وَٱلْوَزْنُ يَوْمَئِذٍ ٱلْحَقُّ ۚ فَمَن ثَقُلَتْ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ 8
Translations
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.
Transliteration
Wa alwaznu yawma'idhin al-haqq, faman thaqulat mawazinuh fa'ula'ika hum al-muflihun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the Day of Judgment when the scales of deeds will be brought forth with perfect justice and accuracy. According to classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, those whose good deeds outweigh their evil deeds (thaqulat mawazinuhum) on this divine scale will be the truly successful ones who enter Paradise. The weighing of deeds represents Allah's perfect justice and the accountability that all souls must face before their eternal destiny is determined.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan surah Al-A'raf, which extensively discusses the Day of Judgment and divine justice. It comes within a passage emphasizing the certainty of the Day of Resurrection and serves to motivate believers toward righteous action by reminding them of their ultimate accountability before Allah. The thematic context stresses that believers must prepare for this day through their deeds in this worldly life.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The best of you are those with the best character' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi), as good character and deeds are what will weigh heavily on the scales. Additionally, the hadith 'Nothing is heavier on the scales than good character' (Abu Dawud) directly relates to what makes deeds weighty on the Day of Judgment.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should be conscious that their actions in this life are being recorded and will be weighed on the Day of Judgment with perfect divine justice. This ayah encourages us to prioritize righteous deeds and good character now, understanding that true success lies in preparing for eternity rather than pursuing temporary worldly gains.
Related Ayahs
إِنَّآ أَنذَرْنَـٰكُمْ عَذَابًا قَرِيبًا يَوْمَ يَنظُرُ ٱلْمَرْءُ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ وَيَقُولُ ٱلْكَافِرُ يَـٰلَيْتَنِى كُنتُ تُرَٰبًۢا
Indeed, We have warned you of an impending punishment on the Day when a man will observe what his hands have put forth and the disbeliever will say, "Oh, I wish that I were dust!"
يَوْمَ تُبَدَّلُ ٱلْأَرْضُ غَيْرَ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتُ ۖ وَبَرَزُوا۟ لِلَّهِ ٱلْوَٰحِدِ ٱلْقَهَّارِ
[It will be] on the Day the earth will be replaced by another earth, and the heavens [as well], and they [i.e., all creatures] will come out before Allāh, the One, the Prevailing,
وَيَوْمَ يُحْشَرُ أَعْدَآءُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَى ٱلنَّارِ فَهُمْ يُوزَعُونَ
And [mention, O Muḥammad], the Day when the enemies of Allāh will be gathered to the Fire while they are [driven], assembled in rows,
يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَّبِعُونَ ٱلدَّاعِىَ لَا عِوَجَ لَهُۥ ۖ وَخَشَعَتِ ٱلْأَصْوَاتُ لِلرَّحْمَـٰنِ فَلَا تَسْمَعُ إِلَّا هَمْسًا
That Day, they [i.e., everyone] will follow [the call of] the Caller [with] no deviation therefrom, and [all] voices will be stilled before the Most Merciful, so you will not hear except a whisper [of footsteps].