"The Scale of Justice" in Islam.
When your life is over and on Judgement Day you will be standing in front of the Scale of Justice.
Your GOOD deeds in the form of REWARDS ("pahala") will be placed on the "RIGHT" scale. Bad Deeds consisting of "Big" and "Small" SINS will be placed on the "LEFT" Scale. Which ever Scale is heavier will determine whether you will go to Paradise or Hell.
[Quran, Al-Anbiya, 21:47]
وَنَضَعُ الْمَوَزِينَ الْقِسْطَ لِيَوْمِ الْقِيَمَةِ فَلَا تُظْلَمُ نَفْسٌ شَيْئاً وَ إِن كَانَ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍ مِّنْ خَرْدَلٍ أَتَيْنَا بِهَا وَكَفَى بِنَا حَسِبِينَ
“And We place the scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection, so no soul will be treated unjustly at all. And if there is [even] the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it forth. And sufficient are We as accountant.”
[Quran, Al-A'raf: 7:8]
"The weighing on that Day will be just. As for those whose scale will be heavy ˹with good deeds˺, ˹only˺ they will be successful."
(1) To compensate the injustice in this world
Sometimes a criminal may escape justice in this world. He is not captured by the police or found guilty by the court. Another innocent person is captured and jailed for crime he did not commit. The real criminal thought he has escaped justice. However the "Scale of Justice" in the hereafter will not let him go while the innocent person will be recompensed for the injustice in this world.
(2) Who goes to Paradise or Hell
The "Scale of Justice" is needed to differentiate the one who deserve to enter Paradise and those who deserve to be thrown into Hell fire.
(3) To show that God is not Unjust
The Scale of Justice is to show that Allah does not do any injustice to any of his slaves if a person goes to Hell.
Quran Al-Anfal Ayat 51: "That is for what your hands have put forth [of evil] and because Allah is not ever unjust to His servants.”
A person that is thrown into Hell will not be able to argue that it is not fair or that he has proof that he does not deserve hell. All his deeds are put upon the Scales of Justice and he can see which one of his deeds is heavier.
Whatever good deeds and bad deeds that you have done during your time alive are recorded by the Angels (as scribes) that follow you wherever you are.
[Quran, Qaf: 50:17]
As the two recording-angels—˹one˺ sitting to the right, and ˹the other to˺ the left—note ˹everything˺,
[Quran, Qaf: 50:18]
مَّا يَلْفِظُ مِن قَوْلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ
not a word does a person utter without having a "vigilant observer" (raqib) "ready" ('atid) - to write it down"
The Angels' names are not "Raqib" and "'Atid"! These two words are the attributes of the Angels.
"Raqib" = Vigilant in observation
"'Atid" = Ever ready to write every single thing.
To be fair, the recordings of your deeds by the Angels will only start after you have reached puberty, i.e. when you have the maturity to be independent in thinking.
Scholars have different opinions on what will become of these children
Opinion 1: When a child from Muslim or Non Muslim parents dies before the age of puberty, he/she is guaranteed paradise since no sin has been recorded yet.
This is a very long hadith. The Prophet (s.a.w) saw in his dream. We quote from it as below:
A) Children will remain as children in Paradise:
[Sahih al-Bukhari 7047]
.. And the tall man whom you saw in the garden, is Abraham and the children around him are those children who die with Al-Fitra (the Islamic Faith). The narrator added: Some Muslims asked the Prophet, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! What about the children of pagans?" The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "And also the children of pagans. .."
B) Children will become fowls in Paradise:
[Sahih Muslim 2635]
Abu Hassan reported: "I said to Abu Huraira that my two children had died. Would you narrate to me anything from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) a hadith which would soothe our hearts in our bereavements? He said: Yes. Small children are the fowls of Paradise. If one of them meets his father (or he said his parents) he would take hold of his cloth, or he said with his hand as I take hold of the hem of your cloth (with my hand). And he (the child) would not take off (his hand) from it until Allah causes his father to enter Paradise."
C) Scholars among the Sahaabah and Taabi’een were of the view that children who die before reaching the age of puberty will be the servants of the people of Paradise as mentioned in the Quran:
[Quran 56:17-18] “They will be served by immortal boys, With cups, and jugs, and a glass from the flowing wine.”
