What is the meaning of the verse: “And every person We have made his deeds hang around his neck, and We will bring out for him on the Day of Resurrection a record which he will meet spread out”?
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The questioner : Another verse: [Al-Isra 17:13]?
The Shaykh : The word “bird” here means deed, meaning that Allah the Exalted has bound every person to his deeds:[Az-Zalzalah 99:7-8] And on the Day of Resurrection, Allah will bring out for him a record which he will meet spread out, meaning open, and he will read it, and its reading will be made easy for him. This record contains his deeds, as the Exalted said: [Al-Infitar 82:9-12] And the Exalted said: [Az-Zukhruf 43:80] So this written record is brought out on the Day of Resurrection in a book which the person reads, and it is said to him: [Al-Isra 17:14].
Some of the Salaf said: “By Allah, the One who made you an accountant for yourself has been just with you”, meaning that he said to the person: This record was written for you; you are the one who must account for yourself. Did you do good, in which case you will be rewarded for it, or did you do evil, in which case you will be punished for it?
So, what is meant by “bird” is deed.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
And [for] every person We have imposed his fate upon his neck, and We will produce for him on the Day of Resurrection a record which he will encounter spread open.
وَكُلَّ إِنسَانٍ أَلْزَمْنَاهُ طَائِرَهُ فِي عُنُقِهِ وَنُخْرِجُ لَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ كِتَابًا يَلْقَاهُ مَنشُورًاThe Shaykh : The word “bird” here means deed, meaning that Allah the Exalted has bound every person to his deeds:
(7) So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, (8) And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it.
فَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَه * وَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَه(9) No! But you deny the Recompense. (10) And indeed, [appointed] over you are keepers, (11) Noble and recording; (12) They know whatever you do.
كَلَّا بَلْ تُكَذِّبُونَ بِالدِّينِ * وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ لَحَافِظِينَ * كِرَامًا كَاتِبِينَ * يَعْلَمُونَ مَا تَفْعَلُونOr do they think that We hear not their secrets and their private conversations? Yes, [We do], and Our messengers are with them recording.
أَمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّا لا نَسْمَعُ سِرَّهُمْ وَنَجْوَاهُمْ بَلَى وَرُسُلُنَا لَدَيْهِمْ يَكْتُبُونَ[It will be said], "Read your record. Sufficient is yourself against you this Day as accountant."
اقْرَأْ كِتَابَكَ كَفَى بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيبًاSome of the Salaf said: “By Allah, the One who made you an accountant for yourself has been just with you”, meaning that he said to the person: This record was written for you; you are the one who must account for yourself. Did you do good, in which case you will be rewarded for it, or did you do evil, in which case you will be punished for it?
So, what is meant by “bird” is deed.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.