The Grace of Allah and His Mercy

I am really sorry my blog for ignoring you this long. Reflection is vital at this point. I need to revisit my intention for starting this blog more than 10 years ago, masya Allah that long. It started as a place for pouring my personal emotion and observation. As years gone by, I don’t feel comfortable exposing myself here anymore. Alhamdulillah I have found the best way of seeking refuge, the same way most Muslims do.

Thus, the need for realigning the intention and direction of this blog. Let this be one of my amal jariah through sharing a minute amount of knowledge that I gain from great teachers. May Allah grant them all the highest of paradise aameen. And may we be able to benefit and practise from my sharing here insya Allah.

I am currently studying Hadeeth 40 of Imam An-Nawawi. This entry is about the 37^th Hadeeth:

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source: http://40hadithnawawi.com/index.php/the-hadiths/hadith-37

On the authority of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), from what he has related from his Lord:

 Verily Allah Ta’ala has written down the good deeds and the evil deeds, and then explained it [by saying]: “Whosoever intended to perform a good deed, but did not do it, then Allah writes it down with Himself as a complete good deed. And if he intended to perform it and then did perform it, then Allah writes it down with Himself as from

ten good deeds up to seven hundred times, up to many times multiplied. And if he intended to perform an evil deed, but did not do it, then Allah writes it down with Himself as a complete good deed. And if he intended it [i.e., the evil deed] and then performed it, then Allah writes it down as one evil deed.”

[Bukhari & Muslim]

This is one of Hadeeth Qudsi. Additional reading about Hadeeth Qudsi here.

What are the differences between ayat from the Holy Quran dan hadeeth qudsi?

• We can’t recite hadith qudsi in solat, because it’s not part of the Holy Quran
• The reward of reciting hadeeth qudsi is not like the reward of reciting quran as stated in the following authentic hadeeth:

 A Muslim will be rewarded for each and every letter he/she reads. In an authentic hadith it was narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever reads a letter from the Allah’s Book, he will be rewarded for it. And that reward will be multiplied by ten. I am not saying that “alif, laam, meem” is one letter, but “alif” is a letter, “laam” is a letter and “meem” is a letter.” (At-Tirmithi)

• Quran is mutawatir (passed on from generation to generation), hadeeth qudsi may not necessarily be
• Quran is preserved and miracle, hadeeth qudsi not necessarily.
• Quran is a miracle and can’t be matched, while it is not the case with Hadeeth Qudsi. 
• Hadeeth Qudsi also subjects to status authenticity

There are discussions among scholars that hadeeth qudsi is actually the paraphrasing of Allah’s words.

Whoever intends to do good…

Intention of doing good requires the following conditions:

•  Not random thoughts
• Rather it’s a resolution

Are a person’s thoughts accountable?

“To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. Whether you show what is within yourselves or conceal it, Allah will bring you to account for it. Then He will forgive whom He wills and punish whom He wills, and Allah is over all things competent.” (Holy Quran 2:284)

However, the next two verses show the great Mercy of Allah Azza Wa Jalla.

“The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], "We make no distinction between any of His messengers." And they say, "We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination."

Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. "Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people." (Holy Quran 2:285-286)

When a bad thought enters the mind…

What to do?

“And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Satan, then seek refuge in Allah . Indeed, He is Hearing and Knowing.” (Holy Quran 7:200)

Seek refuge from Allah from evil thoughts. Don’t entertain the evil thoughts, the more you entertain the more likely you’ll do it.

Intending good but not acting…

• Scenario 1: takes all means necessary to do the action but isn’t successful – rewarded with full good deed

“And whoever emigrates for the cause of Allah will find on the earth many [alternative] locations and abundance. And whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allah and His Messenger and then death overtakes him - his reward has already become incumbent upon Allah. And Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful.” (Holy Quran 4:100)

• Scenario 2: intends to do something good but leaves it and does something better – rewarded for the action done and for the intention of the good deed that was replaced.
• Scenario 3: Intending to do good but leave it out of laziness… (this one really resonates with me T_T) – still rewarded for the good intention, masya Allah! 
• Scenario 4: intending to do good and does it, get 10 times reward.

“Whoever comes [on the Day of Judgement] with a good deed will have ten times the like thereof [to his credit], and whoever comes with an evil deed will not be recompensed except the like thereof; and they will not be wronged.” (Holy Quran 6:160)

Factors that increase one’s reward…

-        Time related, for e.g. Lailatul Qadr and 10 days of Zulhijjah

“The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.” (Holy Quran 97:3)

The Prophet (PBUH) said, “There is no deed that is better in the sight of Allah or more greatly rewarded than a good deed done in the (first) ten days of Al-Adha”. It was asked, “Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah?” The Prophet (PBUH) replied, “Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah, unless a man goes out himself for Jihad taking his wealth with him and does not come back with anything.” Narrated by Al-Bukhari

-          Location-related: Solat in Masjid Al Aqsa, Masjid An-Nabawi and Masjid Al-Haram.

It is narrated by Imaam Ahmad in his Musnad and also by Ibn Maajah and others on the authority of Jaabir r.a. that the Prophet S.A.W said: ''The prayer in my mosque (Al-Madeenah mosque) is better than one thousand prayers in any other mosque with the exception of Al-Haraam mosque, and a prayer in Al-Haraam mosque is better than 100,000 prayers." Husayn (one of the narrators) said: "in other mosques."

-     Type of action: compulsory actions are more important than those which are voluntary.

-       Sincerity in doing the action: the more sincere the greater the reward.

-       Following the way of the Prophet S.A.W, sincerity only is not enough.

Intending to do bad and not doing it…

• Does not do it for fear or love of Allah: rewarded with complete good deed.
• Takes all the means but incapable to do it: bad deed written on the account.
• Doesn’t do it for no reason: nothing bad or good is written.

Summary

In relation to reward, Allah uses the term complete (Kaamilah). While for sin, Allah uses the term single (Waahidah) for the punishment. What do these signify?

• Care of Allah for His slaves.
• It doesn’t mean that all sins are the same (some are worse than others)

Take note that some people give false excuse that they do sin because Allah has written their deeds. Whereas, we are actually given choice to pursue a bad action or a good action.