Praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.
After people are brought to account, every person will be given his record of deeds, containing what he did in this worldly life.
The believer will be given his record in his right hand, as an honor and a glad tiding of his salvation. Allah تعالى says:
“As for the one who is given his record in his right hand, he will be judged with an easy reckoning, and he will return to his family joyfully.” [Al-Inshiqaq: 7–9]
And He تعالى says:
“As for the one who is given his record in his right hand, he will say: ‘Here, read my record! Indeed, I was certain that I would meet my reckoning.’” [Al-Haqqah: 19–20]
As for the disbeliever and those who were among the people of misguidance, they will be given their record in their left hand or from behind their backs, and this will be a cause of their grief and destruction. Allah تعالى says:
“But as for the one who is given his record from behind his back, he will call for destruction, and he will enter the Blaze.” [Al-Inshiqaq: 10–12]
Then the person will be told:
“Read your record. Today, your own self is sufficient as a reckoner against you.” [Al-Isra: 14]
The Scale will be set up on the Day of Judgment to weigh the deeds of the servants. It is a real scale, as Allah and His Messenger ﷺ informed us, although we do not know how it will be except according to what is mentioned in the revealed texts.
Allah تعالى says:
“And We shall set up the scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection, so no soul will be wronged in the least.” [Al-Anbiya: 47]
The Sunnah indicates that what is weighed may be deeds, words, records, or people.
Among the words that make the Scale heavy is the saying of the Prophet ﷺ:
“Two words are light on the tongue, heavy on the Scale, and beloved to the Most Merciful: Subhan Allah al-Azim, Subhan Allah wa bihamdih.” Narrated by al-Bukhari.
Among the deeds is good character. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Nothing is placed on the Scale that is heavier than good character.”
One of the proofs that records are weighed is the Hadith of the Card, in which many records of sins are placed on one side of the Scale, while the card of Tawhid is placed on the other side, and the card outweighs them.
The Sunnah also indicates that people themselves may be weighed. The Prophet ﷺ informed us concerning Ibn Mas'ud رضي الله عنه that his thin legs would weigh more heavily on the Scale than Mount Uhud. This indicates that weighing on the Day of Judgment is not connected to a person's appearance or physical size in this worldly life.
Therefore, the records of deeds will be given to people, then their deeds will be presented and the Scale will be established with justice. No one will be wronged in the slightest.
So the Muslim should strive for faith and Tawhid, abundant acts of worship, good character, and righteous deeds, for something that appears small in this world may be immense on the Scale.
We ask Allah to make our scales heavy with good deeds and to make us among those who receive their records in their right hands.
And Allah knows best.