and if he intends to do a good deed and does it, God enters it for him in His record as ten to seven hundred and many more times as much. If anyone intends to do an evil deed and does not do it, God enters it for him in His record as a complete good deed; but if he intends to do it and does it, God records it for him as one evil deed.”(Bukhari and Muslim.)
The Divine Economy of Deeds
This noble hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, also recorded in Mishkat al-Masabih 2374, reveals the profound mercy and justice of Allah in His accounting of human actions. It demonstrates that divine recompense operates on principles of boundless generosity for good and strict justice for evil.
The Multiplication of Good Deeds
When a believer forms the intention (niyyah) for a good deed and subsequently performs it, Allah records it as ten to seven hundredfold or even more. This multiplication reflects Allah's infinite generosity (jud). The variation in reward depends on the sincerity of intention, the difficulty of the act, and its benefit to creation.
Scholars explain that the minimum multiplication of tenfold is guaranteed, while higher multiples are granted based on circumstances. The phrase "many more times as much" indicates that Allah's bounty knows no mathematical limit when He wishes to honor His servant.
The Mercy in Abandoning Evil
If a person intends an evil deed but refrains from executing it purely for Allah's sake, Allah records it as a complete good deed. This demonstrates extraordinary divine mercy, rewarding the struggle (mujahadah) against one's base desires. The reward is granted not for the evil intention itself, but for the act of abandoning it out of fear and reverence for Allah.
The Justice in Recorded Evil
When one both intends and commits an evil deed, Allah records it as a single evil deed. This reflects divine justice ('adl), as Allah does not multiply evil deeds as He multiplies good. The recording of only one evil deed despite the combination of evil intention and action also contains an element of mercy, limiting the punishment.
Scholarly Insights
Imam al-Nawawi comments that this hadith establishes the superiority of intention over mere action. The reward for abandoning evil intention demonstrates that spiritual struggle is itself worship.
Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali notes that the recording of a complete good deed for abandoning evil shows that restraining the soul from what it desires for Allah's sake is among the greatest deeds.
This teaching encourages believers to cultivate pure intentions and to struggle against evil impulses, knowing that both positive action and righteous restraint are richly rewarded in Allah's divine economy.