8.6. THE SERVANT BETWEEN PLANNING AND DOING
It is clear by what has preceded that the hadiths that differentiate between a much inclined and an acting persons as well as other similar texts all refer to inclination that is not on the level of certain will that necessitates action. It occurs in the Two Sahihs, in the hadith narrated by Abu Raja’ al-Ttaridl from Ibn ‘Abbas (radiyAllahu related from his Lord, the Holy and Kanhuma), that the Prophet Exalted: “Allah wrote the good and the bad deeds and then clarified the matter: for him who is much inclined towards doing a good deed but does not do it, Allah writes a complete good deed with Him. If he is inclined towards it and does it as well, Allah writes it as ten good deeds with Him. Similarly, for him who is much inclined towards a bad deed but does not do it, Allah writes a complete good deed, and if he is inclined towards it and also does it, Allah writes it with him as a single bad deed for him. Another similar narration occurs in the Two Sahihs as well, namely the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (radiyAllahu ‘anhu).
What is categorized here are the states of a man who is able to act, which is why He said: “and does if and “but does not do it This said, whoever is able to act but does not act, his will is not certain. This is because logic dictates that action must occur when certain will and ability to act are combined, as explained earlier. This is enough to bring about action and in fact necessitates it. Were it otherwise, certain will and ability would not suffice,but it is common knowledge and an observed fact that they do suffice.
That being said, there is no doubt that inclination, resolve, will, and other such states are sometimes certain and thus always lead to action if one is able to act and other times not. With the latter, a distinction must be made between a person who wants to do and a person who does. In fact, a distinction is even made between a will and another, for will is an action of the heart and the heart is the king of the body. Abu Hurayrah (radiyAllah (anhu) says: “The heart is a king and the limbs are its army. If the king is good, so is the army, and if the king is bad, so is the army.” This is further clarified by what occurs in the Two Sahlhs in the hadith of al-Nu’man Ibn Bashir (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) who narrates that the Prophet said: ‘In the body, there is a piece of flesh; if it is good, the rest of the body for it, but if it is bad, the rest of the body is bad for it. Indeed, it is the heart.
Therefore, if a person plans to do something good but does not do it, he has already done a good deed, which is the planning. It is written for him as a complete good deed because the planning itself is a form of obedience and goodness. It is also commonly understood as such by most people:
I thank you for the good you planned to do. For your planning to do good was goodness itself And I blame you not if it is not destined As things are averted by what is ordained.
If he does do it, Allah writes it for him as ten good deeds because of the aforementioned mercy of rewarding a single good deed tenfold or even seven hundredfold. Allah, Most High, says:
“The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed [of grain] which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains.” [al-Baqarah (2): 261]
It occurs in a sound hadith that the Prophet said to a person who brought a she-camel: ‘You shall have for it on the Day of Resurrection seven hundred haltered she-camels. This, too, can be multiplied greatly, and it has been narrated directly from Abu Hurayrah (radiyAllahu ‘anhu): ‘Indeed, one is given thousands and thousands of good deeds for it.”
As for those who plan to do something wrong but end up not doing it, Allah does not write it against them, as said by the Prophet in the sound hadith. It makes no difference whether one calls this will or resolve or not; if one is able and determined to act but then refrains,his will is not certain.This is in agreement with the Prophet’s words in a sound hadith, namely the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) which says: “Allah has overlooked for my nation that which their souls tell them as long as they do not speak or act by it.”
If a person is fully able to say or do something and plans it but then does nothing after all, his will to act on his inclination was not certain. These are things that Allah does not write against the servant, as testified by the words: “He who plans to do an evil deed and then does not do it.”Scholars like Ibn ‘Abdu’l Barr who reported a scholarly consensus on this matter (which has been derived from the aforementioned hadlth) are correct.
