Justice, Accountability, and Moderation in Worship (Accounts 37–38)

1. Two accounts: Justice and balance in the Sunnah

Justice demands that no one be wronged, especially by someone who holds power over another. Sincere worship also requires that enthusiasm for devotion follow the way of the Messenger ﷺ. Both accounts teach that personal judgment must be measured against a reliable standard.

Main ideas
1. Accountability for the rights of other people.
2. Exact justice on the Day of Judgment.
3. Moderation in voluntary worship and adherence to the Sunnah.
4. A few relevant verbs, conditional expressions and comparative forms.

The first account calls for examining the exercise of authority; the second calls for examining one's chosen pattern of worship.

2. Account 37: A complaint and a question of conduct

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ: جَاءَ رَجُلٌ فَقَعَدَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! إِنَّ لِي مَمْلُوكِينَ يَكْذِبُونَنِي وَيَخُونُونَنِي وَيَعْصُونَنِي، وَأَشْتُمُهُمْ وَأَضْرِبُهُمْ، فَكَيْفَ أَنَا مِنْهُمْ؟
Translation: ʿAʾishah reported that a man sat before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: “Messenger of Allah, I have people under my ownership who lie to me, betray my trust and disobey me. I insult and strike them. How will my conduct toward them be reckoned?”

The man described both the wrongs he believed others had committed and his own response. The key issue was not only whether they erred, but also whether his punishment exceeded what was just.

The account belongs to a historical context involving slavery. It cannot be used to permit cruelty or to justify instituting slavery today.

3. Verbs and object pronouns in the complaint

ArabicMeaning
يَكْذِبُونَنِيthey lie to me
يَخُونُونَنِيthey betray my trust
يَعْصُونَنِيthey disobey me
أَشْتُمُهُمْI insult them
أَضْرِبُهُمْI strike them

In the first three verbs, the plural ending indicates “they,” while the ending -nī refers to “me.” In ashtumuhum and aḍribuhum, the opening a- identifies “I,” and -hum refers to “them.”

This small grammatical distinction makes the account clearer: the man first reports what others did and then acknowledges his own actions.

4. Account 37: The reckoning on the Last Day

فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ، يُحْسَبُ مَا خَانُوكَ وَعَصَوْكَ وَكَذَبُوكَ، وَعِقَابُكَ إِيَّاهُمْ».
Translation: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said that, on the Day of Resurrection, their betrayal, disobedience and lies would be reckoned, as would the punishment the man had inflicted on them.

إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ introduces a future time: “when the Day of Resurrection comes.” The passive verb yuḥsabu means “will be reckoned.” Both the alleged misconduct and the response are included in the reckoning.

A decision someone makes in their own favor during worldly life is therefore not necessarily the final judgment before Allah.

5. Account 37: When the response is proportionate

«فَإِنْ كَانَ عِقَابُكَ إِيَّاهُمْ بِقَدْرِ ذُنُوبِهِمْ، كَانَ كَفَافًا، لَا لَكَ وَلَا عَلَيْكَ».
Translation: If the punishment matched their wrongdoing, the account would be even: neither a surplus in his favor nor a liability against him.

Fa-in introduces a condition, bi-qadri indicates measure or proportion, and kafāfan conveys equivalence.

This is not permission to calculate alleged wrongs privately and impose punishments. The narration teaches exactness in Allah's reckoning. In daily life, any response must still meet lawful standards of authority, due process and others' rights.

6. Account 37: When the response falls short or goes too far

«وَإِنْ كَانَ عِقَابُكَ إِيَّاهُمْ دُونَ ذُنُوبِهِمْ، كَانَ فَضْلًا لَكَ، وَإِنْ كَانَ عِقَابُكَ إِيَّاهُمْ فَوْقَ ذُنُوبِهِمْ، اقْتُصَّ لَهُمْ مِنْكَ الْفَضْلُ».
Translation: If the punishment was less than their wrongs, it would be a merit for him; if it exceeded their wrongs, the excess would be redressed on their behalf.