[Quran 76:19] “And round about them will [serve] boys of everlasting youth. If you see them, you would think them scattered pearls.”
Opinion 2: Not all will automatically enter Paradise.
They said that the children of the disbelievers will either:
(1) Be at the "Al-'Araf" (a place between Paradise and Hell) and eventually enter Paradise after the end of Judgement Day
(2) Or be tested on Judgement Day:
(Narrated by Abu Ya`la, 4224) There are corroborating reports which were mentioned by Ibn Kathir in At-Tafsir (3/29-31)
"Anas said: the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“Four (kinds of people) will be brought forth on the Day of Resurrection: the infant, the insane, the one who died during the Fatrah (the period between two prophets) and the very old man.
All of them will speak in their own defence, then the Lord, may He be blessed and exalted, will say to a neck of Hell, 'Come forth!` and He will say to them, `I used to send Messengers to My slaves from amongst themselves. Now I am the Messenger of Myself to you. Enter this (the Fire)!.
Those who are decreed to be among the doomed will say, `O Lord, how could we enter it when we are trying to escape it?`
And those who are decreed to be among the blessed will rush to enter it.
And Allah will say (towards those who disobeyed His command): `You would have been more disobedient towards My Messengers.
So those (who obeyed) will enter Paradise and those (who disobeyed) will enter Hell.”
In the hereafter, a person who never heard of the Deen in his life after being shown the reality of the hereafter, will immediately say that he is a believer to the Deen, but there is no way for him to go back and practice the Deen.
So in order to prove that he is sincere in his belief, he is asked to trust Allah and jump into the fire. If he does jump into the fire, he will immediately be taken to Jannah (paradise). That is the reward for his trust.
Meaning, if the Deen is sincerely introduced to him while he is still alive, he will have surely believed it. Those who refused to jump into the fire, it means that if he found out about the Deen while alive on earth, he will not follow it. Trusting in Allah is a huge deal.
Wallahu'alam.
Everything you did after puberty until the day you die will be recorded as: (1) Good, (2) Bad or (3) "Nothing".
What is "Nothing" recorded?
Every moment of your life is valuable. It is better to fill it with good deeds rather than nothing. There are many actions that are just a waste of time with no good deeds recorded by the Angel when you did not say the Du'a from the Sunnah and not thinking doing for the sake of Allah or in His name. Example:
-> When you eat or drink as a natural response to hunger, thirst or desire and you think nothing of it, without saying "bismillah" before it and "Alhamdullilah after it, the action is neither a good deed or a bad deed.
-> You go to the toilet to clear your stomach without saying the Du'a of entering and exiting the toilet as taught by the Sunnah. If you acted upon the Sunnah, it will be a good deed recorded.
-> Washing dishes, reading a book, ironing clothes, sweeping the floor, exercising, sleeping etc. when done not starting off with "bismillah" or because of Allah.
-> A deed is done with the intention of showing off to people, only to get social status and praise from people.
The weight of a good deed is much heavier than the weight of a bad deed due to the Mercy of Allah. From the hadith below, it clearly shows that Allah wants you to go to paradise and minimizing the chance of you going to hell.
[Sahih Al-Bukhari: 6491]
The Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "Allah ordered (the angels) that the good and the bad deeds be written, and He then showed how (to write).
(1) If somebody intends to do a good deed and he does not do it, then Allah will write for him a full good deed (in his account with Him);
(2) and if he intends to do a good deed and actually did it, then Allah will write for him (in his account) with Him (its reward equal) from ten to seven hundred times to many more times:
(3) and if somebody intended to do a bad deed and he does not do it, then Allah will write a full good deed (in his account) with Him,
(4) and if he intended to do it (a bad deed) and actually did it, then Allah will write one bad deed (in his account)"
Recording of Good Deed
[Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2910]
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah, he will receive one good deed (reward) as ten good deeds (rewards) like it. I do not say that Alif Lam Mim is one letter, but rather Alif is a letter, Lam is a letter, and Mim is a letter.”
[Sahih al-Bukhari 4937]
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The example of a person who recites the Qur'an and masters it by heart, will be with the noble righteous scribes (the Angels). The example of a person who recites the Qur'an struggling and with great difficulty, will have a double reward."
Recording of Bad Deed
The Recording Angel will not write a bad deed immediately but will wait. Nothing is written if the person repented before the waiting time period is over.
