Intending to Perform a Good or an Evil Deed

إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى جَعَلَ لآِدَمَ فِي ذُرِّيَّتِهِ مَنْ هَمَّ بِحَسَنَةٍ وَ لَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا كُتِبَتْ لَهُ حَسَنَةٌ وَ مَنْ هَمَّ بِحَسَنَةٍ وَ عَمِلَهَا كُتِبَتْ لَهُ بِهَا عَشْراً وَ مَنْ هَمَّ بِسَيِّئَةٍ وَ لَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا لَمْ تُكْتَبْ عَلَيْهِ سَيِّئَةٌ وَ مَنْ هَمَّ بِهَا وَ عَمِلَهَا كُتِبَتْ عَلَيْهِ سَيِّئَةٌ.

“Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High, set for Adam in his offspring the following rules about their deeds: whoever intends to perform a good deed but does not do it, still (the reward for) one good deed will be written for him. Whoever intends to perform a good deed and actually performs it, (the reward for) ten goo

إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ لَيَهُمُّ بِالْحَسَنَةِ وَ لَا يَعْمَلُ بِهَا فَتُكْتَبُ لَهُ حَسَنَةٌ وَ إِنْ هُوَ عَمِلَهَا كُتِبَتْ لَهُ عَشْرُ حَسَنَاتٍ وَ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ‌ لَيَهُمُّ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ أَنْ يَعْمَلَهَا فَلَا يَعْمَلُهَا فَلَا تُكْتَبُ عَلَيْهِ.

“A believer may intend to perform a good deed but does not do it, still (the reward for) one good deed will be written for him and if he actually completes it, (the reward for) ten good deeds will be written in his favor. A believer may intend to commit an evil deed but if he does not do it, nothing will be written aga

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْمَلَكَيْنِ هَلْ يَعْلَمَانِ بِالذَّنْبِ إِذَا أَرَادَ الْعَبْدُ أَنْ يَفْعَلَهُ أَوِ الْحَسَنَةِ فَقَالَ رِيحُ الْكَنِيفِ وَ رِيحُ الطِّيبِ سَوَاءٌ[1] قُلْتُ لَا قَالَ إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا هَمَّ بِالْحَسَنَةِ خَرَجَ نَفَسُهُ طَيِّبَ الرِّيحِ فَقَالَ صَاحِبُ الْيَمِينِ لِصَاحِبِ الشِّمَالِ قُمْ‌[2] فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ هَمَّ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَإِذَا فَعَلَهَا كَانَ لِسَانُهُ قَلَمَهُ وَ رِيقُهُ مِدَادَهُ فَ

“Once I asked him (a.s.) if the two angels know the sin or good deed that a servant (of Allah) may intend to perform. The Imam said, ‘Are the smell of a trash collection site and a sweet smelling substance the same?’ I said, ‘No, they are not the same.’ The Imam said, ‘Whenever a servant (of Allah) intends to perform a

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ أَرْبَعٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيهِ لَمْ يَهْلِكْ عَلَى اللَّهِ بَعْدَهُنَّ إِلَّا هَالِكٌ‌[4]- يَهُمُّ الْعَبْدُ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَيَعْمَلُهَا فَإِنْ هُوَ لَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَهُ حَسَنَةً بِحُسْنِ نِيَّتِهِ وَ إِنْ هُوَ عَمِلَهَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَهُ عَشْراً وَ يَهُمُّ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ أَنْ يَعْمَلَهَا فَإِنْ لَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا لَمْ يُكْتَبْ عَلَيْهِ شَيْ‌

‘The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘If four things are found in a person Allah will not allow his destruction to take place unless he is one of those doomed to destruction: (1) a servant (of Allah) intends to perform a good deed and actually does it, (2) even if he does not do it Allah still writes for him one good deed