How to reconcile the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : The sixth question concerns the generality of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 8:300. From what I have learned from you, this hadith remains in its generality, but I have encountered some issues that I hope you will answer. Among them is the statement of al-Hafiz in *Fath al-Bari*, Volume 1, page 90, regarding the Imam al-Nawawi’s comment on the verse: [Al-Baqarah 2:225]. It is evidence for the correct school of thought that actions of the heart are subject to accountability if they become settled. As for the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 8:300, it is understood to apply when they have not become settled. I said: It is possible to argue for this from the generality of his saying: , that belief is an action of the heart.
The Shaykh : Is there room for the apparent meaning to be considered?
The questioner : Yes, that is the reality; we remain with the apparent meaning.[An-Nur 24:19] And among the conditions established in some hadiths regarding non-accountability is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the Qudsi hadith: . And among them is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Muslim 2553a. And among them is: the establishment of prohibition in matters that are neither speech nor action, such as loving what Allah hates, hating what Allah loves, arrogance, self-admiration, envy, and having bad thoughts about a Muslim without cause. Please inform us, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : I have a general answer and a detailed one. The general answer is that one must stop at every paragraph or every piece of evidence cited to prove that a Muslim is held accountable for actions of the heart. Let us begin with the general answer: I say that an action of the heart is either a purely mental action that is not associated with an action that is known in the Shari'ah to be a sin. In the first case, the mental action is a belief. If this belief contradicts the Shari'ah, there is no doubt that a person is held accountable for this belief that has settled in his heart, as stated in some expressions transmitted from al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar. This is different from when the belief is merely a fleeting thought or impulse, for which one is not held accountable no matter what it is. However, if it settles in his heart and he adopts it, he is held accountable for it. As for when the mental action is associated with a physical action of the limbs, and it occurs to him to perform this action but he does not do so, this is the type to which the well-known hadiths apply, among which is:Sunan an-Nasa'i 3435Sahih (Darussalam). This phrase Sunan an-Nasa'i 3435Sahih (Darussalam) clarifies that what Allah has pardoned is what has settled in the heart that is associated with a physical action. So, if he does not act or speak, there is no accountability. But if a person believes in a belief and it settles in his heart, he is held accountable for it. The evidence listed in the question is understood in this light, and in my opinion, this resolves the issue.
Indeed, Allah has pardoned my Ummah for what their souls have whispered to them, as long as they do not speak of it or act upon it
إنَّ الله تجاوز لأمَّتي عمَّا حدَّثَتْ به أنفسها ؛ ما لم تكلَّم به أو تعملbut He imposes blame upon you for what your hearts have earned
وَلَكِنْ يُؤَاخِذُكُمْ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْIndeed, Allah has pardoned my Ummah for what their souls have whispered to them, as long as they do not speak of it or act upon it
إن الله تجاوز لأمتي عما حدثت به أنفسها ما لم تكلم به أو تعملal-Hafiz
الحافظor act upon it
أو تعملThe Shaykh : Is there room for the apparent meaning to be considered?
The questioner : Yes, that is the reality; we remain with the apparent meaning.
Indeed, those who like that immorality should be spread [or publicized] among those who have believed will have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُحِبُّونَ أَنْ تَشِيعَ الْفَاحِشَةُ فِي الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِHe only left it because of my intercession or for my sake
إنما تركَها من جرَّائي أو من أجليvice is what rankles in your heart and that you disapprove that people should come to know of it.
الإثم ما حاك في صدرك وكرهت أن يطَّلعَ عليه الناسThe Shaykh : I have a general answer and a detailed one. The general answer is that one must stop at every paragraph or every piece of evidence cited to prove that a Muslim is held accountable for actions of the heart. Let us begin with the general answer: I say that an action of the heart is either a purely mental action that is not associated with an action that is known in the Shari'ah to be a sin. In the first case, the mental action is a belief. If this belief contradicts the Shari'ah, there is no doubt that a person is held accountable for this belief that has settled in his heart, as stated in some expressions transmitted from al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar. This is different from when the belief is merely a fleeting thought or impulse, for which one is not held accountable no matter what it is. However, if it settles in his heart and he adopts it, he is held accountable for it. As for when the mental action is associated with a physical action of the limbs, and it occurs to him to perform this action but he does not do so, this is the type to which the well-known hadiths apply, among which is:
Allah, the Most High, has forgiven my Ummah for whatever enters the mind, so long as it is not spoken of or put into action.
إنَّ الله تجاوَزَ لي عن أمَّتي ما حدَّثَتْ به أنفسها ما لم تتكلَّمْ أو تعمَلْ بهso long as it is not spoken of or put into action
ما لم تتكلَّمْ أو تعمَلْ
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.