The Weighing & Recording of Our Thoughts & Actions

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Higher chances of gaining mercy than punishment

The bad thoughts that occur to one’s mind will be forgiven as long as they are not translated in to action and we are informed about this in a prophetic hadith: “Allah has forgiven my followers the evil thoughts that occur to their minds, as long as such thoughts are not put into action or uttered.” Abu Qatada added, “If someone divorces his wife just in mind, such an uttered divorce has no effect…”[1] A thought is first step before the subsequent steps that lead towards fulfillment of actions therefore its best to seek refuge in Allah ﷻ when such thoughts occur and to busy yourself with good things. Allah ﷻ advises us: “And if it should happen that a prompting from satan stirs you up [commit a wrongful act], seek refuge with God: behold, He is all-hearing, all-knowing.”[2] The companions of the Prophet ﷺ had the same concern when Allah ﷻ revealed: “and whether you disclose what is in yourselves or conceal it, Allah will call you to account for it.”[3] The Companions came to the Prophet ﷺ and fell to their knees saying, “O Messenger of Allah! We were asked to perform what we can bear of deeds: the (5 times) prayer, the (30 days) fast, jihad (struggle) and obligatory charity (zakat). However, this ayah was revealed to you, and we cannot bear it.” They expressed the concern that they will be held accountable by Allah ﷻ for negative thoughts, something that is beyond our control due to human nature. To placate their concern Allah ﷻ revealed another verse in same surah that said: “Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned.” Thus clarifying that He will not burden them by giving them sins for wrongful thoughts and they will be held accountable for actions only. This was further elaborated in another hadith where it has been clarified that no sin is recorded for us as long we do not act on it: “Allah ﷻ said to His angels ‘If My servant intends to commit an evil deed, do not record it as such for him, and if he commits it, write it for him as one evil deed. If he intends to perform a good deed, but did not perform it, then write it for him as one good deed, and if he performs it, write it for him as ten good deeds.’”[4] In another narration it is said that angels are ordered by Allah ﷻ: “..if he refrains from doing it (evil act), write one good deed for him, for he desisted from doing it for My sake.”[5] This explains for us the fact that whether we are able to commit a good act or we are unable to, as long as we intended to commit it we are rewarded. If we intended to commit a good act and we are able to do it then our rewards are in fact multiplied. If we intended to do an evil act but don't actually do it then no sin is recorded for us, in fact if we resist the temptation due to consciousness that Allah ﷻ is watching, even then we earn goodness. The only time a sin is recorded for us is when we actually do it. Overall our chances of gaining goodness in this world is greater than our chance of gaining sins and this is due to the special kindness and mercy of Allah ﷻ. 

Sheikh Al Nursi Bediuzzaman expresses how Allah ﷻ truly establishes justice and and showers His immense mercy through this policy of calculating good and bad deeds: "In reality, it is absolute justice to record one sin as a thousand sins, (due to its consequences and effect) and a good act as only one. But Allah ﷻ does the reverse: He records a sinful act as one and an act of goodness as ten, seventy, seven hundred, or, in some cases, seven thousand. From this we can understand that entering Hell is the result of one's deeds and pure justice, while entering Paradise is the result of His absolute Grace."[6] Truly it is only, and only through His mercy that we can all expect to be saved in the hereafter. 
 

References:
[1] Sahih al-Bukhari 5269
[2] Al Quran 7:200 – Asad Translation.
[3] Al Quran 2:285
[4] Tafsir ibn Kathir – Surah Baqara (2nd Surah) - Would the Servants be Accountable for What They Conceal in Their Hearts – www.qtafsir.com
[5] Sahih Muslim 129
[6] The Risale-i-Nur Collection, The Words - The Reconstruction of Islamic Belief and Thought - Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, The Twentieth Word 

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