(36:12) – Verily, We shall indeed bring the dead back to life, and We shall record whatever [deeds] they have sent ahead, and the traces [of good and evil] which they have left behind: for all things do We take account in a record clear. [Asad]
If somehow one escapes accountability of one’s misdeeds and does not suffer in this world for his wrongdoings, he will definitely be held accountable for it and will have to suffer in the hereafter in front of everyone as witnesses whom he had hurt while pretending to be pious.
وَكُلَّ إِنسَانٍ أَلْزَمْنَاهُ طَائِرَهُ فِي عُنُقِهِ ۖ وَنُخْرِجُ لَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ كِتَابًا يَلْقَاهُ مَنشُورًا
(17:13) – And We have fastened every man’s deeds to his neck, and on the Day of Resurrection, We shall bring out for him a book which he will find wide open. [Hilali & Khan]
Could there be any greater hell than this? Some people live their lives pretending to be very pious; very friendly and trustworthy; promising everyone everything but in the heart always looking for ways to blame others for failing to keep those promises. Such people will be exposed in the hereafter in front of everyone! And they will accept their hypocrisy in front of everyone and suffer the consequences thereof. Everyone will be told to read one’s own account and decide one’s own punishment.
اقْرَأْ كِتَابَكَ كَفَىٰ بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيبًا
(17:14) – [and he will be told:] “Read this thy record! Sufficient is thine own self today to make out thine account!” [Asad]
So, one will be one’s own witness that Day. One will not be able to deny what one used to hide from others. One wants to know the punishment? He will be told: decide your punishment yourself. What could be a fairer justice than this; what could be a more balanced verdict than this? No religion in the world has this kind of concept of the hereafter. The prevalent concept of forgiveness is totally against this fair and just verdict. Allah’s Law of Requital is completely fair to all without exception. Let alone others, even the Prophet (PBUH) was not granted an exception because Allah asked him to openly declare:
