Hadithcore
Riyad as-Salihin, 11

'Abdullah bin 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said that Allah, the Glorious, said: "Verily, Allah (SWT) has ordered that the good and the bad deeds be written down. Then He explained it clearly how (to write): He who intends to do a good deed but he does not do it, then Allah records it for him as a full good deed, but if he carries out his intention, then Allah the Exalted, writes it down for him as from ten to seven hundred folds, and even more. But if he intends to do an evil act and has not done it, then Allah writes it down with Him as a full good deed, but if he intends it and has done it, Allah writes it down as one bad deed". <b>[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]</b>.

وعن أبي العباس عبد الله بن عباس بن عبد المطلب رضي الله عنهما، عن رسول الله، صلى الله عليه وسلم، فيما يروى عن ربه، تبارك وتعالى قال‏:‏ ‏

‏ إن الله كتب الحسنات والسيئات ثم بين ذلك‏:‏ فمن همّ بحسنة فلم يعملها كتبها الله تبارك وتعالى عنده حسنة كاملة، وإن هم بها فعملها كتبها الله عشر حسنات إلى سبعمائه ضعف إلى أضعاف كثيرة، وإن هم بسيئة فلم يعملها كتبها الله عنده حسنة كاملة، وإن همّ بها فعملها كتبها الله سيئة واحدة ‏

‏ ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

References1 variant
In-Book Reference
Introduction, Hadith 11
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
<b>Guidance from the Hadith:</b><br> 1) Good intention leads its holder to good things.<br> 2) Variation of reward for good deeds is based on sincerity and following of the Prophet’s guidance. The more a person is sincere to Allah, and the keener he is on following the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), the more perfect his worship will be, and consequently his reward will be bigger.<br> 3) Whoever abstains from sin for fear of Allah will be rewarded for that, as explained in the Hadith: “ He only abstained from it for My sake.” [Narrated by Muslim from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)]<br> 4) One of the manifestations of Allah’s mercy is that He uses justice to recompense the sinner but uses His grace and bounty to recompense the good-doer.
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