Mercy of Allah, Part 3

Here are three authentic ḥadīth that talks about the great Mercy that Allāh (عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ) has bestowed upon us. All three ḥadīth say the same thing, which is:

1,)    If someone intends to do a good deed, and does not go through with it, he will be rewarded with one good deed because of his intention.

2.)   If someone intents to do a good deed, and does go through with it, he will be rewarded with ten good deeds.

3.)   If someone intends to do a bad deed, and does not go through with it, nothing will be written against him.

4.)   If someone intends to do a bad deed, and does go through with it, only one bad deed will be written against him.

The first ḥadīth gives us the conversation that Ādam (عليه السلام) had with Allāh (عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ) after he was created.

The second ḥadīth essentially says the same thing as the first, but within this ḥadīth it talks about if you do commit a bad deed, then you have seven hours to seek forgiveness from Allāh. I have discussed the delaying of sins being written down for seven hours in another blog post. (Click here: http://www.revivingalislam.com/2010/10/repent-before-your-seven-hours-are-up.html). This ḥadīth also says that if you do a good deed, it will erase the bad deed you have done. 

The third ḥadīth says the same thing as the first and second ḥadīth.

I have made two posts prior to this one on the Mercy of Allāh: (Click links below)

1.       Mercy of Allāh

2.      Mercy of Allāh to the Believers

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ دَرَّاجٍ عَنِ«» بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَوْ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ إِنَّ آدَمَ ع قَالَ يَا رَبِّ سَلَّطْتَ عَلَيَّ الشَّيْطَانَ وَ أَجْرَيْتَهُ مِنِّي مَجْرَى الدَّمِ فَاجْعَلْ لِي شَيْئاً فَقَالَ يَا آدَمُ جَعَلْتُ لَكَ أَنَّ مَنْ هَمَّ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِكَ بِسَيِّئَةٍ لَمْ تُكْتَبْ عَلَيْهِ فَإِنْ عَمِلَهَا كُتِبَتْ عَلَيْهِ سَيِّئَةٌ وَ مَنْ هَمَّ مِنْهُمْ بِحَسَنَةٍ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا كُتِبَتْ لَهُ حَسَنَةٌ فَإِنْ هُوَ عَمِلَهَا كُتِبَتْ لَهُ عَشْراً قَالَ يَا رَبِّ زِدْنِي قَالَ جَعَلْتُ لَكَ أَنَّ مَنْ عَمِلَ مِنْهُمْ سَيِّئَةً ثُمَّ اسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُ غَفَرْتُ لَهُ قَالَ يَا رَبِّ زِدْنِي قَالَ جَعَلْتُ لَهُمُ التَّوْبَةَ أَوْ قَالَ بَسَطْتُ لَهُمُ التَّوْبَةَ حَتَّى تَبْلُغَ النَّفْسُ هَذِهِ قَالَ يَا رَبِّ حَسْبِي

From Ibn Bukayr from Abī `Abd Allāh or Abī Ja`far (عليه السلام) said: Verily Ādam (عليه السلام) said: ‘O Lord, you have made shayṭān have mastery over me, and he (shayṭān) flows in my bloodstream, so make something for me’ So He said: ‘O Ādam, I will make for you that whoever intends from your progeny a bad (deed), he will not have anything written against him, and If does the act, a bad (deed) will be written against him. And whoever from them intends to do a good (deed), and if he does not do it, a good (deed) will be written for him, and if he does it, ten good deeds will be written for him’ He (Ādam) said: ‘O Lord, give me more!’ He said: ‘I have made for you that whoever from them does a bad deed, then seeks forgives for it, I will forgive him’ He (Ādam) said: ‘O Lord, give me more!’ He said: ‘I have made for them tawbah (repentance) or (the Imām said) He said: ‘I have expanded for them tawbah (repentance) until the sould reaches this (i.e. throat) He (Ādam) said: ‘O Lord, this is enough for me’

Source:

1.     Al-Kulaynī, Al-Kāfī, ed. `Alī Akbar al-Ghaffārī, 8 vols., (Tehran: Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyyah, 3^rd Edition, 1388 AH), vol. 2, pg. 440, hadeeth # 1

Grading:

1.     Al-Majlisī said this hadeeth is Ḥasan (Good)
à Mir’āt Al-`Uqūl, 26 vols., (Tehran: Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyyah, 1410 AH), vol. 15, pg. 311

