ACCOUNTABILITY ON
THE DAY OF JUDGMENT

Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet of Islam once asked, “Do you know who is truly bankrupt?” The people replied, “Among us, the bankrupt is the one who has neither wealth nor possessions.” The Prophet said, “Indeed, the one who is truly bankrupt from my community is the person who will come on the Day of Judgment with prayers, fasting, and charity, but also having abused others, slandered some, wrongfully consumed someone’s wealth, shed blood, or struck someone. Justice will be served by taking from their good deeds and giving them to those they wronged. If their good deeds run out before their debts are repaid, the sins of the wronged will be transferred to them—and they will be thrown into the Fire.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 2581)

This hadith should strike fear into the hearts of those who take what rightfully belongs to others. It shows that those who became wealthy through injustice will be utterly bankrupt on the Day of Judgment. Those who unlawfully occupied someone else’s home in this world will, in the afterlife, be left homeless—without even a tree’s shade for shelter.

At the same time, this hadith brings hope to those whose rights were violated. The harm they suffered in the form of insults, slander, exploitation, or violence in this life will be compensated on the Day of Judgment in the form of priceless deeds—the currency of the Hereafter. Those who appeared poor in this world will emerge as the truly wealthy in the next life.