Regarding a person who plans to sin: if he refrains, he does so either because he fears Allah or due to some other reason. If he refrains because of the former, Allah writes it for him as a complete good deed, as clearly stated in the hadith. It also occurs in another hadith: “Write it as a good deed for him, for he only left it for My sake.” If he refrains due to some other reason, no evil deed is written against him as occurs in the hadith: “If he does not do it, it is not written against him.”All the hadiths on the matter thus complement each other.
Then, if he does indeed go ahead and commits the sin, Allah writes it as a single evil deed, for Allah does not multiply sins without the sinner actually committing them multiple times. He only takes a servant into account in the afterlife for what he actually did, and Hell is only filled with humans and jinns who follow Iblis. Allah, Most High, says:
“(That) I will surely fill Hell with you and those of them that follow you all together..” (Sad (38): 85)
It occurs in the Two Sahlhs in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah and Anas (radhiyAllahu ‘anhuma): “There shall remain space in Paradise, so Allah created people for it in the Afterlife. As for the Fire, its parts will draw together till He places His foot on it and it is filled with the followers of Iblis.”
For this reason, the affirmed view of upright Imams like Ahmad is that one should refrain from saying anything certain about the destiny of children whose parents were polytheists one cannot be certain that a specific child is in Paradise or Hell and should instead say what the Prophet said in the two sound hadiths of Abu Hurayrah (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) and Ibn (Abbas (radi Allahu ‘anhuma): “Allah knows best what they would have done.” The hadith of Abu Hurayrah (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) can be found in the Two Sahihs and the hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas (radhiyAllahu ‘anhuma) is in Bukhari.
Samura Ibn Jundub (radiyAllah ‘anhu) narrates in a hadith related by Bukhari: “Some of them shall enter the Fire,”while a sound hadith also states that: “Some of the will enter Paradise.”The same is indicated by the story found in Sahih Muslim where Khidr slays a boy. All of this affirms the wording of the various narrations which indicate that these children will be tested on the Day of Resurrection and they appear as Allah knows them to really be, after which He rewards them for their obedience and sins. This is what al-Aslfari relates from Ahl al-Sunnah and hadith and also what he himself deemed correct.
As for the leaders of misguidance and their ilk who all get the sins of those whom they lead astray, we have explained that the reason behind their punishment is their certain will and ability to act. The said in the hadith of Abu Kabshah (radiyAllahu anhu): “They are equal in sin,”and: “He who calls to misguidance gets the reward of his followers.” Because of their certain will and ability to act, it is as if they do the actions of their followers themselves. As for he who plans and is able to do an evil deed but then refrains, such a person does not really have certain will to act. If he does commit the sin, it is only written as a single evil deed, as testified by the clear text.
We now understand the stance of the Imams reflected in the words of Imam Ahmad: ‘Inclination (hamm) is of two types: inclination of suggestive ideas (khatarat) and inclination of persistence (israr). Inclinations of suggestive ideas occur to an able person, but a person whose inclination is definitely persistent will inevitably act.’
The first type of inclination is what Yusuf falayhis-salam) had; Allah, Most High, says:
“and he would have inclined to her had he not seen the proof (i.e., sign) of his Lord.” (Yusuf (12): 24)
As for the inclination of the woman who attempted to seduce him, it is said that it was the inclination of persistence because she did everything she could to achieve her goal. Similarly, Allah says about the hypocrites:
“and planned that which they were not to attain..” (al-Tawbah (9): 74)
This inclination of theirs is blameworthy, so Allah rebuked them for it.Such inclinations sare bad even if they are not certain,as we will explain in the last part of the answer in the discussion about what contradicts faith and what does not.
Similarly, if one is eager to commit a sin and has certain will to act but is then taken by inability, he is like a person who has committed the sin and gets punished accordingly. This is proven by the hadlth of Abu Kabshah (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) and also another sahih hadith which states: “When two Muslims confront each other with their swords, both the slayer and the slain are in the Fire.” It was then said: “This is the slayer, but what did the one slain do?” and the Prophet replied:“He was eager to kill his companion.”Another report says: “He wanted to kill his companion.’
The will mentioned in this hadith is eagerness, which here refers to certain will. This certain will was accompanied by the ability to act, which in the man’s case was the ability to fight and kill, but he proved unable. This is not the type of evil inclination that is not written against a person.
The same cannot be said of a person who merely says: “If I would have what so and so has, I would do what he does.” This is simply because the punishment for merely expressing one’s longing for major sins is not like the punishment for actually committing them; there must be something else than mere speech. The Prophet did not say that the person is punished for his words but said that they are equal in sin.
Based on this, his words: “Allah has overlooked for my nation that which their souls tell them as long as they do not act on it or speak of it”do not contradict the fact that certain will (to sin) which inevitably leads to action is subject to punishment. Certain will is that which always leads to whatever a person is able to do; if one’s will does not lead to this action, it is not certain. For example, if a person wants to commit adultery or theft or is inclined to drink wine and his will is certain, it is inevitable that his will leads him to act to the best of his ability, even if just by taking him a step closer to the sin.Consequently, a thief might move closer to the location of stolen money, an adulterer might observe, listen, and speak to the object of adultery, and a drinker might order some wine and touch the vessel. If one’s will is certain, the first steps of the sin will always be there in some shape or form.
In fact, the first steps can occur even without certain will, as mentioned by the Prophet in the agreed upon hadith: “The eyes adultery is looking. The tongue commits adultery; its adultery is talking. The hand commits adultery, its adultery striking.Thele Commits Adultery its adultery is walking. The heart longs and desires, and the private part affirms or denies it.’’
It also occurs in the agreed upon hadith of Abu Bakrah (radiyAllahu ‘anhu): “When two Muslims confront each other with their swords, both the slayer and the slain are in the Fire.” It was then said: “O Messenger of Allah, this is the slayer, but what did the slain do?” and the Prophet replied: “He wanted to kill his companion.” Another report states: “He was eager to kill his companion.”
This man wanted this with certain will and did whatever he could to achieve it, but could not act due to inability. He did not merely plan or have resolve to act in the future, so he became deserving of the Fire. As we have said before, if one has certain will and does whatever he can, he is just like a person who has done the deed completely.
We have now mentioned that if one has a certain will, he will necessarily do whatever he can to achieve the will or at least do a part of it. If he does not do what he can, his will is not certain. It may also be that a person had certain will to do what he did but did not have it regarding the actions he could have done but decided not to do. For example, a person may commit the first steps of adultery, like touching and kissing, but refrains from the greatest atrocity. This says in the sahih hadith of Abu Hurayrah (imdijAllah ‘anhu): “The eye commits adultery, the ear commits adultery, and the tongue commits adultery..’ until his words: “and the heart longs and desires,”i.e. it longs for intercourse and desires it. Note that he did not say: “(the heart) wants,” as mere desire and longing does not comprise a certain will, and as such do not inevitably lead to action. Thus, one is not punished for desiring and longing until he wants with certain will and is able to act. Certain will is what the private part affirms.
A hadith narrated by Ibn Mas’ud (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) in the Two Sahlhs states: “A man kissed a woman and then went to the Messenger of Allah and told him what happened. Then Allah revealed:
“And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds.’’ (Hud (11): 114)
The man asked: ‘Is this for me?’ and the Prophet said: ‘It is for whoever acts upon it from my nation.’’
This man and those with similar circumstances must in most cases worry about the greater sin, as stated by the Prophet: “The heart longs and desires, and the private part affirms or denies it.” His will to kiss, however, was certain, so due to being accompanied by ability, it resulted in actually kissing. As for his will to have intercourse, it might have been uncertain or it might have been certain but he was unable to act. What seems to be the case with this man whom the ayah talks about is that he was able to act but decided not to.
The answer sought here is the distinction of Ahnad and others between the inclination of suggestive ideas and the inclination of persistence. If nothing but sheer inability prevents one from acting, he will inevitably take some of those first steps towards the sin as best as he can. If he does commit the sin and is determined to commit it again, he is considered persistent. This is what Ibn al- Mubarak was referring to when he said: ‘A persistent sinner is he who drinks wine today and then stops for a month.’’Another report says: ‘And then stops for thirty years.’’ This concerns someone who intends to drink again he can.
A person may also be considered a persistent sinner if he is determined to abstain from sinning at some specific times only. One may, for example, have a firm resolve to stop all sinning just for the month of Ramadan. Such a person has not repented at all, but is considered a person who has stopped sinning in Ramadan. As such, he is rewarded if he decides to abstain from the unlawful during this period for the sake of Allah and out of reverence for his sacred rites. Such a person is not an absolutely persistence sinner, but is not among the repentant either who are completely forgiven. As for the person described by Ibn al-Mubarak, he is a persistent sinner as long as he intends to drink again.
I say: a person who stops sinning in Ramadan but intends to sin again after it is also a persistent sinner, but his intention to drink once able is not the same as having an intention to drink while able, as his intention may or may not last all the way to the moment he is able. As for one who has a certain will to drink and nothing but sheer inability stops him, he is punished for his will as mentioned previously.
We have said that acting to best of one’s ability will necessarily fol- low the will of such a person, which clarifies what has been reported from al-Harith al-Muhasibi: he related a consensus that a person who intends to do something is not like a person who actually does it. This consensus is real regarding the person who is able to act, for a person who intends and is able to do something really is not like another who actually does it. As for a person who intends with certain will and does whatever he can, he is like a person who does the act completely.
What further clarifies this is the fact that in the Qur’an, Allah, Exalted and Most High, makes reward and punishment a result or mere will:
“Whoever should desire the immediate We hasten for him from it what We will to whom We intend. Then We have made for him Hell, which he will (enter to) burn, censure and banish.”(al-Isra (17):18)
And
“Whoever desires the life of this world and its adornments we fully repay them for their deeds therein, and they therein will not be deprived. Those are the ones for whom there is not in the Hereafter but the fire.’’(Hud (11): 15-16)
And
“Whoever desires the harvest of the Hereafter We increase for him in his harvest (i.e., reward). And whoever desires the harvest (i.e., benefits) of this world We give him thereof, but there is not for him in the Hereafter any share.” (al-Shura (42): 20)
Here, He makes reward and punishment a result of wanting the fast gain, the worldly life, and the tilth of this world. Allah further says in a verse in Surah Hud.
“Whoever desires the life of this world and its adornments We fully repay them for their deeds therein, and they therein will not be deprived. Those are the ones for whom there is not in the Hereafter but the Fire.” (Hud(11):15-16)
This indicates that they had deeds which were then nullified, and that they were punished for other deeds, and that their will and wanting resulted inevitably into action. When He mentioned wanting the afterlife, He said:
“But whoever desires the Hereafter and exerts the effort due to it while he is a believer.” (al-Isra (17): 19)
This is because even though wanting the afterlife necessitates acting for it, the reward is only granted for the commanded actions, not just for any action, and there must be faith.
Allah also says:
“O Prophet, say to your wives, ‘If you should desire the worldly life and its adornment, then come.”’(al-Ahzab (33): 28)
And
“But if you should desire Allah and His Messenger and the home of the Hereafter.” (al-Ahzab (33): 29)
These ayahs are like the previous verse of Surah Hud., and agree with the Prophet’s words: “When two Muslims confront each other with their swords” after which he : “He wanted to kill says his companion” or: “he was eager to kill his companion.”As we can see, the Prophet mentioned eagerness and will to kill, which inevitably lead to action. This is not related to the hadith of overlooking which says: “Allah has overlooked for my nation that which their souls tell them.”
What stems from this issue is well-known to Ahl al-Sunnah, most of the scholars in general, and some Qadarites. That is the issue of the repentance of those who were unable to act (i.e. commit the sin). This includes such cases of inability as repentance from fornication by a person whose genitals have been cut off, and repentance from theft by one whose hands have been cut off. The majority of the scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah and other groups hold that their repentance is valid, while some Qadarites assume otherwise on the basis that if one is unable to act, he cannot be rewarded for abstaining from acting, and is instead punished for it.
The latter opinion is wrong; the unable person is rewarded and punished according to his will, for, as we have explained, if one has certain will and ability to act, he is like a person who has done the action completely.Therefore,if this unable person does whatever he can with his words and deeds to stay away from things that lead to sin and abandons them completely in his heart, he and the repentant who is able to act are the same. The repentance of those who are unable to fully commit the sin is like the persistence of those who are unable to commit it.
Also among the issues that stem from this is the well-known issue of divorce: if a person divorces his wife within himself with resolve but does not actually utter anything, his divorce is not effective according to the majority of the scholars, though Malik and Ahmad in one of the two reports from him said otherwise. Ahmad and other Imams based the invalidity of such a divorce on the Prophets words: ‘Allah has overlooked for my nation that which their souls tell them.’’ The contenders say: “What is overlooked is self-talk, but being resolute within oneself is not this type of self-talk.”
Their contenders then reply: “He said: ‘As long as they do not speak or act by it,’54 thereby informing us that the overlooking of the self-talk within oneself extends to the point where speech or action takes place. This was mentioned in the beginning of the question as the logic of some people, and it really is good logic. Indeed, if a person with resolute self-talk that does not involve speech or action would be held responsible, it would contradict the clear text.
What is said here is that the hadith concerns the commanded person who is able to speak or act but does neither. As for a person who has certain will and acts to the best of his ability, he is treated like someone who had certain will and did the deed completely. This is proven by the fact that if a mute person and this also applies to those who cannot use their hands or other limbs does whatever he can by making signs and pointing, his signs (and thereby also the rules related to him and his reward, punishment, and other matters) are treated like the speech of a normal person.
Regarding the second angle of the argument,namely the notion that resolve (‘azm) and inclination (hamm) in all their forms come under this overlooked self-talk, this is not true. Saying that certain will necessitates the occurrence of action that leads to reward, punishment, or something else is the correct view, for if both ability and certain will to bring about an action exist, that action will inevitably occur. If full ability does not exist, the first steps of the desired action must occur in one way or another. If no action whatsoever occurs, we are talking about inclination and planning (hamm).
Self-talk [ihadith al-nafs) is not certain will, which is why the texts do not say that such actions of the heart as will (irada), love ‘hubb), hate (bughd), jealousy (hasad), arrogance (kibr), self-amazement (‘ujb) are overlooked. The people who have committed these actions (of the heart) were rebuked and punished because they were complete and true characteristics that turned into speech and action.
This said, the Prophet’s words: “Allah has overlooked for my nation”are of course true, and it is a fact that people are held responsible for their certain wills which inevitably lead to bodily action.
A group of people, however, have said that a certain will does not always lead to action or speech. After this, they debated whether a person who has certain will but does not act is punished or not: al- Qadl Abu Bakr and others who agreed with him like Abu Hamid and Abu’l-Faraj Ibn al-jawzl held that he is punished, but they really have no proof that a person is held responsible if he says or does nothing.
Al-QadI based this on his foundation of faith in which he followed Jahm and al-Salihl, and which is also the known opinion of Abu’l- Hasan al-Astfari. They held that faith is mere affirmation of the heart, even if one should disbelieve with his tongue and slander Allah and His Messenger. The reason behind this is that slandering Allah and His Messenger is only apparent unbelief but is a clear sign that his affirmation in the heart cannot be true in any way.
This foundation is wrong, as evidenced by both the Sharfah and the intellect, and Imams like Wakf Ibn al-Jarrah, Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, and Abu ‘Ubaydah even declared those who viewed faith in this way as unbelievers. The same does not go for the Murji’ah who said that faith is the affirmation of both the heart and the tongue, for even though they were considered innovators,none of the Imams declared them apostates. Faith and related topics have been discussed in detail elsewhere, and it is clear that some people believe in the existence of things while there is nothing to bring them into being, assuming thereby things that do not exist.
By Shaykhu’l-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah
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