“Yes, this is death.” Although it appears in the form of a ram, death is an abstract concept, not a physical body; but Allah Most High will make it a physical body on the Day of Resurrection. They will say, “This is death.” It will then be slaughtered before them, and it will be proclaimed, “O people of Paradise, everlasting life and no death! O people of Hell, everlasting life and no death!” (1) This resolves the difficulty raised against this view.

Those who hold that the records of deeds will be weighed cite the hadith of the man with the card. He will be brought forth on the Day of Resurrection and told, “Look at your deeds.” Enormous scrolls containing his evil deeds will then be spread out before him. When he sees that he is doomed, a small card bearing the words “There is no god but Allah” will be brought forth. He will say, “My Lord, what weight can this card have against all these scrolls?” He will be told, “You will not be wronged in the least.” The card will then be placed in one pan of the Balance and the scrolls in the other, and the card bearing the words “There is no god but Allah” will outweigh them. They said, (2) this proves that it is the records of deeds that will be weighed.

Those who hold that the doer himself will be weighed cite the hadith of Abdullah ibn Masud—may Allah be pleased with him. He was once with the Prophet—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him and his family—when a strong wind began to blow. Abdullah ibn Masud—may Allah be pleased with him—stood up, and the wind kept knocking him off balance because his feet and shins were so slender. The people began to laugh, so the Prophet—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him—said, “What are you laughing at—or what are you surprised by? By Him in Whose hand is my soul, his two shins will weigh more in the Balance than Mount Uhud.” (3) This indicates that it is the doer himself who will be weighed.

It may therefore be said: We adopt the first view—that deeds themselves will be weighed—but perhaps