The Qudsi (Sacred) Hadith
1.Abu Hurayra reports the Prophet as having said, “Allah (swt) says, ‘When one of My slaves intends to do a good deed,1 but doesn’t do it, I write down a single good deed (in his Book of Record). If he does it, I write it down as anything between ten to seven hundred good deeds. However, if he intends an evil deed, but does not commit it,2 I do not record it; but if he commits it, I write it down as one evil deed.’” (Muslim).
Commentary
- That is, he has a firm intention, and is not a passing thought, but circumstances do not allow him to do it (Fayd al-Qadeer).
- Other reports touching on this subject suggest that he did not do carry it out because of Allah’s fear, and not simply because he was prevented from doing it by circumstances (Fayd al-Qadeer).
In further explanation, it is said that, of intention, there are five levels, or kinds:
- خاطر (Khatir): a passing thought,
- هاجس (Haajis): a notion that stays for some time in the mind,
iii. حديث النفس (Hadith al-Nafs): Suggestion of the inner self with failure to decide ‘to do’ or ‘not to do,’
- هم (Hammun): When either ‘to do’ or ‘not to do’ has been decided,
- عزم (`Azmun): resolution over doing or not doing a thing.
Now, the first three are forgiven whether it is good or evil, with no reward, no punishment. As for the fourth, it is forgiven if it is evil, but considerable if on the side of good; and the fifth, it is considerable whether the affair is a sin or obedience. (Anwar Shah Kashmiri, Fayd al-Bari)
The Ummah needs to be thankful to its Lord for His treatment of the sinful of this Ummah when compared to the Laws stated in Tawrah, which says:
6: “‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
7: “‘You shall have no other gods before me.
8: “‘You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;
9: “‘You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me…’” (Deuteronomy, ch.5, verses 6-9)
And,
58: “If you are not careful to do all the words of this law which are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awful name, the LORD your God,
59: “Then the LORD will bring on you and your offspring extraordinary afflictions, afflictions severe and lasting, and sicknesses grievous and lasting.
60: “And He will bring upon you again all the diseases of Egypt, which you were afraid of; and they shall cleave to you.
61: “Every sickness also, and every affliction which is not recorded in the book of this law, the LORD will bring upon you, until you are destroyed.
62: “Whereas you were as the stars of heaven for multitude, you shall be left few in number; because you did not obey the voice of the LORD, your God.
63: “And as the LORD took delight in doing you good and multiplying you, so the LORD will take delight in bringing ruin upon you and destroying you; and you shall be plucked off the land which you are entering to take possession of it.
64: “And the LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other; and there you shall serve other gods, of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known.
65: “And among these nations you shall find no ease, and there shall be no rest for the sole of your foot; but the LORD will give you there a trembling heart, and failing eyes, and a languishing soul;
66: “Your life shall hang in doubt before you; night and day you shall be in dread, and have no assurance of your life.
67: “In the morning you shall say, ‘Would it were evening!’ and at evening you shall say, ‘Would it were morning!’ because of the dread which your heart shall fear, and the sights which your eyes shall see.
68: “And the LORD will bring you back in ships to Egypt, a journey which I promised that you should never make again; and there you shall offer yourselves for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no man will buy you.” (Deuteronomy, ch.20, verses 58-68)
2. Anas b. Malik narrated that the Prophet said, “Allah will say to the least punished of the folks of Fire on the Day of Judgment: ‘Were there every thing of the earth in your possession, would you ransom yourself with it?’ They would reply, ‘Yes.’ He will say, ‘I required of you something much simpler; (something that was already there) while you were still in Adam’s loins1: that “Associate not aught with Me.”2 But you refused, except that you should associate (partners) with Me.3’” (Sahihayn)
Commentary
- It can be conjectured that they (Adam’s progeny) were in the form of images. (Fayd al-Bari)
- The allusion is to the pre-creation celestial event when Allah made Adam’s progeny to bear witness that He alone is their Lord. The Qur’an mentions it in Surah al-A’raaf, verse 172. (Fath, Mirqaat al-Mafateeh)
- That is, you associated others with Me in My Person or My Attributes of Power, Knowledge, Mercy, etc. (Au)
