“I will see whatever I have done of an atom’s weight of evil.” He said: “O Abū Bakr, have you seen what you dislike in the world? It is [a form of retribution] for atoms’ weights of evil, while atoms’ weights of good are stored for you until you are fully recompensed for them on the Day of Resurrection.”

19438 - Abū al-Khaṭṭāb al-Ḥassānī narrated to us, al-Haytham ibn al-Rabīʿ narrated to us, Simāk ibn ʿAṭiyyah narrated to us, from Ayyūb, from Abū Qilābah, from Anas, who said: Abū Bakr was eating with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when this verse was revealed: “So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, And whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.” Abū Bakr lifted his hand and said: O Messenger of Allah, shall I be recompensed for what I have done of an atom’s weight of evil? He said: “O Abū Bakr, what you have seen in the world of what you dislike is [a form of retribution] for atoms’ weights of evil, and Allah stores for you the atoms’ weights of good until you are fully recompensed for them on the Day of Resurrection.”

19439 - Abū Zurʿah and ʿAlī ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Muḥammad ibn al-Mughīrah, known as ʿAllān al-Miṣrī, narrated to us; they said: ʿAmr ibn Khālid al-Ḥarrānī narrated to us, Ibn Lahīʿah narrated to us, Hishām ibn Saʿd informed me, from Zayd ibn Aslam, from ʿAṭā’ ibn Yasār, from Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī, who said: When “So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, And whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it” was revealed, I said: O Messenger of Allah, shall I really see my deeds? He said: “Yes.” I said: “The major, major ones?” He said: “Yes.” I said: “The minor, minor ones?” He said: “Yes.” I said: “Woe to my mother [i.e., alas]?” He said: “Rejoice, O Saʿīd, for the good deed is ten times its like—meaning up to seven hundred times, and Allah multiplies for whom He wills—and the evil deed is [reckoned] as its like, or Allah forgives. And no one among you shall be saved by his deeds.” I said: “Not even you, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “Not even me, unless Allah covers me with mercy from Him.” Abū Zurʿah said: No one narrated this except Ibn Lahīʿah.

19440 - Abū Zurʿah narrated to us, Yaḥyā ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Bukayr narrated to us, Ibn Lahīʿah narrated to me, ʿAṭā’ ibn Dīnār narrated to us, from Saʿīd ibn Jubayr regarding the saying of Allah the Almighty: “So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, And whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.” This was because when this verse and “And they give food in spite of love for it to the needy, the orphan, and the captive” were revealed, the Muslims used to think they would not be rewarded for a small thing if they gave it. So, when the needy would come to their doors, they would consider it too insignificant to give them a date, a crust of bread, a walnut, or something similar.