[At-Tabaraani and Al-Bayhaqi]
The Prophet (S.A.W.) said: “The angel on the left-hand side (who records sins) holds up his pen (refrains from writing down) for six hours after a Muslim commits a sin. If the person regrets it and asks Allah for forgiveness, he casts it aside (does not write it down); otherwise, it is written down as one (bad deed).”
Even after bad deeds are written by the Angel, it can be erased via several ways.
(1) Repentance and doing good deeds to compensate for the corresponding bad deeds.
Eg. when you are younger, you were a pick pocket. When you are older, you regret it and now you are doing charity work giving donations. Your previous recorded sins of pick pocketing will now be converted into good deeds.
[Quran Al-Furqan 25:70]
"As for those who repent, believe, and do good deeds, they are the ones whose evil deeds Allah will change into good deeds. For Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
(2) You have been consistent in asking forgiveness of your "Small" Sins from Allah everyday via the daily zikr of "istighfar" اَسْتَغْفِرُاللهَ
[Sahih Muslim 1162b]
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Sometimes I perceive a veil over my heart, and I supplicate Allah for forgiveness a hundred times in a day."
[Sahih al-Bukhari 6307]
Narrated Abu Huraira: I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying." By Allah! I ask for forgiveness from Allah and turn to Him in repentance more than seventy times a day."
(3) Worship Allah on specified "Holy" days that Allah promised to forgive his slaves, eg.
=> 1 month of fasting in Ramadhan,
=> fasting on 9th of Zulhijjah,
=> fasting on 10th of Muharram,
=> Umrah or Hajj that is accepted,
It is up to Allah to forgive all of your small sins or the big sins after repentance on these "holy" days by His Mercy.
[Sahih al-Bukhari 38]
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Whoever observes fasts during the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping to attain Allah's rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven."
[Sahih Muslim 1162b]
" .. He (the Prophet s.a.w) was asked about fasting on the day of 'Arafa (9th of Dhu'I-Hijja), whereupon he said: It expiates the sins of the preceding year and the coming year.
He was asked about fasting on the day of 'Ashura (10th of Muharram), whereupon be said: It expiates the sins of the preceding year."
[Bukhari, 1449; Muslim, 1350]
Abu Hurayrah (R.A) said: I heard the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “Whoever performs Hajj for the sake of Allah and does not utter any obscene speech or do any evil deed, will go back (free of sin) as his mother bore him.”
[Bukhari 1773]
Narrated Abu Huraira (R.A): Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "(The performance of) `Umra is an expiation for the sins committed between it and the previous one. And the reward of Hajj Mabrur (the one accepted by Allah) is nothing except Paradise."
Both the good and bad deeds of a Non Believer will be recorded too.
The "Hadith" and "Ayah" below indicates that everyone including the Disbelievers will be standing in front of the "Scales of Justice."
What will happen to his good and bad deeds after he said the "Shahadah"?
[Sunan an-Nasa'i 4998]
Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri said: "The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: 'If a person accepts Islam, such that his Islam is good, Allah will decree reward for every good deed that he did before, and every bad deed that he did before will be erased.
Then after that will come the reckoning; each good deed will be rewarded ten times up to seven hundred times.
And each bad deed will be recorded as it is, unless Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, forgives it.'"
As for those who died as a Disbeliever, his good deeds cannot save him.
[Quran Al-Furqan 25:23]
"And We shall turn to whatever deeds they (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners, etc.) did, and We shall make such deeds as scattered floating particles of dust."
[Quran An-Nur 24:39]
"The deeds of those who disbelieved, maybe likened to a mirage in a waterless desert, which the thirsty one took for water; but when he reached there he found nothing to drink; nay, he found there Allah Who settled his full account, and Allah is very swift at reckoning."
If the accounting is to track every single daily action and deeds from the time of puberty until before his death, then it will take many earth years.
Accounting of Bad deeds
A person might be questioned why he did this and that. His body parts will speak what he has done. His acts of lying, cheating, oppressing others with his tongue or hands, slandering, talking bad behind people's back, will be exposed. His lack of worship to Allah will be known. This will make him ashamed and wishing to distant himself from those deeds that are inclining towards Hell.
