Holy Qur’ān itself by the addition of the words “no soul will be wronged in the least.” So too elsewhere, a mīzān is referred to as working in nature itself: “And the heaven, He raised it high, and He set up the measure (mīzān) that you may not exceed the measure. And keep up the balance with equity nor fall short in the measure” (55:7-9). Here the words used for measure or balance are the same words mīzān and wazn. A mīzān or balance is first spoken of as existing in connection with the creation of the heavens, and this is followed by an injunction that men should also preserve the balance with equity. Now the balance that is seen working in nature is the law to which everything is subject so that, while opposing forces do exist, yet each force is subject to a law. Everything works out its destiny according to a measure, and so should man also work out his destiny according to a measure. Hence the injunction not to get inordinate in respect to the measure.
The mīzān or ‘measure’ of men is clearly spoken of elsewhere as having been sent down by God: “Certainly We sent Our messengers with clear arguments, and sent down with them the Book and the measure (mīzān), that men may conduct themselves with equity” (57:25). Revelation, or the Book, is sent down by God to awaken the spiritual life in man, and therefore the measure, which is spoken of as having been sent down along with revelation, must also relate to the spiritual life of man. In his physical growth man is undoubtedly subject to the same balance as is the rest of nature, yet apart from that he has a higher life, the life spiritual, which is evolved out of the present life, and the book that is sent with the prophets and the measure both relate to the growth of the spiritual life. The book contains the directions in principle, to do good and shun evil, so that the spiritual life awakened in man takes a good or bad turn, a higher or lower form, according to the preponderance of good or evil. Thus not only do good and evil deeds leave their effect behind but also there is a balance which gives shape to that effect and makes the spiritual growth possible, or has a retarding effect on that growth if evil preponderates.
The ‘balance’ of the Hereafter, therefore, differs not at all from the ‘balance’ of this life, except that there it takes a more palpable form.