ExpressionMeaning
دُونَ ذُنُوبِهِمْless than their wrongs
فَوْقَ ذُنُوبِهِمْgreater than their wrongs
اقْتُصَّ لَهُمْredress is taken for them

The contrast between dūna and fawqa makes excess especially clear. The rights of a vulnerable person do not disappear simply because that person lacks power.

7. In kāna: Conditions and their outcomes

The same account presents three conditions and consequences:

ConditionConsequence
بِقَدْرِ ذُنُوبِهِمْكَانَ كَفَافًا
دُونَ ذُنُوبِهِمْكَانَ فَضْلًا لَكَ
فَوْقَ ذُنُوبِهِمْاقْتُصَّ لَهُمْ مِنْكَ

In introduces the conditional idea, followed by a statement of what follows if the condition is met. At this level, it is enough to recognize the “if ... then ...” relationship.

The structure also teaches that consequences relate to what actually happened, not merely to someone's claim that their intentions were good.

8. The scales of justice: Even a small right matters

فَتَنَحَّى الرَّجُلُ، وَجَعَلَ يَهْتِفُ وَيَبْكِي، فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «أَمَا تَقْرَأُ قَوْلَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: ﴿وَنَضَعُ الْمَوَازِينَ الْقِسْطَ لِيَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ فَلَا تُظْلَمُ نَفْسٌ شَيْئًا وَإِنْ كَانَ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍ مِنْ خَرْدَلٍ أَتَيْنَا بِهَا وَكَفَى بِنَا حَاسِبِينَ﴾».
Translation: The man stepped aside and wept. The Prophet ﷺ reminded him of Allah's words: On the Day of Resurrection the scales of justice will be set up; no soul will be wronged at all, and even a deed as small as a mustard seed will be brought forth. Allah is sufficient as Reckoner. (Al-Anbiyāʾ 21:47)

Al-qisṭ means justice. “The weight of a mustard seed” illustrates how even very small matters are not lost in the final reckoning.

9. No soul will be wronged: Negation and emphasis

فَلَا تُظْلَمُ نَفْسٌ شَيْئًا
“No soul will be wronged in the least.”

Lā negates the statement. Tuẓlamu is passive: “will be wronged,” and nafsun means a soul or person. Shayʾan reinforces the breadth of the negation—nothing at all.

وَكَفَى بِنَا حَاسِبِينَ
“Allah is sufficient as Reckoner.”

The grammatical details help the learner notice the force of the statement, but the central point remains that no person's right will be overlooked.

10. Account 37 concludes: Responsibility leads to change

فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! مَا أَجِدُ لِي وَلِهَؤُلَاءِ شَيْئًا خَيْرًا مِنْ مُفَارَقَتِهِمْ، أُشْهِدُكَ أَنَّهُمْ كُلُّهُمْ أَحْرَارٌ. (رواه الترمذي)
Translation: The man said, “Messenger of Allah, I see nothing better for me and for them than parting from them. I call you to witness that all of them are free.” (Tirmidhi)

Ushhiduka means “I call you as witness”; aḥrār is the plural for “free people.” His decision belongs to the historical setting of the report.

The man did not stop at expressing regret. He chose a concrete change to end the harmful relationship. Meaningful reform seeks to prevent further harm and redress rights where possible.

11. Account 38: Three visitors inquire about worship

وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: جَاءَ ثَلَاثَةُ رَهْطٍ إِلَى أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ يَسْأَلُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَةِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ، فَلَمَّا أُخْبِرُوا بِهَا كَأَنَّهُمْ تَقَالُّوهَا.
Translation: Anas reported that three men went to the Prophet's wives to ask about his worship. When they were told about it, they seemed to regard it as little.

Their wish to learn about worship was commendable. The problem began when they measured the Prophet's practice against their own assumptions and considered it insufficient.

Rahṭ refers to a group, azwāj here means wives, and yasʾalūna is plural: “they were asking.”

12. When they heard: Understanding falammā and taqāllūhā

فَلَمَّا أُخْبِرُوا بِهَا كَأَنَّهُمْ تَقَالُّوهَا
“When they were informed, they seemed to think it little.”