Accounting of Good deeds
Good deeds that were done without anyone knowing will be made public in front of the Scale of Justice. Any kind acts and extra worshiping of Allah at night when everyone is sleeping will be displayed. This will make the person happy with the hope of entering Paradise.
The Distress of Waiting
The long waiting period will almost destroy him out of anxiety on whether he will go to Paradise or Hell. With the final placement of the last deed on the Scale, if his good deeds are heavier, then he may finally enter Paradise after the longest period of uncertainty, mental torture, nervousness and hope.
Easing the hardship of the Believers on Judgement Day
The Scholars agreed that all Believers will be helped to ease the burden of Judgement Day. The easiness on the Day of Judgement for the Believers differs from one believer to the other. For example, it will be easier for the one whose faith is complete than the one whose faith is lesser than him.
Below is a list that will ease the distress of the Believer:
(1) Via helping people in this world
[Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1930]
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:
1 - "Whoever relieves a Muslim of a burden from the burdens of the world, Allah will relieve him of a burden from the burdens on the Day of Judgement.
2 - And whoever helps ease a difficulty in the world, Allah will grant him ease from a difficulty in the world and in the Hereafter.
3 - And whoever covers (the faults of) a Muslim, Allah will cover (his faults) for him in the world and the Hereafter.
And Allah is engaged in helping the worshipper as long as the worshipper is engaged in helping his brother."
(2) Via intercession
Briefly: Eg.
=> From the Prophet s.a.w (maqam al-mamood) - the glorious station of intercession.
وَمِنَ ٱلَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِۦ نَافِلَةًۭ لَّكَ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًۭا مَّحْمُودًۭا
"And rise at ˹the last˺ part of the night, offering additional prayers, so your Lord may raise you to a station of praise"
=> From selected few of high status who has been granted by Allah:
[Quran, Taha, 20:109]
"On that Day no intercession will be of any benefit, except by those granted permission by the Most Compassionate and whose words are agreeable to Him."
[Quran, An-Najm, 53:26]
˹Imagine˺ how many ˹noble˺ angels are in the heavens! ˹Even˺ their intercession would be of no benefit whatsoever, until Allah gives permission to whoever He wills and ˹only for the people He˺ approves.
(2nd Scenario) If Allah forgave him, then his judgement is very quick. He will received his recorded book in his right hand. The recorded book will not be opened for accounting.
[Quran 69:19] As for the one who is given his book of deeds in his right hand, he will say out of happiness and delight, “Take and read my book of deeds!”
[Sahih Muslim 220a] " .. This is your Ummah, and amongst them there were seventy thousand persons who would be made to enter Paradise without rendering any account and without (suffering) any torment... "
A Day is equivalent to fifty thousand "earth" years. That is how long they will stand.
[Hadith Ahmad] Abu Sa‘id (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said, “It is a day that lasts fifty thousand years.” So I said, “How long it is!” So He (s.a.w) said, “I swear by the One in whose control is my soul, indeed, it will be lightened for the Believer until it is briefer than an obligatory prayer which he prayed in the World.”
Ibn ‘Abbas (R.A) said, “It is the Day of Judgment. Allah has made its length for the Disbelievers fifty thousand years, after which they will enter the Fire permanently.”
The Disbelievers will be made to see all his good deeds wasted:
[Quran Al-Furqan 25:23]
"And We shall turn to whatever deeds they (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners, etc.) did, and We shall make such deeds as scattered floating particles of dust."
[Quran Al-Furqan 25:26]
".. And it will be a hard day for the disbelievers."
Even the animals are not sparred from being judged.
[Sahih Muslim 2582] Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
"Rights will certainly be restored to those entitled to them on the Day of Resurrection, (to the point that) even the hornless sheep will lay claim upon the horned one.”
[Ahmad 20534]
Narrated from Abu Dharr that the Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w) was sitting, and two sheep locked horns, and one of them butted the other and defeated it. The Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w) smiled, and it was said to him, “Why are you smiling, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “Because of the sheep. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, it will settle its score with the other on the Day of Resurrection.”
There will be two pans (scales) on the Balance : (Sahih Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 2127)
"... A slip of paper will then be brought out, on which are the words ‘Ashhadu an la ilaha ill-Allah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluhu (I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger).
Allah will say, ‘Bring your weight (i.e., the scrolls).’ The man will say, ‘O Lord, what is this slip of paper in comparison to these scrolls?’ And He will reply, ‘You will not be wronged.
