In Which Hand Will You Receive Your Book?

Bismi Llāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm

“فَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَابَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ (7) فَسَوْفَ يُحَاسَبُ حِسَابًا يَسِيرًا (8) وَيَنقَلِبُ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهِ مَسْرُورًا (9) وَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَابَهُ وَرَاءَ ظَهْرِهِ (10) فَسَوْفَ يَدْعُو ثُبُورًا (11) وَيَصْلَىٰ سَعِيرًا”

(Qur’an 84: 7-12)

“Fa’ammā Man ‘Ūtiya Kitābahu Biyamīnihi (7) Fasawfa Yuĥāsabu ĤisābāanYasīrāan (8) Wa Yanqalibu ‘Ilá ‘Ahlihi Masrūrāan (9) Wa ‘Ammā Man ‘Ūtiya Kitābahu Warā’a Žahrihi (10) Fasawfa Yadū Thubūrāan (11) Wa Yaşlá Saīrāan”

“Then as for he who is given his record in his right hand (7) He will be judged with an easy account (8) And return to his people in happiness (9) But as for he who is given his record behind his back (10) He will cry out for destruction (11) And [enter to] burn in a Blaze.” Ṣadaqa Llāhu l-‘Aẓīm.

This Ayah Karīmah says that on the Day of Judgement, if the person takes the book of deeds with his right hand, he will be happy and satisfied. And he will return to his family in happiness and relief. This is what Muslims should strive for.

How can that be attained? One should live his appointed life given by Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla in dunyā like this: living in obedience to Allāh ﷻ, without harming anyone minding their own lives. There are many such people among Muslims.

Yesterday, our uncle’s son passed away. Nureddin Efendi, may Allāh ﷻ have mercy on him. This poor man since he was little, studied then – What we mean by studied is that he finished primary school and then stayed with his father and mother. He started working. He would go to his job then come back to his family, his father, his mother and his children in the evening. He was a craftsman, may Allāh ﷻ bless him.

The things he did were done with his sweat. He worked and lived off his money. He neither defrauded others, nor did he perform guile, nor did he pursue anything more than what he had. So he lived a life like that until 60-62 years old. May Allāh ﷻ have mercy on him. He became ill and passed away.

This is the life of a Muslim. There’s no need to do something else, defrauding this, cheating that, going against the government, going out shouting and screaming. There’s no need at all. Even if you shout, even if you yell, even if you do something shameful, you’re still going to pass away in the same age. What’s important is in which hand you will be given your book in ākhirah. Will your book of deeds be given to you in your right hand, or will it be given to you in your left hand? If it is given in your right hand, it is great.

But, “وَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَابَهُ وَرَاءَ ظَهْرِهِ (10) فَسَوْفَ يَدْعُو ثُبُورًا (11) وَيَصْلَىٰ سَعِيرًا”, “Wa ‘Ammā Man ‘Ūtiya Kitābahu Warā’a Žahrihi (10) Fasawfa Yadū Thubūrāan (11) Wa Yaşlá Saīrāan”, “But as for he who is given his record behind his back (10) He will cry out for destruction (11) And [enter to] burn in a Blaze.” (Qur’an 84: 7-12).

But if his book of deeds is given in his left hand, then this man will be burned. Woe to his state. He will burn away. Both of them are the same in dunyā. Their lifespan is the same. Even if he lives longer, even if he lives a hundred years or a thousand years, he will do the same, he will not change. If the deeds of a person come to his left hand, then what he did in his life – no matter how much he trusted himself in life, acted arrogantly or cheated people, there will be no benefit from it. He will go to hell.

Therefore, mankind should not be too greedy. Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla made the Muslim’s life beautiful. He ﷻ did not make it difficult. If he’s poor, he should accept his poverty. If he’s rich, he should make shukr to Allāh ﷻ. He should live like that and go. Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla made the life of dunyā for ākhirah. Still, mankind is happy in dunyā. Because of the deeds he does for ākhirah, his heart will be at peace and then he will go. He doesn’t fear death. He doesn’t fear the reckoning. Death is not difficult.

What’s after death is difficult. People don’t know that. That’s why, they think what they do is a gain. It’s not a gain. What’s profitable is doing good, living well without harming anyone, without oppressing anyone, without tyrannizing anyone, without deceiving anyone. This is the life of the believer. So his death will be easy, and his reckoning in ākhirah will be easy. His end will be beautiful. May Allāh ﷻ protect us. May He ﷻ guide people. May they not go astray from this way, in shā’a Llāh. Wa min Allah at-Tawfiq.

Al-Fatiha.

• Mawlana Sheikh Muhammad Adil ar-Rabbaniق

05 May 2025/ 07 Dhul Qa’dah 1446

Fajr Prayer – Akbaba Dergah, Istanbul