What objective way is there to know if your good deeds outweigh your bad deeds?

Question

It is my understanding that Muslims believe when they die they will be judged by God: their good deeds versus their bad deeds and if their good outweighs their bad they will be with God in paradise. I take that from this passage:

7:8,9 And the weighing [of deeds] that Day will be the truth. So those whose scales are heavy - it is they who will be the successful. And those whose scales are light - they are the ones who will lose themselves for what injustice they were doing toward Our verses.

I'm wondering...what objective way is there to know if your good deeds outweigh your bad deeds? Especially considering that God is weighing the deeds we do in hearts and thoughts as well. How can one control their own thoughts even if they are good on the outside?

4:107,108 And do not argue on behalf of those who deceive themselves. Indeed, Allah loves not one who is a habitually sinful deceiver. They conceal [their evil intentions and deeds] from the people, but they cannot conceal [them] from Allah , and He is with them [in His knowledge] when they spend the night in such as He does not accept of speech. And ever is Allah , of what they do, encompassing.

Thank you!

Answer 1

What objective way is there to know if your good deeds outweigh your bad deeds?

There's no objective way to know if your good deeds outweigh your bad deeds, just like a student doesn't know if his correct answers outweigh his wrong answers in an exam! However, doing good makes one to be optimistic. It makes you feel closer to God. Muslims are encouraged by the promise of God that,

Qur'an 18:30 Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds - indeed, We will not allow to be lost the reward of any who did well in deeds.

Also, God records an evil deed only once, while the reward of a good deed is recorded 10 times or more:

On the authority of ibn Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with both of them): On the authority of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s blessing and peace be upon him) from among the sayings that he related from His Lord (glorified and exalted be He) is that He said, “Verily, Allah recorded the good deeds and the evil deeds. Then He clarified how [that recording should occur:] whoever decided to do a good deed but he did not do it, Allah records it with Him as a complete good deed. And if he decided to do it and actually did it, Allah records it with Him as ten good deeds up to seven hundred up to many times over. If he decided to do an evil deed but he did not do it, Allah records it with Him as one complete good deed. If he decided to do it and he actually did it, Allah records it as one evil deed.”

Muslims are supposed to live a life of hope, prayer and persistence in doing good. If salvation were to be granted simply on the basis of faith, then people will stagnate and even backslide.

Especially considering that God is weighing the deeds we do in hearts and thoughts as well.

God doesn't punish the inadvertent evil thoughts that cross our minds either due to our own selves or due to the whisperings of the devils. A hadith in Bukhari and Muslim says,

“Verily Allah forgives my Ummah for the evil thoughts that occur in their hearts until they don’t say it verbally or act upon it”. (Sahih al-Bukhari & Sahih Muslim).