WordMeaning
لَمَّاwhen
أُخْبِرُواthey were informed (passive past)
كَأَنَّهُمْas though they
تَقَالُّوهَاregarded it as little

What they underestimated was the worship of the Prophet ﷺ. Enthusiasm becomes misdirected when it leads someone to undervalue the authentic Prophetic example.

13. Account 38: Three unbalanced resolutions

فَقَالُوا: أَيْنَ نَحْنُ مِنَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَقَدْ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ؟ فَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمْ: أَمَّا أَنَا فَأُصَلِّي اللَّيْلَ أَبَدًا، وَقَالَ الْآخَرُ: أَمَّا أَنَا فَأَصُومُ النَّهَارَ أَبَدًا وَلَا أُفْطِرُ، وَقَالَ الْآخَرُ: أَنَا أَعْتَزِلُ النِّسَاءَ فَلَا أَتَزَوَّجُ أَبَدًا.
Translation: They said that they could not compare themselves with the Prophet ﷺ, to whom Allah had granted forgiveness. One resolved to pray throughout every night, another to fast every day without a break, and a third to avoid women and never marry.

Each person wanted greater devotion but proposed permanently abandoning an ordinary, permissible aspect of life. Worship is not simply a contest in making life harder for oneself.

14. The common flaw in all three proposals

ProposalProblem
Pray every night without restNeglect of rest and other duties
Fast continually every dayIgnoring the body's needs and moderation
Never marryTreating permissible married life as contrary to piety

The account does not condemn voluntary prayer, fasting or every personal decision not to marry. The specific error was adopting a permanent, imbalanced religious program that expressed dissatisfaction with the Prophet's own pattern.

Individual rulings about marriage, health and worship depend on circumstances; this beginner lesson does not impose one identical voluntary routine on everyone.

15. Ammā anā and abadan: Emphatic resolutions

أَمَّا أَنَا فَأُصَلِّي اللَّيْلَ أَبَدًا
“As for me, I will pray at night forever.”

Ammā anā introduces a personal resolve; abadan intensifies it by meaning “always.” Uṣallī means “I pray.”

فَلَا أَتَزَوَّجُ أَبَدًا
“So I will never marry.”

Lā negates the verb, while abadan stresses the permanent nature of the intention. This insistence on an extreme, lifelong rule is central to why the Prophet ﷺ corrected them.

16. The Prophet’s correction: The genuine model of worship

فَجَاءَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِلَيْهِمْ فَقَالَ: «أَنْتُمُ الَّذِينَ قُلْتُمْ كَذَا وَكَذَا؟ أَمَا وَاللَّهِ! إِنِّي لَأَخْشَاكُمْ لِلَّهِ وَأَتْقَاكُمْ لَهُ، لَكِنِّي أَصُومُ وَأُفْطِرُ، وَأُصَلِّي وَأَرْقُدُ، وَأَتَزَوَّجُ النِّسَاءَ».
Translation: The Prophet ﷺ asked whether they had made those statements. He then affirmed that he feared Allah and was mindful of Him more than anyone present; nevertheless, he fasted and broke the fast, prayed and slept, and married.

He first established that his piety was not deficient. He then showed that the highest reverence for Allah can coexist with permissible rest, relationships and the proper fulfillment of worldly responsibilities.

17. Comparative wording: Akhshākum and atqākum

إِنِّي لَأَخْشَاكُمْ لِلَّهِ وَأَتْقَاكُمْ لَهُ
“I fear Allah and am mindful of Him more than you.”

Akhshākum and atqākum are comparative expressions; the ending -kum addresses the group. Inni and the emphatic lām reinforce the statement.

لَكِنِّي أَصُومُ وَأُفْطِرُ
“But I fast and also break the fast.”

Lākinnī marks the corrective contrast. True piety follows the Prophet's guidance; it is not established by independently declaring every lawful comfort off limits.

18. I pray and sleep: Balancing devotion and rest

أُصَلِّي وَأَرْقُدُ
“I pray and I also sleep.”

