Allah the Most Merciful says what means:
“Indeed, the hearing, the sight, and the heart — all of those will be questioned about.”
“Then to Us will be your return, and We will inform you about what you used to do.”
“Say, ‘Yes, by my Lord, you will surely be resurrected, then you will surely be informed about what you did.’”
And He 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.”
Meaning: one will be questioned about it and rewarded or punished accordingly — and there are many verses with this meaning.
Hadiths on How a Person Is Questioned
Abu Huraira (may Allah raise his rank) narrated:
When the verse {Then you will surely be asked that Day about the pleasures} was revealed, people said, “O Messenger of Allah, about what pleasures will we be questioned? It’s only the two black things (dates and water), and the enemy is right there with our swords on our shoulders!” He said, “That will come later.”
And he (Abu Huraira) said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“The first thing a servant will be asked about on the Day of Judgement will be, ‘Did I not make your body healthy for you and quench your thirst with cold water?’”
[Al-Tirmidhi said: This is a rare hadith.]
Abu Nu’aym al-Hafidh reported from Al-A’mash, from Abu Wa’il Shafiq, from Abdullah (may Allah raise his rank): The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“There is no servant who takes a step but will be asked about it — what did he intend by it?”
Abu Barzah Al-Aslami (may Allah raise his rank) said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“A servant’s feet will not move on the Day of Judgement until he is asked about four things: about his life — how he spent it; his body — how he used it up; his deeds — what he did with them; and his wealth — where he earned it from and how he spent it.”
[Reported by Al-Tirmidhi: A good, authentic hadith.]
Mu’adh ibn Jabal (may Allah raise his rank) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“A servant’s feet will not move on the Day of Judgement until he is asked about four things: about his life — how he spent it; about his youth — how he used it up; about his wealth — where he earned it and how he spent it; and about his deeds — what he did with them.”
Safwan ibn Muharriz reported that a man asked Ibn Umar (may Allah raise his rank):
“How did you hear the Messenger of Allah ﷺ speak about the private conversation (between Allah and the believer)?”
He replied in what means: “I heard him say: ‘The believer will be brought on the Day of Judgement until his Lord covers him with His shade of Mercy and asks him about his sins: “Do you recognise them?” He will say: “My Lord, I recognise them.” Then He will say: “I concealed them for you in the world, and today I forgive them for you.” Then he will be given his record of good deeds. But as for the disbelievers and hypocrites, they will be called out before all of creation: “These are the ones who lied against Allah.”’”
Abu Huraira (may Allah raise his rank) said:
“Allah will bring the servant on the Day of Judgement, cover him from all creation, and give him his record under that cover. He will say: ‘Read your book, O son of Adam.’ He will pass by each good deed and his face will shine because of it; he will pass by each bad deed and his face will darken because of it. Allah will say: ‘Do you recognise these, My servant?’ He will reply: ‘Yes, my Lord, I recognise them.’ He will say: ‘I know them even better than you do — I have forgiven you for them.’ So his good deeds will be accepted, and he will prostrate, and his bad deeds will be forgiven, and he will prostrate. The people will see nothing of him except that. They will call to one another: ‘Blessed is this servant who never disobeyed!’ while they do not know what passed between him and Allah.”
The phrase “until He covers him with His shade” means with His protection, kindness, and honour. Allah will speak to him gently and privately, saying: “Do you recognise?” — “My Lord, I recognise.” Then Allah says — showing His favour: “I concealed them for you in the world, and today I forgive you for them.” Some scholars say: these are sins the person had repented from.
Exchanging Sins for Good Deeds
Abu Dharr (may Allah raise his rank) said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“A man will be brought on the Day of Judgement and it will be said: ‘Show him his minor sins and conceal his major ones.’ It will be said to him: ‘You did such-and-such on such a day,’ three times, and he will confess, fearing that his major sins will appear. Then if Allah intends good for him, He will say: ‘Give him for every sin a good deed.’ Then the man, hoping, will say: ‘My Lord, I have other sins I do not see here!’”
Abu Dharr said: “I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ laugh until his molar teeth showed, then he recited: {So those are the ones whose evil deeds Allah will replace with good}.”
Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah raise his rank) said: “No one whom Allah conceals in this world will be exposed on the Day of Judgement.” This is taken from the hadith of the private conversation and the Prophet’s saying ﷺ: “Whoever conceals (the faults of) a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults in this world and the Hereafter.” In Sahih Muslim, Abu Huraira narrated: “Whoever conceals a Muslim, Allah will conceal him in this world and the Hereafter.” Abu Hamid said: “This is for a believing servant who conceals people’s faults and bears their shortcomings with patience.”
Adi ibn Hatim (may Allah raise his rank) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“There is not one of you but that his Lord will speak to him directly — without an interpreter between them. He will look to his right and see only what he sent forward. He will look to his left and see only what he sent forward. And he will look in front of him and see nothing but the Fire facing him — so protect yourselves from the Fire, even with half of a date (in charity).”
Anas ibn Malik (may Allah raise his rank) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“The son of Adam will be brought on the Day of Judgement and made to stand before Allah the Most High. He will be told: ‘I gave you, entrusted you, and blessed you — so what did you do?’ He will say: ‘My Lord, I gathered and increased it and left it greater than ever — send me back and I will bring it to You.’ Allah will say: ‘Show Me what you sent ahead.’ But if the servant did not send ahead any good, he will be taken to the Fire.”
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