Jami' at-Tirmidhi
Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3073
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَقَوْلُهُ الْحَقُّ إِذَا هَمَّ عَبْدِي بِحَسَنَةٍ فَاكْتُبُوهَا لَهُ حَسَنَةً فَإِنْ عَمِلَهَا فَاكْتُبُوهَا لَهُ بِعَشْرِ أَمْثَالِهَا وَإِذَا هَمَّ بِسَيِّئَةٍ فَلاَ تَكْتُبُوهَا فَإِنْ عَمِلَهَا فَاكْتُبُوهَا بِمِثْلِهَا فَإِنْ تَرَكَهَا وَرُبَّمَا قَالَ لَمْ يَعْمَلْ بِهَا فَاكْتُبُوهَا لَهُ حَسَنَةً ثُمَّ قَرَأَ : ( مَنْ جَاءَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ عَشْرُ أَمْثَالِهَا ) " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah said: ‘Allah, Exalted and Mighty, whose word is true, says: “When My servant intends to do a good deed, record one good deed for him. If he does it, record it as ten good deeds. When he intends to do an evil deed, do not record it. If he does it, record one evil deed. If he leaves it”—or, he said, “does not do it”—“record one good deed for him.”’ Then the Prophet recited, “Whoever comes with a good deed will have ten like it” (Qur’an 6:160). Abu ‘Isa graded this hadith hasan sahih.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The report distinguishes intention from action: an intended good is rewarded, while an intended evil is not recorded unless done; abandoning it earns a good deed.