WEIGHING SCALES (MEEZAN)

Every sect has interpreted the meaning of Meezan according to their own views. Some opine that the deeds shall literally be weighed. While some say that the deeds shall be given a physical form and then weighed. The good deeds shall be given a beautiful face, while the evil deeds an ugly one. Allamah Ne'matullah Jazaeri in "Anware No'maniyah" says, that according to trustworthy and consecutively transmitted reports it clearly proves that the deeds shall be given a physical form and then they shall be weighed¹.

In some traditions it is related, that this deeds will be weighed with the weight of the deeds of the prophets and their successors. Hence in one ziyarat it is stated: "peace be on you, O the weighing scale"; Here Imam Ali (A.S.) is referred to as the weighing scale. The prayers of all mankind will be weighed with the weight of the prayers of Imam Ali (A.S.). Imam Ja'far-as-Sadiq (A.S) says, that the weighing scale (in which the prayer and deeds of men shall be weighed) are the prophets (Ambiya) and Their Successors (Awsiya). On the day of Qayamat our prayers will be compared with the prayars of Imam Ali (A.S). Whether the humility and Sincerity, which were present in the prayers of Imam Ali (A.S.) are found in our prayers or no. Our generosity. bravery, mercy and forgiveness are like His (A.S.) or no. Hence our deeds should not be contrary to His, so as not to turn away from the righteous scale (Ali A.S.) and turn towards His enemies Mu' awiya and Yazid, and walk on their paths. And our characters should not be like those who usurped the garden of fadak of Hazrat Zahra (A.S.). (maad)

Allah says in the Qur'an: ﴾And the measuring out on that day they will be just, then as for him whose measure (of good deeds) is heavy, those are they who shall be successful. And as for him whose measure (of bad deeds) is light, those are they who have made their souls suffer loss because they disbelieved in our communications﴿ (Surah al-Aaraf: 9-10)

In another place He says: "The terrible calamity what is the terrible calamity and what will make you comprehend what the terrible calamity is?

The day on which men will be as scattered moths, And the mountains shall be as loosened wool.

Then as for him whose measure of good deeds is heavy, he shall live a pleasant life. And as for him whose measure of good deeds is light, his abode shall be the abyss. And whose will make you know what it is? A burning fire." (Surah-al-Qare'ah: 111)

The best actions which help to increase the measure of good deeds in the scales in Qayamat, are sending sa1awat on Mohammad (peace be upon him and his household) and his progeny, and good character. I state below some traditions on the importance of Salawat, and later some incidents of good character.

Merits of Salawat

Shaikh Kulaini narrates from Imam Ja'far-as-Sadiq (A.S.) or Imam Mohammad-al-Baqir (A.S.) that he said, "For increasing the measure of good deeds in the scales (meezan), no other deed carries weight than sending Salawat on Mohammad (peace be upon him and his household) and His progeny. A person's deeds will be weighed, and when his good deeds will seem less, salawat will be brought and kept, and the good deeds will increase.

The Holy prophet (peace be upon him and his household) says, that on the day of Qayamat when the deeds shall be weighed, I will be present there, If a persons bad deeds will be weighing more than his good ones, I will bring along the salawat which he sent upon Me, and add it to the good deeds thereby increasing its weight.

Shailkh Sadooq narrates from Imam Ali-ar-Reza (A.S.) that He said, that if a person does not have the means to lessen the stock of his bad deeds, he should send salawat and salaam on Mohammad (peace be upon him and his household) and His progeny abundantly, doing so will decrease (the weight of ) his sins.

Allamah Qutubuddin Rawandi narrates in "Dawaat" that Hazrat Mohammad (peace be upon him and his household) said that if a person in my love and affection sends salawat on me thrice every day and night, it becomes the right on Allah that He should forgive his sins which he committed during the day and night.

