Hadithcore
Sahih Muslim, 129
sahih

Abu Huraira reported that Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), said:

When it occurs to my bondsman that he should do a good deed but he actually does not do it, record one good to him, but if he puts it into practice, I make an entry of ten good acts in his favour. When it occurs to him to do evil, but he does not commit it, I forgive that. But if he commits it, I record one evil against his name. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed. The angels said: That bondsman of Yours intends to commit evil. though His Lord is more Vigilant than he. Upon this He (the Lord) said: Watch him; if he commits (evil), write it against his name but if he refrains from doing it, write one good deed or him, for he desisted from doing it for My sake. The Messenger of Allah said: He who amongst you is good of faith, all his good acts are multiplied from ten to seven hundred times (and are recorded in his name) and all the evils that he commits are recorded as such (1: e. without increase) till he meets Allah.

وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ هَمَّامِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ، قَالَ هَذَا مَا حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ، رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرَ أَحَادِيثَ مِنْهَا قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِذَا تَحَدَّثَ عَبْدِي بِأَنْ يَعْمَلَ حَسَنَةً فَأَنَا أَكْتُبُهَا لَهُ حَسَنَةً مَا لَمْ يَعْمَلْ فَإِذَا عَمِلَهَا فَأَنَا أَكْتُبُهَا بِعَشْرِ أَمْثَالِهَا وَإِذَا تَحَدَّثَ بِأَنْ يَعْمَلَ سَيِّئَةً فَأَنَا أَغْفِرُهَا لَهُ مَا لَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا فَإِذَا عَمِلَهَا فَأَنَا أَكْتُبُهَا لَهُ بِمِثْلِهَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ قَالَتِ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ رَبِّ ذَاكَ عَبْدُكَ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ سَيِّئَةً - وَهُوَ أَبْصَرُ بِهِ - فَقَالَ ارْقُبُوهُ فَإِنْ عَمِلَهَا فَاكْتُبُوهَا لَهُ بِمِثْلِهَا ‏.‏ وَإِنْ تَرَكَهَا فَاكْتُبُوهَا لَهُ حَسَنَةً - إِنَّمَا تَرَكَهَا مِنْ جَرَّاىَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ إِذَا أَحْسَنَ أَحَدُكُمْ إِسْلاَمَهُ فَكُلُّ حَسَنَةٍ يَعْمَلُهَا تُكْتَبُ بِعَشْرِ أَمْثَالِهَا إِلَى سَبْعِمِائَةِ ضِعْفٍ وَكُلُّ سَيِّئَةٍ يَعْمَلُهَا تُكْتَبُ بِمِثْلِهَا حَتَّى يَلْقَى اللَّهَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 1, Hadith 243
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Book 1, Hadith 235 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
Allah, the Almighty, is full of mercy and generous in reward. He treats His servants with justice and grace. The following narrations confirm His great generosity in writing down people's righteous and evil acts. The Prophet (ﷺ) narrated that Allah confirmed in the Sacred Hadith that if a person intended to do a righteous act, but did not do it, Allah would record it as a complete righteous act. If he did it, Allah would multiply it tenfold. In the Two Sahihs, Ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Allah will multiply it tenfold up to seven hundred times up to many multiples." Allah said, "The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the Way of Allah, is as the likeness of a grain (of corn); it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allah gives manifold increase to whom He wills. And Allah is All‑Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All‑Knower." (Al-Baqarah: 261) This relative reward is based on one's sincerity, truthfulness, and reaching righteous acts to others. On the other hand, Allah confirmed that if a person intended to commit an evil act but did not commit it due to his shyness and fear of Allah, Allah would forgive him. In the Two Sahihs, Ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Allah will record it for him as a complete good deed.” If he committed it, Allah would record it as one evil act out of his mercy without increasing or doubling it as in recording the righteous acts. As for the angels' saying, "O God, Your servant wants to commit an evil act," He is Allah who informs his angels about his servant's intention. As for his saying, "... for he refrains from it for me," He means that the servant does not commit the evil act only because of his fear of Allah, struggling against his self that tends to commit evil acts, and disobeying his prohibited whims. As for the Prophet's saying, "Whoever among you has good faith," he means one's inward and outward sincerity and belief. Finally, this hadith shows Allah's great mercy and grace upon His servants, and (2) It confirms the angels' observation of human acts..
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Compare isnād across 2 related chains →