Human's deeds are recorded exactly by the two angels

The Two Illustrious Angels and Body Limbs

The recording of human deeds by the two writer angels as well as the limbs’ being witness for human behavior are facts mentioned in the Holy Qur’¡n and the traditions.

وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ لَحَافِظِينَ. كِرَامًا كَاتِبِينَ. يَعْلَمُونَ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ.

And most surely there are keepers over you. Honorable records, they know what you do. (82:10-12)

حَتَّى إِذَا مَا جَاءُوهَا شَهِدَ عَلَيْهِمْ سَمْعُهُمْ وَأَبْصَارُهُمْ وَجُلُودُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ. وَقَالُوا لِجُلُودِهِمْ لِمَ شَهِدْتُمْ عَلَيْنَا؟ قَالُوا أَنطَقَنَا اللَّهُ الَّذِي أَنطَقَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ.

Until when they come to it, their ears and their eyes and their skins shall bear witness against them as to what they did. And they should say to their skins: why have you borne witness against us? They shall say: Allah Who makes everything speak has made us speak. (41:21)

يَوْمَ تَشْهَدُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ وَأَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ.

On the day when their tongues and their hands and their feet shall bear witness against them as to what they did. (24:24)

الْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَى أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَتُكَلِّمُنَا أَيْدِيهِمْ وَتَشْهَدُ أَرْجُلُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ.

On that day We will set a seal upon their mouths, and their hands shall speak to Us, and their feet shall bear witness of what they earned. (36:65)

مَا يَلْفِظُ مِنْ قَوْلٍ إِلاَّ لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ.

He utters not a word but there is by him a watcher at hand. (50:18)

Besides the writer angels and human limbs, the earth will testifiy against human deeds, as stated in Zilzal chapter:

يَوْمَئِذٍ تُحَدِّثُ أَخْبَارَهَا. بِأَنَّ رَبَّكَ أَوْحَى لَهَا.

On that day, the earth shall tell it news, because your Lord had inspired her. (99:4-5)

Also the Almighty, the prophets (s.a), and Imams (a.s) see human deeds and will testify against him, according to some verses in Tawbah chapter of the holy Qur’¡n:

وَقُلْ اعْمَلُوا فَسَيَرَى اللَّهُ عَمَلَكُمْ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَسَتُرَدُّونَ إِلَى عَالِمِ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ.

And say: Work! So Allah will see your work and so will His Messenger and the believers; and you shall be brought back to the Knower of the unseen and the seen, then He will inform you of what you did. (9:105)

According to such Qur’¡nic verses, the testimony of the witnesses on the Resurrection Day will be against the disbelievers, enemies, and wrongdoers; because the believers and the repented servants will be subject to Allah’s Mercy on that day; their letters of deed are not opened before other people; Allah will make the witnesses forget the believers’ sins and will save their faces.

Imam `Al¢ (a.s) stated:

مَنْ تَابَ تَابَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَأُمِرَتْ جَوَارِحُهُ أنْ تَسْتُرَ عَلَيْهِ وَبِقَاعُ الأرْضِ أنْ تَكْتُمَ عَلَيْهِ وأُنْسِيَتِ الحَفَظَةُ مَا كَانَتْ تَكْتُبُ عَلَيْهِ.

One who repents Allah would accept his repentance and order his organs to cover sins from his sight. He would order the earth segments to make him neglect his sins, and makes the Writers forget what they have written in that servant's letter of deeds.[1]

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said:

إذَا تَابَ العَبْدُ تَوبَةً نَصُوحاً أحَبَّهُ اللهُ وَسَتَرَ عَلَيْهِ... يُنْسِي مَلَكَيْهِ مَا كَانَا يَكْتُبَانِ عَلَيْهِ، وَيُوحِي إلَى جَوارِحِهِ وَإلَى بِقَاعِ الأرْضِ أنْ اكْتُمِي عَلَيْهِ ذُنُوبَهُ؛ فَيَلْقَى اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ حِينَ يَلْقَاهُ وَلَيْسَ شَيْءٌ يَشْهَدُ عَلَيْهِ بِشَيْءٍ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ.