The Holy prophet (peace be upon him and his household) says, that one night I saw in a dream my uncle ibne Abdul Muttalib and my cousin Ja'far ibne Abi Talib. In front of them was kept a tray full of plums. After sometime as they ate the plums turned into grapes. Then again as they ate, the grapes turned into fresh dates. They again started eating them. I went towards them and asked, "May my father and mother be your ransom which particular deeds have you performed that has excelled all other deeds, and has made these blessings to be showered on you ?" They replied, May our parents be your ransom Those deeds are: sending salawat on You, feeding water to the pilgrims (of Haj), and Love (walayah) of Ali ibne Abi Talib (A.S.).

The Holy prophet (peace be upon him and his household) says that, if anyone writes my name in a book and sends salawat on me, the Angels will seek forgiveness for him till my name remains in that book.

Shaikh Kulaini narrates from Imam Jafar-as-Sadiq (A.S.) that he said that whenever you talk about the Holy prophet (peace be upon him and his household), send salawat on him.

When a person sends salawat once on Him, Allah orders thousand ranks of His Angels to send a thousand salawat on the person himself. And because of Allah and His Angels sending salawat, the whole creation sends salawat on him. And the person who does not do so, is an arrogant and ignorant person. And Allah, His prophet, and the Holy Ahlulbait (A.S.) leaves such a person to himself.

It is written in "Ma aniyal Akhbaar" in the context of the meaning of the verse (Ayah) of salawat from Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (A.S.), that the meaning of salawat according to Allah is blessings (Rehmat), while to the Angels it is safety and for the people it is a supplication (du'a). In the same book it is written that a narrator asked Imam (A.S.) as to how should we recite salawat on Mohammad (peace be upon him and his household) and His progeny Imam (A.S.) replied,:

Peace be upon Prophet Mohammad and his household

The narrator continues, that I then asked Imam (A.S.) as to what was the reward for this Salawat? Imam (A.S) replied, "A person reciting this Salawat becomes clean from the sins as if he was just born from his mother's womb".

Shaikh Abul Futuh Razi narrates from the Holy prophet (peace be upon him and his household) that He said, "on the night of me'raj when I ascended to the heavens, I saw an Angel who had a thousand hands. On each of his hands there were a thousand fingers, and he was counting some thing on them. I asked Jibrael as to who that Angel was, and what was he counting? Jibrael replied that the Angel had been appointed by Allah to count the drops of rain, so that it may be known as to how many drops have fallen down to the earth. I turned towards the Angel and asked him, "Do you know the total amount of the rain-drops which have fallen down on the earth from the day Allah created this world till now"? To which he replied. "O prophet of Allah I swear by my Lord who has chosen You (as a blessing) for mankind, verily I know the total amount of rain-drops fallen on the earth till now. Even to the extent that how many drops have fallen in the wilds, in the properous lands, in the gardens and also in the cemetery".

Then I told him that I was wary much surprised by the power of his mind and intellect and the ability to remember, to which he replied, O prophet of Allah verily this ability to count proves futile I try to count only one thing". I asked him as to what calculation was that. He replied, "'when people of Your Ummah gather at one place and send salawat upon You, it is beyond my ability and capacity to count the rewards for it".

Shaikh Kulaini relates, that whoever recites the following salawat seven times during Asr on Fridays, Allah gives him the rewards equal to all His servants, and accepts his deeds and prayers of that day. It is also related that the reward will be equal to the sight in the eyes of all man:

Allahomah Saly aala Mohammad wa aal Mohammad al-awSeyaa Al-Mardeyeen beafdal Salawatek wa Barek aalayhim beafdal Barakat wa al-salaam aalayhima warahmato Allah wabarakatoh

It is related that whoever recites the following salawat after morning prayers, will not die un till he sees his Imame zaman (.A.S).

Allahoma Sally aal Mohammad wa alaa Mohammad waajel Fareajahom

* Manazil Al-Akherah. By SHAIKH ABBAS BIN MOHAMMAD REZA AI-QUM. Chapter 7. Published in Iran, Qum.

^{1- Ehsanul Fawaed.}