Arqudu means “I sleep or rest.” Both verbs are in the present tense and describe the Prophet's practice.

This does not reduce the importance of night prayer. Rather, it shows that worship does not erase ordinary and necessary needs. Chronic deprivation of sleep that damages health, obligations or others' rights can run counter to the balanced pattern of worship.

Sound devotion preserves sincerity, adherence to the Sunnah and sustainable practice.

19. I marry: Lawful family life is not contrary to worship

وَأَتَزَوَّجُ النِّسَاءَ
“And I marry.”

Atazawwaj is a present-tense verb referring to the speaker: “I marry”; an-nisāʾ is its object.

The third man thought that avoiding marriage forever was a higher form of devotion. The Prophet ﷺ clarified that lawful married life is not opposed to religious dedication; it forms part of his lived Sunnah.

Individual circumstances vary. The issue in this account is declaring a self-imposed form of celibate asceticism inherently more religious than the Prophetic model.

20. Account 38: The decisive statement about the Sunnah

«فَمَنْ رَغِبَ عَنْ سُنَّتِي فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي» (رواه البخاري ومسلم)
Translation: “Whoever turns away from my way is not of me.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

Raghiba ʿan means turning away from or rejecting something, not merely being unable to perform one practice. The strong expression fa-laysa minnī warns against rejecting the Prophet's pattern in favor of a supposedly superior self-invented religious program.

It does not mean that a person who cannot marry or observe certain voluntary practices for legitimate reasons is automatically included in the warning. Its focus is rejection of the Prophetic way.

21. Fa-man raghiba and laysa: Condition and negation

فَمَنْ رَغِبَ عَنْ سُنَّتِي فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي
“Whoever turns away from my way is not of me.”

Man introduces a general conditional sense: “whoever.” Raghiba ʿan means to turn away. Laysa is a verb used to negate a nominal statement; minnī means “of me/from me.”

A useful distinction:
Raghiba fī — to desire or be interested in.
Raghiba ʿan — to turn away from or reject.

Changing the preposition changes the meaning substantially.

22. Following the Sunnah: Method matters more than quantity

More voluntary acts are not automatically better. The validity of an act, sincerity, conformity with the Sunnah and due regard for other rights all matter.

For example, excessive voluntary prayer that repeatedly causes neglect of obligatory duties or family responsibilities requires correction. Building an extraordinary routine to impress others can also undermine sincerity.

The Prophetic pattern does not make worship and the legitimate needs of life into enemies. It gives each duty and right its appropriate place.

23. The shared lesson: Avoiding excess

In Account 37, excess threatened the rights of other people. In Account 38, excess took the form of self-imposed worship routines. Moderation in both settings does not mean laziness or indifference; it means giving each right its due.

AccountMisstepCorrective principle
37Treating authority as unlimitedJustice and accountability
38Treating chosen hardship as higher religionSunnah, sincerity and balance

The first guards others against our excess; the second guards worship against exaggeration invented by ourselves.

24. Practical decisions: Rights and priorities

Case 1: A supervisor discovers a worker's error. They establish the facts, use proper correction and follow lawful procedures rather than retaliating. This applies the justice of Account 37.

Case 2: A learner plans to worship all night but then misses Fajr and essential duties. A sustainable routine is needed so devotion does not destroy other obligations. This applies Account 38.

Case 3: Someone imposes severe private rules merely to appear more religious. They should assess both sincerity and conformity with the Prophetic model.

The shared standard is not the outward intensity of an act, but its religious and ethical correctness.

25. Review: Five key insights

Account 37
1. Another person's wrong and one's own response are separately accountable.
2. Bi-qadri, dūna and fawqa show the importance of proportion.
3. Even a very small right will not be forgotten in the final reckoning.

Account 38
4. The Prophet ﷺ described fasting and not fasting, praying and resting, and lawful marriage as part of his balanced example.
5. Raghiba ʿan sunnatī means turning away from his way, not simply performing fewer voluntary acts.

Both justice in dealings and steadiness in worship require trust in the Prophetic teaching and willingness to correct personal assumptions.