‘If a servant repents sincerely, Allah would love him and cover his faults in the world and the Hereafter.’ I asked Imam ¯¡diq (a.s): ‘How will Allah cover them?’ Imam (a.s) replied: ‘He will make the two angels, in charge of that servant, forget all about his sins they have recorded, and will reveal to his body organs to do so. So the servant would meet Allah while there is no record of his sins.’[2]

يا رَبِّ يا رَبِّ يا رَبِّ يا إِلهي وَسَيِّدي وَمَوْلايَ وَمالِكَ رِقّى، يا مَنْ بِيَدِهِ ناصِيَتى يا عَليماً بِضُرّى وَمَسْكَنَتى، يا خَبيراً بِفَقْرى وَفاقَتى يا رَبِّ يا رَبِّ يا رَبِّ أَسْأَلُكَ بِحَقِّكَ وَقُدْسِكَ وَأَعْظَمِ صِفاتِكَ وَأَسْمائِكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ أَوْقاتي مِنَ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهارِ بِذِكْرِكَ مَعْمُورَةً، وَبِخِدْمَتِكَ مَوْصُولَةً، وَأَعْمالى عِنْدَكَ مَقْبُولَةً حَتّى تَكُونَ أَعْمالي وَأَوْرادى كُلُّها وِرْداً واحِداً وَحالى فى خِدْمَتِكَ سَرْمَداً، يا سَيِّدي يا مَنْ عَلَيْهِ مُعَوَّلي يا مَنْ إِلَيْهِ شَكَوْتُ أَحْوالي يا رَبِّ يا رَبِّ يا رَبِّ

My Lord! My Lord! My Lord! My Allah! My Master! My Protector! Owner of my bondage! O He in whose Hand is my forelock! O He who knows my affliction and my misery! O He who is aware of my poverty and indigence! My Lord! My Lord! My Lord! I ask You by Your Truth, Your Holiness and the greatness of Your Attributes and Names, that You make my times in the night and the day inhabited by Your remembrance and joined to Your service and my acts acceptable to You, so that my acts and my prayers may all be a single litany and my occupation with Your service everlasting. My Master! O He upon whom I depend! O He to whom I complain of my states! My Lord! My Lord! My Lord!

Allah’s Exalted Name

Some of the ascetic, favorite, and righteous servants believe that the holy word ‘rabb (Lord)’ is Allah’s Exalted or chief name. In Arabic, it means an Owner Who trains His creature wisely and out of Mercy. They also believe that by resorting to it, one can get subject to Allah’s Mercy, get his problems solved, and his sins forgiven.

Maybe the reason why all the prophets and Imams (a.s) resorted to this name in their prayers and at difficulty times is that they knew it as Allah’s Exalted name.

Adam and Eve, when repenting, stated:

رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَا أَنفُسَنَا وَإِنْ لَمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنْ الْخَاسِرِينَ.

Our Lord! We have been unjust to ourselves, and if Thou forgive us not, and have not mercy on us, we shall certainly be of the losers. (7:23)

After nine hundred and fifty years of preaching the disbelievers and getting disappointed of their being guided, Noah (a.s) sated:

رَبِّ لاَ تَذَرْ عَلَى الأَرْضِ مِنْ الْكَافِرِينَ دَيَّارًا.

My Lord! Leave not upon the land any dweller from among the unbelieving. (71:26)

Prophet Abraham (a.s) said in his prayers:

رَبِّ هَبْ لِي حُكْمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِي بِالصَّالِحِينَ.

My Lord! Grant me wisdom and join me with the righteous. (26:83)

Prophet Moses (a.s) said when he was in need:

رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ.

My Lord! Surely I stand in need of whatever good Thou mayest sent down to me. (28:24)

Prophet Solomon (a.s), in his prayer, prayed for forgiveness of his sins and having a unique kingdom:

رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَهَبْ لِي مُلْكًا لاَ يَنْبَغِي لأَحَدٍ مِنْ بَعْدِي إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ.

My Lord! Forgive me and grant me a kingdom which is not fit for being inherited by anyone after me. (38:35)

Prophet Zachariah (a.s) said when asking for a child:

رَبِّ لاَ تَذَرْنِي فَرْدًا وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْوَارِثِينَ.