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ فَضْلِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ الْمُرَادِيِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص أَرْبَعٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيهِ لَمْ يَهْلِكْ عَلَى اللَّهِ بَعْدَهُنَّ إِلَّا هَالِكٌ يَهُمُّ الْعَبْدُ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَيَعْمَلُهَا فَإِنْ هُوَ لَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَهُ حَسَنَةً بِحُسْنِ نِيَّتِهِ وَ إِنْ هُوَ عَمِلَهَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَهُ عَشْراً وَ يَهُمُّ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ أَنْ يَعْمَلَهَا فَإِنْ لَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا لَمْ يُكْتَبْ عَلَيْهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَ إِنْ هُوَ عَمِلَهَا أُجِّلَ سَبْعَ سَاعَاتٍ وَ قَالَ صَاحِبُ الْحَسَنَاتِ لِصَاحِبِ السَّيِّئَاتِ وَ هُوَ صَاحِبُ الشِّمَالِ لَا تَعْجَلْ عَسَى أَنْ يُتْبِعَهَا بِحَسَنَةٍ تَمْحُوهَا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ إِنَّ الْحَسَناتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئاتِ (هود -: 114 -) أَوِ الِاسْتِغْفَارِ فَإِنْ هُوَ قَالَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَ الشَّهَادَةِ الْعَزِيزَ الْحَكِيمَ الْغَفُورَ الرَّحِيمَ ذَا الْجَلَالِ وَ الْإِكْرَامِ وَ أَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ لَمْ يُكْتَبْ عَلَيْهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَ إِنْ مَضَتْ سَبْعُ سَاعَاتٍ وَ لَمْ يُتْبِعْهَا بِحَسَنَةٍ وَ اسْتِغْفَارٍ قَالَ صَاحِبُ الْحَسَنَاتِ لِصَاحِبِ السَّيِّئَاتِ اكْتُبْ عَلَى الشَّقِيِّ الْمَحْرُومِ

From Faḍl (Fuḍayl) bin `Uthmān al-Murādī said I heard Abā `Abd Allāh (عليه السلام) say, the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said: ‘Whoever has four (things) in him, you will not be destroyed by Allāh unless you are of the destroyed ones: A servant intends to do a good action, and if he does not do it, Allāh will write for him the good (deed) because of his good intention. And if he does the action, Allāh will written for him ten (good deeds).  If he intends to do a bad action, and he does not do it, He will not write anything against him, but if he does the action Allāh will delay seven hours (in order for him to repent). And the owner (angel) for the good (deeds) will say to the owner (angel) of the bad deeds, and he will be the people of the left, ‘Do not hurry maybe he might pursue a good (deed) that will erase it (the bad deed).’ For verily Allāh (عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ) says: “The good (deeds) take away the bad (deeds)” (11:114) or seek forgiveness (for it). And if he said: “I seek forgives from Allāh, who no one deserves to be worshiped except Him, He knows the unseen (ghayb) and the manifest. He is the Most Majestic, the Most Wise, the Forgiving, the Mericiful, Glorious and Honourable, and I repent to Him”, He will not write anything against him, if the seven hours passes up and he does not pursue a good (deed) and seeks forgiveness. The owner (angel) of the good (deeds) will say to the owner (angel) of the bad (deeds): ‘Write against the miserable and deprived!’

Source:

1.     Al-Kulaynī, Al-Kāfī, ed. `Alī Akbar al-Ghaffārī, 8 vols., (Tehran: Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyyah, 3^rd Edition, 1388 AH), vol. 2, pg. 429-430, hadeeth # 4

Grading:

1.     Al-Majlisī said this hadeeth is Ṣaḥīḥ (Authentic)
à Mir’āt Al-`Uqūl, 26 vols., (Tehran: Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyyah, 1410 AH), vol. 11, pg. 293

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ لَيَهُمُّ بِالْحَسَنَةِ وَ لَا يَعْمَلُ بِهَا فَتُكْتَبُ لَهُ حَسَنَةٌ وَ إِنْ هُوَ عَمِلَهَا كُتِبَتْ لَهُ عَشْرُ حَسَنَاتٍ وَ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ لَيَهُمُّ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ أَنْ يَعْمَلَهَا فَلَا يَعْمَلُهَا فَلَا تُكْتَبُ عَلَيْهِ

From Abī Baṣīr from Abī `Abd Allāh (عليه السلام) said: “Verily, the mu’min (believer) intends to do a good (deed), but he does not act by it, then a good (deed) will be written for him. And if he acts upon it, ten good (deeds) will be written for him. If a mu’min intends to do a bad (deed) and act upon it, but if he does not act upon it, there will be nothing written against him”

Source:

1.     Al-Kulaynī, Al-Kāfī, ed. `Alī Akbar al-Ghaffārī, 8 vols., (Tehran: Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyyah, 3^rd Edition, 1388 AH), vol. 2, pg. 428-429, hadeeth # 2

Grading:

1.     Al-Majlisī said this hadeeth is Muwaththaq (Reliable) 
à Mir’āt Al-`Uqūl, 26 vols., (Tehran: Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyyah, 1410 AH), vol. 11, pg. 292