My soul tempts me to do an evil deed or say something bad, but in many instances I do not express the word or perform the act. Am I sinful for this?
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The questioner : My soul tempts me to do an evil deed or say something bad, but in many instances I do not express the word or perform the act. Am I sinful for this?
The Shaykh : If a person’s soul tempts him to do a forbidden act, whether that is leaving an obligatory act or doing a forbidden act, but he abandons this temptation and does what is obligatory upon him and leaves what is forbidden upon him, then he is rewarded for this abandonment that occurred from him, because his abandonment of it is for the sake of Allah. It is established in the authentic hadith:.
Here, it is necessary to distinguish regarding the one who leaves the forbidden act: is he rewarded or not rewarded?
We say: The one who leaves the forbidden act does not escape from one of three states:
Either he leaves it due to his inability to do it, while performing the causes that lead to it. In this case, he is recorded as having done it, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 2888b They said: O Messenger of Allah, this is the killer, so what about the one who was killed? He said: Sahih al-Bukhari 6875.
The second state: He leaves the forbidden act out of fear of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and awe of Him. In this case, this abandonment is recorded for him as a complete good deed because he left it for the sake of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
The third state: He leaves the forbidden act because it did not occur to his mind and he did not intend it at all. In this case, it is neither for him nor against him, meaning he has no reward and no sin.
There is a fourth state: He leaves the forbidden act due to his inability to do it, but he did not perform the causes that would lead him to it; rather, he only intends and wishes for it. In this case, the sin is upon him to the extent of his intention, and it is not like the one who performed the causes and exerted effort and acted, but was unable to do it. Rather, this person is less than the first one we mentioned.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, Shaykh Muhammad, and magnify your reward. Our dear listening brothers, our meeting was with Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih ibn Uthaymeen.
The Shaykh : If a person’s soul tempts him to do a forbidden act, whether that is leaving an obligatory act or doing a forbidden act, but he abandons this temptation and does what is obligatory upon him and leaves what is forbidden upon him, then he is rewarded for this abandonment that occurred from him, because his abandonment of it is for the sake of Allah. It is established in the authentic hadith:
That whoever intends to do a bad deed and does not do it, a complete good deed is recorded for him because he left it for the sake of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
أن من هم بسيئة فلم يعملها كتبت حسنة كاملة لأنه تركها لله عز وجلHere, it is necessary to distinguish regarding the one who leaves the forbidden act: is he rewarded or not rewarded?
We say: The one who leaves the forbidden act does not escape from one of three states:
Either he leaves it due to his inability to do it, while performing the causes that lead to it. In this case, he is recorded as having done it, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
When two Muslims confront each other with their swords, both the slayer and the slain are doomed to Hell-Fire.
إذا التقى المسلمان بسيفيهما فالقاتل والمقتول في النارThe killed one was eager to kill his opponent.
لإنه كان حريصاً على قتل صاحبهThe second state: He leaves the forbidden act out of fear of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and awe of Him. In this case, this abandonment is recorded for him as a complete good deed because he left it for the sake of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
The third state: He leaves the forbidden act because it did not occur to his mind and he did not intend it at all. In this case, it is neither for him nor against him, meaning he has no reward and no sin.
There is a fourth state: He leaves the forbidden act due to his inability to do it, but he did not perform the causes that would lead him to it; rather, he only intends and wishes for it. In this case, the sin is upon him to the extent of his intention, and it is not like the one who performed the causes and exerted effort and acted, but was unable to do it. Rather, this person is less than the first one we mentioned.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, Shaykh Muhammad, and magnify your reward. Our dear listening brothers, our meeting was with Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih ibn Uthaymeen.