What is Sahih Muslim 241 about?

This hadith from Sahih Muslim (Book of The Book of Faith), narrated by It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:, states: "The Great and the Glorious Lord said (to angels): Whenever My bondsman intends to corn it an evil, do not record it against him, but if he actually commits it, then write it as one evil. And when he i…"

Is this hadith authentic?

This hadith is graded Sahih. Sahih hadiths are considered the most authentic grade in hadith classification.

Which collection is this hadith from?

This hadith is from Sahih Muslim, which contains 7,459 hadiths across 57 books. It is hadith number 241 in the Book of The Book of Faith.

I searched for a different number — is this the right hadith?

Hadith numbering varies across editions and translations (USC-MSA, Dar as-Salam, Fath al-Bari, and others). If you followed a link citing a different number but landed here, you may have been redirected to the canonical version in our library. If you were looking for a different hadith entirely, use the search bar to find it by text.

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#240

#241

Sahih Muslim

#242

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Sahih Muslim #241

The Book of Faith

Sahih

The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَزُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، وَإِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لأَبِي بَكْرٍ قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ، وَقَالَ الآخَرَانِ، حَدَّثَنَا - ابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِذَا هَمَّ عَبْدِي بِسَيِّئَةٍ فَلاَ تَكْتُبُوهَا عَلَيْهِ فَإِنْ عَمِلَهَا فَاكْتُبُوهَا سَيِّئَةً وَإِذَا هَمَّ بِحَسَنَةٍ فَلَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا فَاكْتُبُوهَا حَسَنَةً فَإِنْ عَمِلَهَا فَاكْتُبُوهَا عَشْرًا ‏"‏ ‏.‏

The Great and the Glorious Lord said (to angels): Whenever My bondsman intends to corn it an evil, do not record it against him, but if he actually commits it, then write it as one evil. And when he intends to do good but does not do it, then take it down is one act of goodness, but if he does it, then write down ten good deeds (in his record).

Narrated by It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

Context

This hadith illustrates the mercy of Allah regarding human intentions and actions. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) conveys that if a person intends to commit a sin but does not follow through, it is not recorded against them. Conversely, if they act upon a good intention, they are rewarded generously. This highlights the compassionate nature of divine judgment.

Modern Application

In our everyday lives, this principle encourages us to focus on our intentions and strive for good deeds, even if we fall short. It reassures us that our good intentions are valued, fostering a positive mindset and motivating us to act righteously.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Divine Decree and Intention and Deeds because it discusses how intentions are treated in divine judgment and the significance of both good and bad actions.

Divine Decree Intention and Deeds