The scrolls will then be put in one side of the Balance and the slip of paper in the other, and the scrolls will become light and the slip of paper heavy, for nothing could compare in weight to the name of Allah.”
If you have genuinely wronged other people without being forgiven by the person, then on judgement day some of your REWARD from your RIGHT Scale will be given to that person into his RIGHT Scale.
If other person has wronged you and you have not forgiven the person, then his REWARD from his RIGHT Scale will be put into your RIGHT Scale.
If a person has done so many wrong to many people and all of his REWARD from his RIGHT Scale have been given to those people and there are still more people waiting to claim from him, then the Sins from the LEFT Scale of those people will be put into his LEFT Scale.
An action to remove your mistakes made on other people that you are unable to ask for forgiveness is to make Du'a for that person that Allah forgives his sins or Allah gave him "Hidayah" (guidance) to the straight path. This is in the hope that on Judgement day when he found out that you have been making good Du'a for him and that his own sins are being erased because of your Du'a, then he might forgo your sins towards him.
Again which ever Scale is heavier will determine whether he will go to Paradise or Hell.
Your action that will be recorded by the Angel as good deeds and be put on the RIGHT Scale.
Good deeds seeking the pleasure of Allah
The difference between each good deeds is how much it is multiplied as with the will of Allah.
The Shahadah, the obligatory prayers, fasting, zakat, umrah, hajj that you performed willingly.
You do Nawafil "Sunnah" additional prayers everyday. You did them because you love to follow the footsteps of the Prophet s.a.w in his extra worship to Allah. Refer to Fiqh to know more of Nawafil prayers.
You performed the extra additional fasting according to the Sunnah of the Prophet s.a.w. Refer to Fiqh to know more of the available Sunnah fasting in the whole year.
Reciting the Quran
If you intended to do a good deed but was genuinely held back to do it, the Angel will still record it as a good deed.
Reciting "bismillah" before eating or drinking or before any action, it is then recorded by the Angel as a good deed.
Your effort in learning how to recite the Quran with Tajwid.
Your effort in learning anything to do with the Religion eg. Quranic knowledge such as Tajwid rulings, Word by Word translation, Taddabur & Tafseer Al-Quran, Fiqh, Aqeedah, Seerah of the Prophet s.a.w and many more.
Helping other people for the sake of Allah.
Teaching and spreading knowledge about the religion and hoping Allah will be pleased with you.
.. and many more
Good deeds that are cancelled out & becoming "nothing".
After you have done a good deed but you bragged about it with the intention to show off, then it will not be recorded as a good deed. It becomes "nothing". You are wasting your time. It will become a sin if you are arrogant.
If you helped a poor person but you followed up with hurting words to that person such as "you are lazy", "you are not worth the help", "if not for me, you are nothing". Your help to that poor person will not be recorded as good deed. It will become a sin if you are sadistic.
.. and many more
In summary, a good deed is anything that is done out of sincerity and because you are seeking the pleasure of Allah.
Good deeds out of fear of Allah
A good deed is also done out of fear of Allah, eg.
You love money but Allah said that you have to give 2.5% of your accumulated wealth to the people who are eligible for Zakat. Every year you gave out Zakat to the recipients out of fear that Allah will be mad at you if you did not. This will be recorded as good deed.
You hate your brother because of bad character, etc. However he is poor while you have stable monthly income. You gave a bit of money to him every payday even though you hated him. You did this only because of the fear of Allah. The Quran stated that we are to give charity firstly to the relatives, i.e the people who have blood ties with us.
You are lazy at performing the daily Solah but you forced yourself to do it out of fear of Allah. This is a good deed.
.. and many more
Refraining from doing a bad deed is a good deed
These are some examples that you may take heed:
Refraining from getting angry on personal issues such as wanting to curse or saying bad words back to a person who made you angry.
Refraining from talking bad about other people who has nothing to do with you, i.e if the person hears what you said, he will be hurt or angry.
Refraining from lustfully glaring at non Mahram women or men
And many more ..
Shirk = Associating partners with Allah. This is the biggest sin. This single sin is too big that even if the Angel does not record any other sin, this single sin is enough to send the person to Hell for eternity. All his good deeds are useless because of this single sin.
