The 12th, 13th and 14th verses speak about speedy justice on the Day of Judgment. The first verse speaks about the different fruits of Paradise and then says:

“That is what you are promised for the Day of Reckoning.”

The issue of the accounting of deeds is so very clear that it has been termed as the Day of Reckoning. (1) The next verse speaks of the speedy justice. It is said:

“God is swift in accounting.”

The idea that God will take quick accounts of His servants has come in various other verses (2) It has been repeated to show the importance of the issue because on the one side it is good news for the pious and they will soon get their rewards and on the other side it is a warning for the sinners that there will be no delay in their punishment and they will be soon accounted giving them their dues.

There is a terrifying des c r i p tion about the speedy accounting on that Day. Hazrat Ali is reported to have said:

“God will complete the accounting of the deeds of men in a time less than that taken to milk a lamb. (3)

This des c r i p tion is just to describe the swiftness of the accounting and there is another hadith that says:

 “God will complete the accounts of men in the twinkling of the eye.” (4)

The proof of this swiftness is very evident because the accounting is connected to complete knowledge, complete authority and the maintenance of justice and since these attributes are found in God He can account for the people’s deeds in the twinkling of the eye.

Normally the deeds of men and their effects on the soul and body are such that their accounts are preserved. This is why they are compared to cars, planes and sea vessel for the distance they cover and record. The milometer records the total distance covered by them in their operational life and one glance can give the total information. But human accounts need to be scrutinized with a sharp set of eyes. All these des c r i p tions are very important and educative and can be seen clearly with a little deep thinking.

The 15th verse speaks about God the authority who will judge the people’s deeds. It says:

“Verily to Us will be their return.26 Then verily for Us will be their reckoning.”

The 16th and final verse says:

“(He will be told) “Read your book for you are sufficient as a reckoner against you this Day.”

There is no contradiction between the above verses. The actually auditor is God but men will be told that they can do their own accounts and the result of both will be the same because the laws governing the accounts will be well defined and their will be no need for things that lead to disputes about judgment.

The point to be noted is that the words ‘’laynaaa” and ’layna” in “Inna ‘laynaaa ‘liyaabahum” and “Summa ‘inna alaynaa hisabahum”are both news and they revert to God only and their accounts too are only in God’s hands. All other doubts are thus rejected.

It is a warning bell for the pagans and the sinners who disbelieve the words of Truth. The previous verse also spoke about them. It is good news for the chosen ones of God that there accounts are in god’s hands and they too will return to their beloved God. If there is any faltering with the good deeds it will be pardoned.

Another point to note is that some hadiths and Ziyarats speak about the accounting being in the hands of Imam Ali and other infallible Imams and this has been objected to by the Sunni commentators as Aloosi has said in Ruhul Bayan that this idea is not compatible with the words of the verse.

But every one knows that Imam Ali and the other infallible Imams obey the commands of God and so their accounting is also accounting of God. It is the same as the work carried out by the angels because it is done on His command. This work has also been attributed to the angels.

Actually they have repeated the mistake they have done elsewhere and that is the doubt about “Ma bilarz” and “Mabizzaat”. No one says that the deeds of men revert to Imam Ali and other Imams for they all contend that they will go to God but will be delegated by Him to the Imams (As we have said about intercession, and the knowledge of the unseen that they are all for God but delegated to the prophets, saints and the angels.

The strange fact is that Sheikh Aloosi attended to this point at the end of this discourse but then changed the modality and said if this is what it means then what Prominence did Ali have among the prophets, saints and angels? (5)

The answer is very clear. Ali is one of the most prominent personalities amongst them. Since he was unknown to be so to the Islamic Ummah God decided to elevate his status and show it to the world. The proof is that there is a hadith in the books of the Ahle Sunnah that says the Messenger spoke about Hazrat Ali in these words:

 “You are among those who will distribute the Hell and the Paradise”

Then there is this hadith:

Ibn Maghazali has mentioned it in his book “Munaqib Amirulmominin” that the Messenger addressed Hazrat Ali as:

“You are the divider of Hell and Paradise.”(6)

The Munaqib of Khwarizimi also mentions this hadith from the Messenger. (7)

Ibn Hajar has quoted this hadith from Dar Qatani in “Sawaiq-ol-Muhriqa” that Hazrat spoke about the committee that the second Khalifa had constituted before his death at length and said:

” Is there any among you about whom the Messenger has said , “ O Ali! You will distribute the Hell and Paradise” They all said “No” (8)

Hafiz Sulaiman Qanduzi has devoted one chapter in his book “ Niyabiol Muwadda” on the distribution of Hell and Paradise has mentioned many hadiths about it(9)

Even Ibn Athir has mentioned this in his book” Nihaya” when he discussed the kinds of matter.

The poetry attributed to Imam Shafei also says the same.

There are many other hadiths and we do not know why Aloosi has considered this to be a lie about Hazrat Ali. Personal dislikes should not be allowed to influence research for knowledge.

1. The “Lam “used here is for stress and the idea of some people that it is cause is incorrect.

2. This has come in verse 4 of Surah Maidah, verse 51 of Surah Ibrahim and verse 17 of Surah Mumin also.

3. Tafsir Majmaul Bayan vol.3page 313.

4. Tafsir Majmaul Bayan vols. 1 and 2 page 298

5. Tafsir Ruhul Ma’ani vol.30 pages 118-119

6. Ahqaqol Haqq vol.4 page 259

7. Munaqib page 234

8. Sawaiqol Muhriqa page 124

9. Niyabiol Muwadda page 83

10. Niyabiol Muwadda page 86