Riyad as-Salihin, 395

'Abdullah bin 'Utbah bin Mas'ud reported:

I heard 'Umar bin Al- Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him) reported saying: "In the lifetime of Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) some people were called to account through Revelation. Now Revelation has discontinued and we shall judge you by your apparent acts. Whoever displays to us good, we shall grant him peace and security, and treat him as a near one. We have nothing to do with his insight. Allah will call him to account for that. But whosoever shows evil to us, we shall not grant him security nor shall we believe him, even if he professed that his intention is good." [Al-Bukhari].

وعن عبد الله بن عتبة بن مسعود قال‏:‏ سمعت عمر بن الخطاب، رضي الله عنه، يقول‏:‏ ‏

‏إن ناساً كانوا يؤخذون بالوحي في عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وإن الوحى قد انقطع، وإنما نأخذهم الآن بما ظهر لنا من أعمالكم، فمن أظهر لنا خيراً، أمناه وقربناه، وليس لنا من سريرته شئ، الله يحاسبه في سريرته، ومن أظهر لنا سوءاً، لم نأمنه، ولم نصدقه وإن قال‏:‏ إن سريرته حسنة‏

‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه البخاري‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

References1 variant

In-Book Reference: Introduction, Hadith 395

Sharh · explanationclick to expand

Guidance from the Hadith: 1) Judging people’s hidden beliefs is a matter belonging to the unseen which are known to Allah Almighty alone. Those in charge of implementing the Shariah rulings should judge people according to their apparent states, while their secret state is entrusted to Allah. 2) On the Day of Recompense, one will be reckoned according to the intentions he hid within himself, if they are good, he will have good things, and if they are evil, he will be recompensed accordingly. 3) The one endeared and favored by the believers is the one whose deeds are good and displays what is good. Words in the Hadith: ‘People were judged by the divine revelation’: This refers to the group of hypocrites who were exposed by the revelation that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) received concerning them.

Related hadiths1

Sahih al-Bukhari2641sahih