How Good and Evil Deeds Are Recorded

Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him), in his explanation of  the 37^th hadeeth of Imam an-Nawawee’s forty hadeeth[1], stated:

Know that there are many scenarios with regard to a person who intends to do a good deed and could not do it:

First scenario: When a person makes an effort to do a good deed, but he was unable to accomplish it, a complete reward will be recorded for such a person based on the saying of Allah: “And whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allah and His Messenger and then death overtakes him - his reward has already become incumbent upon Allah.”[2] Similarly, the one who makes an effort to go to the mosque in order to perform the obligatory prayer standing, but he was unable to pray standing, the reward for praying standing will be recorded for him because he made an effort to do the action but he could not achieve it.

Second scenario: A person intended and resolved to do a good deed, but he abandoned it for a good deed that is better than it, such a person will be rewarded for the superior good deed, which is more complete; and he will also be rewarded for his first intention for the inferior good deed. The evidence for that is that a man once came to the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) after the conquest of Makkah and said: “O Messenger of Allaah! I vowed that if Allaah granted you victory in Makkah, I would pray in Baytul Maqdis (Jerusalem). He (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Pray here.” He asked him, and he said: ‘Pray here.’ He asked him again and he said, “Then it is up to you.”[3]  This person moved from inferior deed to superior one.

Third scenario: Abandoning a good deed out of laziness. For instance, a person intended to observe two rak’ah of forenoon prayer, then one of his friends came and knocked on his door and said to him: “Come on! Let us stroll.” So he abandoned the prayer and went strolling with him; such a person will be rewarded for his first intention and resolve, but he will not be rewarded for the action because he did not do it without a valid excuse and without shifting to that which is better than it.

And know that intending to do an evil deed has some scenarios:

First scenario: A person made up his mind to do an evil deed, and later he changed his mind and abandoned it for Allah’s sake; this is the individual that will be rewarded. A complete good deed will be recorded for him because he left it for Allah’s sake and he did not do it so that evil deed will be recorded against him.

Second scenario: A person intended and resolved to do an evil deed but he was unable to do it, without making efforts towards achieving it, like the man whom the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) informed about that he said: “I wish I have the like of the wealth of so and so, I would have done the like of what he did”; whereas the man was unjust to himself in spending his wealth. For such a person, an evil deed will be recorded against him. However, he is not like one who did the evil deed. So a sin will be recoded against him because of his intention as reported in the hadeeth with the wording: “So based on his intention, the sin of both of them will be equal.”[4]

Third scenario: An individual intended to do an evil deed and made effort towards achieving it, but he was unable to do it. The sin of a complete evil deed will be written against him. The evidence is the saying of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallm): “If two Muslims meet each other with their swords, then both the killer and the killed will be in the Hell-fire.” It was asked: “O Allah’s Messenger, that is the case for the killer but why should that be the case for the killed?” He answered, “Because he wanted to kill his companion.”[5]

So the punishment for murder will be written against him. An example of this is if a person has made up his mind and prepared to steal and then went to the safe in order to steal, but he was unable to steal from it, the sin for stealing will be written for him because he intended to do the evil deed and made an effort but he was unable to achieve it.

Fourth scenario: An individual intended to do an evil deed and later refrained from it neither for Allah’s sake nor due to incapability. There is nothing for or against such a person. This often takes place. A person may intend to do an evil deed and then abstain from it without any reason. This person will not be rewarded because he did not leave it for Allah’s sake, and he will not be punished because he did not do that which would necessitate punishment.

Source: Sharh al-Arba’een an-Nawawiyyah, p. 284-286 by Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Uthaymeen (may Allah preserve him)

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[1] “Verily, Allah has recorded good and bad deeds and He made them clear. Whoever intends to perform a good deed but does not do it, then Allah will record it as a complete good deed. If he intends to do it and does so, then Allah the Exalted will record it as ten good deeds up to seven hundred times as much or even more. If he intends to do a bad deed and does not do it, then Allah will record for him one complete good deed. If he does it then Allah will record for him a single bad deed.”

[2] Soorah 4: 100

[3] Recorded by Abu Daawood

[4] Recorded by Ibn Maajah

[5] Recorded by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim