8.11. SELF-SPEECH AND DEVILISH INSINUATION
This is why he said: “Allah has overlooked for my nation that which their souls tell them as long as they do not speak or act.” This overlooking only concerns the nation of Muhammad: the believers in Allah, the angels, the Books, the Messengers, and the Last Day, so the wording of the hadith only pertains to things that do not ne- gate the very foundation of one’s faith; after all, a person who has negated his faith is not really a member of Muhammad’s nation but a hypocrite, and nothing necessitates the overlooking of the self- talk and inclinations of a hypocrite. The clear difference between the two can be derived from the hadith, and once we understand this, we can reconcile all the texts.
This is similar to the texts of the Book and the Sunnah which state that Allah overlooks the errors and forgetfulness of this nation; if one’s faith is sound, his errors, forgetfulness, and self-talk are over- looked, just as he is exempted from Hell because of that. This is not the case with those who have no faith, for the texts do not state that they are not rebuked for their self-talk, errors, and forgetfulness. A report narrated by Abu Shaykh al-Asbahanl in al-Amthal from the expedient narrations of Thabit al-Bunanl states: “A believer’s intention is better than his action.”Ibn al-Qayyim related this in the discussion about intention (niyyah) through a number of chains attributed to the Prophet an concluded that the report is weak. Allah knows best.
This is because a believer is rewarded for his intention alone, as intentions treated like actions if nothing but inability stands in the way of turning them into action. This applies to most good deeds. Bodily action, on the other hand, are dependent on ability to act, and as such, are but a little. This applies to good deeds. Bodily actions,on the other hand, are dependent on ability to act, and as such, are but a little. This is why one of the Salaf said: ‘The strength of the believer lies in his heart and his weakness is in his body. The hypocrite’s strength is in his body and his weakness is in his heart.
The following words of Allah point to this foundation:
“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’’. (al-Baqarah (2): 284)
Some of the Salaf have said that this verse was abrogated. Bukhari related this in his Sahih from Marwan al-Asghar who narrated it from a man from the Prophet’s companions Ibn ‘Umar (radiyAllahu “anhuma). The Salaf defined abrogation in a broader sense than the later generations; to them it meant the complete nullification of the meaning, even if that meaning used to specify something general or qualify something unqualified, for eample. This is well-known about them. Others denied the abrogation on the basis that there is no evidence to support it. Some claimed that since the verse is informatory it cannot be abrogated, but this was rejected on the basis that this is information about a legal ruling, which is just like an informatory sentence that signifies command or prohibition.
Those who hold that the verse is abrogated say that it was replaced by the ayab that comes after it:
“Allah does not burden a soul more than its capacity.” (al-Baqarah (2): 286)
Muslim relates this about this verse from Anas (radiyAllah ‘anhu) in his Sahlh. Accordingly, the actions that are disregarded are explained in the hadiths, and they are the inclinations and self-talk related to actions they are able to do, as long as they do not speak or act. Mistakes, forgetfulness, and actions someone else forces them to do are included in this as well. Ibn Majah and others narrate with a hasan chain: “Allah has overlooked for my nation their mistakes, forgetfulness, and that which they are compelled to do.”
The truth is, however, that Allah’s words:
“Whether you show what is within yourselves or conceal it.’’ (al-Baqarah (2): 2840
do not mean that a person is punished for these things; rather, he is called to account for them, which does not necessarily mean that he is punished. This is why Allah says:
“Then He will forgive whom He wills and punish whom He wins’ (al-Baqarah (2): 284)
This verse does not mean that He might forgive or punish for no reason and for no prior action, nor does it mean that He forgives everything or punishes for everything. This said, He does not punish the believers and does not forgive polytheism unless one repents.
The most important thing here is to distinguish between what forms the foundations of faith and what negates it, and also between what one abstains from in spite of being able to act and what he abstains from because of inability. These two differences are the criterion in these matters of ambiguity.
We conclude after these details that the whole dispute is a result of their notion that there exists a certain resolve that never leads to action, while the truth is that this can only be when action is connected to resolve but inability prevents it from taking place. This, however, is not certain will, for it is not possible for one to have certain will to do what he is unable to do. This is because certain will inevitably leads one to do whatever he can of the first steps of the desired action, even if that action itself does not occur.
If one analyses himself, he finds that the seeking, desire and will to act is stronger when he is actually able to act and weaker during moments of inability. His inability to speak is not always equal with his inability to act, nor is he equally unable to utter things by accident or make facial expressions that signify cheerfulness, frowning, welcoming, and scorning. These and other similar actions of the limbs result in blame and punishment or praise and reward.
Some people assume there exists a certain resolve that never leads to action, but this can only be when inability occurs afterwards due to death or something else. So as you can see, they are calling the planning of a future action a certain resolution. With this is mind, there should be no dispute regarding the words we use for things; after all, some people differentiate between the words ‘azm (resolve) and qasd (intention), saying that qasd is that which accompanies the action while ‘azm comes before it, and others say they mean the same thing. Another dispute that goes back to the usage of words is their dispute over whether Allah’s will to do something in the future is called ‘azm (resolve) or not.
If a person is determined to do something in the future, he must renew his will when it is time to act. This is not his previous resolve but the will that necessitates the occurrence of the action as long as one is able.
They also dispute whether action must occur in the presence of ability and will and mention two opinions about that,the most correct of which is that ability and complete will necessitate the occurrence of what one is able to do, and will accompanied by ability necessitate the occurrence of the will.
One party of the dispute wants to affirm punishment for every type of resolve to act in the future, even that which does not lead to action, and the other wishes to affirm that none of it, even will that is certain, is punishable. Both also assume that one (certain will), can exist without resulting into action, and both have failed to view the matter with moderation.
Once we know that certain will accompanied by ability always results in action, we know that as far as reward and punishment are concerned, a person with this will and ability is just like a person who has done the willed action all the way. If a deed that is within one’s ability does not occur, there is no certain will to act; this is the inclination that is overlooked. With this understanding, we can reconcile all the texts and foundational principles.
After this, there are many issues to discuss regarding the conflicting desires that occur in the heart. One may entertain conflicting beliefs or desire two opposite things such as when the soul desires to sin but the heart hates it. One can also experience self-talk that entails unbelief while seeking refuge from it. Indeed, the companions of Allahs Messenger were bothered by this and told him: ‘Some of us notice within themselves such thought that they would rather burn to ashes or fall down from the sky than utter them!’’ The Prophet said: ‘That is manifest faith.’’ Muslim related this from Ibn Ms’ud (radiyAllah ‘anhu) and Abu Hurayrah (radiyAllah ‘anhu). The same hadith says: ‘Praised be God who restricted his plot to mere insinuation.’’
When I wrote this answer, I had no books with me that I could refer to. I say this because this topic has been dealt with extensively. In any case, as we can see, when these devilish insinuations were accompanied by abhorrence, it was a sign of evident pure and unadulterated faith. After all, the hypocrites and unbelievers do not feel such abhorrence when they experience these insinuations, and an unbeliever who shuns the Prophet’s message in spite of not being convinced that it is false might not experience these whispers at all. That is simply because suggestions to abandon one’s faith are only needed (by the devil) when one has something to abandon; if he has nothing to necessitate faith, nothing is needed to negate it. As for an unbeliever who attests that Islam is a false religion, his unbelief is greater than these insinuations as he has no faith whatsoever that could make him dislike them.
