Ramadan Night 24 - The Twelfth Entry

On that day will men
Proceed in companies sorted out,
To be shown the deeds
That they (had done).
Then shall anyone who
Has done an atom's weight
Of good, see it!
And anyone who
Has done an atom's weight
Of evil, shall see it.

S.99 A.6-8

My old self read this first, and was pretty dismayed - "an atom's weight of evil?" - I could spend a dozen lifetimes repaying that kind of sin! But then I took a deep breath, remembered so many who have shown faith in me recently, who have offered their support, and I reread the verse. "An atom's weight of good" caught my eye - I know I have done good things, and I know that God has planted far more than an atom's weight of goodness in my heart. I need to give myself more credit, and to build on what I have done well in the past, not to simply try to raze it all and begin again.  I don't know how much more atonement is in order for me to bring my scales back to balance, and I don't think I care.  If I could live only one more day, and I knew that there was not enough time to regain my soul, I would still live it as a good Muslim.  Each new day as a good man is worth a thousand liftetimes of the man I once was.