My Lord! Leave me not alone; and Thou art the best of inheritors. (21:89)

Prophet Josef (a.s), for thanking Allah and asking Him his wish, said:

رَبِّ قَدْ آتَيْتَنِي مِنْ الْمُلْكِ وَعَلَّمْتَنِي مِنْ تَأْوِيلِ الأَحَادِيثِ فَاطِرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ أَنْتَ وَلِيِّي فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ تَوَفَّنِي مُسْلِمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِي بِالصَّالِحِينَ.

My Lord! Thou has given me of the kingdom and taught me of the interpretation of sayings. Originator of the heavens and the earth! Thou art my guardian in this world and the Hereafter; make me die a Muslim and join me with the good. (12:101)

At the time of extreme tribulation, Prophet Job (a.s) stated:

وَأَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَى رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَسَّنِي الضُّرُّ وَأَنْتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ.

And Ayyub, when he cried to his Lord: Harm has afflicted me and thou art the most merciful of the merciful. (21:83)

Almighty Allah has taught the Prophet of Islam (s.a) as follows:

وَقُلْ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ وَارْحَمْ وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الرَّاحِمِينَ.

And say: O My Lord! Forgive and have mercy, for Thou art the Best of all who show mercy. (23:118)

And the believer and righteous servants, when pondering on the creation of the heavens and the earth, stated:

رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَذَا بَاطِلاً سُبْحَانَكَ.

Our Lord! Thou have not created this in vein! Glory be to Thee! (3:191)

And Satan, who was the most proud one, asked for respite until the Last day by this name: “He said: Respite me until the day when they are raised up. (7:14)” and the Almighty accepted the request of this cursed outcast being and gave him respite only because of his being resorted to Allah’s Exalted name.

It is narrated from the messenger of Allah (s.a):

Anyone who says ‘My Lord’ for seven times, Allah will fulfill his wish.

It is also narrated that when a believer servant says ‘My Lord’ once, Allah says ‘Here I am’. And when the servant calls Allah for the second and third times, he will be addressed: ‘Ask Me to grant you!’[3]

Accepted Deeds

One of the common prayers of all the prophets (s.a), Imams (a.s) and Allah’s favorite servants has always been that the Almighty accept their deeds and treat them with His Mercy.

They have been aware of the fact that no one is accepted in Allah’s presence without having deeds; and no one is accepted in His presence with deeds only; other necessary characteristics are belief and sincerity without which no one is subject to Allah’s mercy. Therefore, the favorite servants paid much attention to having good deeds as well as the necessary conditions for the acceptance of deeds. Because they themselves performed their deeds as they should, they requested Allah to accept their deeds.

The Holy Qur’¡n and the traditions imply that a deed is accepted provided that its performer has belief in Allah and does it for Allah’s sake and in accord with the divine rules. It should be pointed out that the believer servant’s deed is accepted and his sin is forgiven. But the deed of a disbeliever servant, however great and worthy it might be, is not accepted and his sin, however tiny it might be, is not forgiven.

Some important traditions are narrated about worthy deed and its conditions in the most valuable Shiite books, some of which will follow:

الشَّرَفُ عِنْدَ اللهِ سُبْحَانَهُ بِحُسْنِ الأعْمَالِ لاَ بِحُسْنِ الأقْوَالِ.

The servant’s worth and value before the Almighty is because of his good deeds not his good speech.[4]

العَمَلُ شِعَارُ المُؤمِنِ.

Deeds are the slogan of a believer servant.[5]

المُداوَمَةَ المُدَاوَمَةَ! فإنَّ اللهَ لَمْ يَجْعَلْ لِعَمَلِ المُؤمِنِينَ غَايَةً إلاّ المَوْتَ.

Continue your deeds! Continue your deeds! Because Allah has not set an end for the believing servant’s deeds except his death.[6]

أعْلَى الأعْمَالِ إخْلاَصُ الإيمَانِ وَصِدْقُ الوَرَعِ وَالإيقَانِ.