Since all believers are subject to these insinuations, Allah, Most High, says:
“He sends down from the sky, rain, and valleys flow ac- cording to their capacity, and the torrent carries a rising foam. And from that [ore] which they heat in the fire, desiring adornments and utensils, is a foam like it.” (al-Ra’d (13): 17)
Here, Allah compares the faith and the Qur’an that are sent down to us with the water that flows in the valleys; the hearts are like the valleys, some big and some small. It occurs in the Two Sahih that Abu Musa (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) narrates from the Prophet: ‘An example of the guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is that of a rain that falls on the land. One land is good; it accepts water and produces vegetation and grass in plenty. Another land is dry with a solid bed that reserves water so that people can drink and irrigate with it. The third kind is porous land that can neither retain water nor produce vegetation. This is an example of those who gain understanding of Allah’s religion and whom Allah benefits with the guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me. It is also an example of those who do not take heed and do not accept Allah’s guidance with which i was sent.’’ ‘This is one of the examples.
The other example is that they heat in the fire the ore of gold, silver, and other metals desiring adornments and utensils. Allah tells us that the torrent carries a rising foam, and that a foam like it comes from the ore which they heat in the fire, desiring adorn- ments and utensils. Then He says:
“Thus God presents (the example of ) truth and falsehood. As for the foam” (al-Ra’d (13): 17)
That rises from the water and from that which is heated, it is like the doubt and confusion about creed and the bad desires thatsometimes occur in the hearts of the believers, which is what the companions complained about to the Prophet. Then Allah, Most High, says:
“It vanishes, (being) cast off ’ (al-Ra’d (13): 17)
The heart casts off these ill thoughts just like the water casts off the foam
“but as for that which benefits the people, it remains on the earth” (al-Ra’d (13): 17)
just like the certainty and faith that resides in the heart. Allah says:
‘’An example, (making) a good word like a good tree.” (Ibrahim (14): 24)
till His words:
“Allah keeps those who believe, with the firm word, in worldly life and in the Hereafter. And Allah sends astray the wrongdoers. And Allah does what He wills.”(Ibrahim (14): 27)
Every time a believer rejects the thoughts of unbelief (kufr) and hypocrisy (nifaq) that occur in his heart, his faith (Iman) becomes more and more certain (yaqiri), just as he increases in piety and God- consciousness (taqwa) each time he hates a sin suggested by his soul and negates it and abstains for the sake of Allah.
The hypocrite, on the other hand, does not hate the whims and opinions of hypocrisy that occur to him nor negates them because only the sin of unbelief is found in him with no trace of the goodness of faith that could repel and negate them. Both faith and hypocrisy are presented to the heart of man, and both of them can overcome it.
The Prophet’s words (as occurs in some wordings of the hadith in the Sahlh): “Allah has overlooked for my nation that which their souls whisper or tell them”are restricted to the believers. As such, it does not concern those who only look like Muslims but harbor hypocrisy inside. There have been plenty of such people in the past and there are plenty in the present, but in these later times, they seem more religious than in the past in some places. In any case, if one manifests faith sincerely and avoids what negates and weakens it, the inclinations that he could follow up with speech or action are overlooked, but nothing else, as indicated by the hadith.
Thisbeingsaid,the two categories of theheart’sactionsforwhicha person is either rewarded or punished are not included in this hadith. His words: “Whoever is inclined to do a good deed” and “whoever is inclined to do an evil deed’’ only apply to the believers who plan to do a good or a bad deed that they are able to do and either to it or not. This is because the Prophet informed us that a good deed is multiplied seven hundredfold or even much more. This only concerns those who do their good deeds for the sake of Allah:
“The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah.” (al-Baqarah (2): 261)
And
“seeking means to the approval of Allah” (al-Baqarah (2): 265)
And
‘’But only seeking the countenance of his Lord, most high’’ (al-Layl (92): 20)
So this is for the believers only. The unbelievers have not been promised such a multiplication of good deeds, though Allah may feed them in this world and lighten their punishment in the After-life for the good they have done. Indeed, the punishment of Abu Talib was lightened because of the good that he did for the Prophet and because of the Prophet intercession (shifa’ah) for him. This qualification occurs in another hadith which states that the ruling only applies to a Muslim who’s islam is good. And, exalted be he, knows best.
All Praise and Thanks belongs to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and may the Peace and Blessing of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad and his Family and Companions.
By Shaykhu’l-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah
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