If one intends to do an evil deed but is unable to do so, is the evil deed recorded against him?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This questioner says: If one intends to do an evil deed but is unable to do it due to incapacity, does he sin and is the evil deed recorded against him?
Answer:
If his intention is that if he were able to do it, he would do it, then an evil deed is recorded against him. If he leaves it off due to incapacity and his intention is that if he were able to do it, he would do it, then an evil deed is recorded against him. Yes. But if he is unable to do it and repents to Allah, saying, "Praise be to Allah, I was not able to do it," and this is his state, then a good deed is recorded for him. Yes.
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This questioner says: If one intends to do an evil deed but is unable to do it due to incapacity, does he sin and is the evil deed recorded against him?
Answer:
If his intention is that if he were able to do it, he would do it, then an evil deed is recorded against him. If he leaves it off due to incapacity and his intention is that if he were able to do it, he would do it, then an evil deed is recorded against him. Yes. But if he is unable to do it and repents to Allah, saying, "Praise be to Allah, I was not able to do it," and this is his state, then a good deed is recorded for him. Yes.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، [438 -858] من أراد فعل سيئة وعجز عنها، هل تكتب له سيئة؟ - الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.