A Disbeliever/Unbeliever or a Non Believer is not seeking the truth but only seeking self desires in this world. The nature in this world is crying out the truth to him but he refused to think about it.
Your action that will be recorded by the Angel as bad deeds (sins) and be put on the LEFT Scale.
These are some examples that you may take heed:
Some Big sins committed by a Believer including any act that is punishable by Law.
Suicide
Innovations ("Bid'ah") in the religion that can lead to "Kufr" such as believing that the dead can help you because of his greatness.
Skipping the obligatory solah and fasting "without any rights"
Not giving out the Zakat when it is due.
Men not performing Friday congregational prayer without any rights.
Hypocrisy in religion
Adultery, Fornication (Zina) and sodomy
Stealing "without any rights"
Robbery
Murdering or killing "without any rights"
Terrorizing innocents
Eating pork without any "Darurah"
Consuming non Halal meat, food or blood purposely
Taking in intoxicant (that will messed up the brain) such as wine, beer, drugs, etc.
Sorcery (Black magic)
Consuming or giving Usury or Interest (Riba)
Consuming the Wealth of an Orphan Unjustly
Taking a person's property "without rights"
Lying about the Prophet (s.a.w)
Lying "without rights". A habitual liar
Abusing the companions of the Prophet s.a.w
Talking bad behind a person's back "without any rights"
Exposing a person's private sin to other people who knew him
Rude and being bad to your parents
Not covering up "Aurah" in front of a non "Mahram" in an attractive manner
Modification to your face or body parts "without any rights"
Tattoos on your skin
High level of arrogance, boastful and self praiseworthy
A leader being unjust and oppressive
False Testimony in court cases, etc.
Men who dressed like women and women who dressed like men
Believing in a Fortuneteller or an Astrologer
Breaking of Blood Relationship "without rights"
Sculpting statues of the creation of Allah
Men Wearing Silk or Gold
Wearing hair wig
All types of cheating in business (eg. reducing a measure w/o the customer realizing, etc)
Gambling
Bribery
Betraying a dutiful trust (eg. a leader that scammed his followers, a father not doing his responsibilities, an employee who cheats on his employer, etc.)
"Riya" in worshiping
And many more ..
Bad deeds (sins) done to other people
A sin that is severely done by the perpetrator will be a big sin
Slandering another person - punishable by Sharia Law
Accusing a person of doing "Zina" without any witness - punishable by Sharia Law
Tarnishing and character assassination of a person
Looking down and shaming other people
Doing a prank on someone and laughing at him to make him look stupid
Intentionally hurting someone's feeling because you are jealous of him
Bullying
Cursing, swearing bad words and profanity
Not respecting another believer
Not answering a Believer's "Salam" on purpose
And many many more ..
Some examples of smaller sins. If it is done perpetually over long period of time, the accumulated sins will be huge.
Time wasting of your life in doing unnecessary and non beneficial things
Having bad thoughts of someone without proofs
Habitual daydreaming. Nothing better to think about
Habitually not focussing during Solah
Habitually doing the Solah near the end of the Prayer times.
Being lazy to earn money for a living within your capability
Not wanting to learn anything about the Religion
Innovations ("Bid'ah") in the religion that do not lead to "Kufr" (eg. Saying that it is Sunnah to recite Yasin 3 times on the night of Nisfu Sya'ban).
Not perfecting the Solah or Wudhuk
Not contemplating about life, its purpose, the hereafter, connection with Allah, etc.
Being greedy in many things
Unmoral behaviour in public like shouting, flirting, being rowdy, undecent action, etc
littering
Harming the body such as smoking
Not following rules or laws of a school, work place or country
Too much chatting that will inclined towards sins
Being untidy and unclean
Not serious or careless in consuming food where the Halal status is not confirmed
Going to Musical Concert with loud music and free mixing of genders
Looking at non Mahram women or men lustfully
Easily getting angry without any valid or genuine reasons
Free mixing of non Mahram men and women like dating between "boyfriend" and "girlfriend"
Wearing tight clothes in public to show off your body figure
And many many more ..
Please memorize this Du'a (which is a part of a longer Du'a) and recite it daily.
[Part of Ayah 286, Al-Baqarah]
رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا
“... Our Lord! Do not punish us if we forget or make a mistake."