The best deeds are belief, piety, and faith.[7]

Imam Sadiq (a.s) stated:

دَعَا اللهُ النَّاسَ فِي الدُّنْيَا بِآبَائِهِمْ لِيَتَعَارَفوا وَفِي الآخِرَةِ بِأعْمَالِهِمْ لِيُجَازَوا.

Allah named people after their fathers in this world in order that they would know each other and He will call the people by their deeds in the Hereafter in order that He would give them reward or punishment.[8]

The Messenger of Allah (s.a) stated:

أفْضَلُ الأعْمَالِ إيمَانٌ بِاللهِ وَتَصْدِيقٌ بِهِ وَجِهَادٌ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ وَحَجٌّ مَبْرُورٌ، وَأهْوَنُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ إطْعَامُ الطَّعَامِ وَلِينُ الكَلاَمِ وَالمُسَامَحَةُ وَحُسْنُ الخُلُقِ، وَأهْوَنُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ لاَ تَتَّهِمِ اللهَ فِي شَيْءٍ قَضَاهُ اللهُ عَلَيْكَ.

The best deed is believing in Allah, fighting in Allah’s path, and accepted hajj pilgrimage. Other simpler deeds are feeding the poor, lenient speech, and good temperedness. Still an easier deed for you is that you do not accuse Allah in what He has destined for you.[9]

سَيِّدُ الأعْمَالِ ثَلاَثُ خِصَالٍ: إنْصَافُكَ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ وَمُواسَاتُكَ الأخَ فِي اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَذِكْرُ اللهِ تَعَالَى عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ.

The best deeds are three; treating others justly, helping the religious brothers, and remembering Allah in every state.[10]

Imam `Al¢ (a.s) said:

طُوبَى لِمَنْ أخْلَصَ للهِ عَمَلَهُ وَعِلْمَهُ وَحُبَّهُ وَبُغْضَهُ وَأخْذَهُ وَتَرْكَهُ وَكَلاَمَهُ وَصَمْتَهُ وَفِعْلَهُ وَقَوْلَهُ.

A lucky person is the one whose knowledge and behavior, friendship and enmity, taking and releasing, speaking and silence, are based on sincerity and Allah’s satisfaction.[11]

The Messenger of Allah (s.a) advised Ab£-Dhar, saying:

كُنْ بِالعَمَلِ بِالتَّقْوَى أشَدَّ اهْتِمَاماً مِنْكَ بِالعَمَلِ؛ فَإنَّهُ لاَ يَقِلُّ عَمَلُ بِالتَّقْوَى، وَكَيْفَ يِقِلُّ عَمَلٌ يُتَقَبَّلُ بِقَوْلِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: ”إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ الله مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ.“

Try to have a deed adorned with piety rather than a simple deed, since a deed adorned with piety is not a small deed. How can an accepted deed be small while the Almighty says: ‘Surely Allah accepts (deeds) only from the pious.’[12]

Imam `Al¢ (a.s) said:

إنَّكَ لَنْ يُتَقَبَّلَ مِنْ عَمَلِكَ إلاّ مَا أخْلَصْتَ فِيهِ.

Surely your deeds will not be accepted except those which have been done piously.[13]

Anyway, the deeds of a servant who has belief, sincerity, and piety will be accepted. Accepted deed is so valuable that it is narrated from Imam Sadiq (a.s) about it:

مَنْ قَبِلَ اللهُ مِنْهُ صَلاَةً وَاحِدَةً لَمْ يُعَذِّبْهُ، وَمَنْ قَبِلَ مِنْهُ حَسَنَةً لَمْ يُعَذِّبْهُ.

A person, one of whose prayers is accepted, will not be punished by Allah and anyone, one of whose deeds is accepted, will not be chastised at all.[14]

مَنْ قَبِلَ مِنْهُ حَسَنَةً وَاحِدَةً لَمْ يُعَذِّبْهُ أبَداً وَدَخَلَ الجَنَّةَ.

A person, one of whose deeds is accepted by Allah, will not be chastised at all and will get into the Paradise.[15]

O Allah! Keep us from dullness in doing our deeds! Increase our joy in performing Your deserved worship! And grant our hearts full awareness!