How Many Pairs of Scales Will There Be on the Day of Judgement? by Ahmed Abu Turaab

Questioner: The Most High said, “And We place the scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection,” [Anbiyaa 21:47], so will the scales on the Day of Resurrection be a single pair or a number of scales? Al-Albaani: There is no doubt that it is not allowed to alter or replace the wording of the Quraan. So as long as Allaah the Mighty and Majestic has used the word, ‘[pairs of] scales’ then it is ‘[pairs of] scales,’ [i.e., as opposed to a single pair of scales]. And there is nothing stopping these pairs of scales being different as we know they are from the Unseen, and it is not fitting that we picture them to be a specific pair of scales, how can we when the scales found in this world now have become numerous and of many variations. So it is all the more so that on the Day of Resurrection there will be multiple/various pairs of scales. So as long as Allaah the Mighty and Majestic has mentioned scales in the plural form in such Quranic wording, I hold it to be a denial of the [correct] meaning for [the term] ‘pairs of scales’ to be explained to mean ‘a pair of scales,’ and this is not from the way of theSalaf. Fataawaa Jeddah, 36.