤُمُ اقْرَءُوا كِتَابِيَهْ * إِنِّي ظَنَنْتُ أَنِّي مُلَاقٍ حِسَابِيَهْ * فَهُوَ فِي عِيشَةٍ رَاضِيَةٍ * فِي جَنَّةٍ عَالِيَةٍ * قُطُوفُهَا دَانِيَةٌ * كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا هَنِيئًا بِمَا أَسْلَفْتُمْ فِي الْأَيَّامِ الْخَالِيَةِ * وَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَابَهُ بِشِمَالِهِ فَيَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي لَمْ أُوتَ كِتَابِيَهْ * وَلَمْ أَدْرِ مَا حِسَابِيَهْ * يَا لَيْتَهَا كَانَتِ الْقَاضِيَةَ * مَا أَغْنَى عَنِّي مَالِيَهْ * هَلَكَ عَنِّي سُلْطَانِيَهْ * خُذُوهُ فَغُلُّوهُ * ثُمَّ الْجَحِيمَ صَلُّوهُ * ثُمَّ فِي سِلْسِلَةٍ ذَرْعُهَا سَبْعُونَ ذِرَاعًا فَاسْلُكُوهُ * إِنَّهُ كَانَ لَا يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ * وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَى طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ * فَلَيْسَ لَهُ الْيَوْمَ هَاهُنَا حَمِيمٌ * وَلَا طَعَامٌ إِلَّا مِنْ غِسْلِينٍ * لَا يَأْكُلُهُ إِلَّا الْخَاطِئُونَ
“That Day, you will be brought to judgment; not a single secret of yours will remain hidden. So as for he who is given his record in his right hand, he will say, 'Here, read my record! Indeed, I was certain that I would be meeting my account.' So he will be in a pleasant life, In an elevated garden, Its clusters of fruits hanging near. They will be told, 'Eat and drink in satisfaction for what you put forth in the days past.' But as for he who is given his record in his left hand, he will say, 'Oh, I wish I had not been given my record And had not known what is my account. I wish my first death had been the end of me. My wealth has not availed me; Gone from me is my authority.' Allah will say, 'Seize him and shackle him, Then into Hellfire drive him, Then into a chain whose length is seventy cubits insert him.' Indeed, he did not used to believe in Allah the Most Great, Nor did he feel incited to feed the poor. So he has not here this Day any devoted friend, Nor any food except from the discharge of wounds; None will eat it except the sinners.” [Sūrat al-Ḥāqqah: 18-37].
O Allah, grant our souls their piety, and purify them, for You are the best to purify them; You are their Guardian and their Master.
O Allah, assist us and do not assist others against us; grant us victory and do not grant victory over us; plan for us and do not plan against us; and grant us victory over those who transgress against us.
O Allah, grant us safety in our homelands, guide our leaders and those in authority over us, and place our leadership under those who fear You, seek Your consciousness, and follow Your pleasure.
Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.
