Intending to Perform a Good or an Evil Deed

Al-Kāfi|Volume 2|Book 1|Chapter 190
Al-Kāfi

Volume 2, Book 1, Chapter 190

Intending to Perform a Good or an Evil Deed

3ـ عَنْهُ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَفْصٍ الْعَوْسِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ السَّائِحِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْمَلَكَيْنِ هَلْ يَعْلَمَانِ بِالذَّنْبِ إِذَا أَرَادَ الْعَبْدُ أَنْ يَفْعَلَهُ أَوِ الْحَسَنَةِ فَقَالَ رِيحُ الْكَنِيفِ وَرِيحُ الطِّيبِ سَوَاءٌ قُلْتُ لا قَالَ إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا هَمَّ بِالْحَسَنَةِ خَرَجَ نَفَسُهُ طَيِّبَ الرِّيحِ فَقَالَ صَاحِبُ الْيَمِينِ لِصَاحِبِ الشِّمَالِ قُمْ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ هَمَّ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَإِذَا فَعَلَهَا كَانَ لِسَانُهُ قَلَمَهُ وَرِيقُهُ مِدَادَهُ فَأَثْبَتَهَا لَهُ وَإِذَا هَمَّ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ خَرَجَ نَفَسُهُ مُنْتِنَ الرِّيحِ فَيَقُولُ صَاحِبُ الشِّمَالِ لِصَاحِبِ الْيَمِينِ قِفْ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ هَمَّ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ فَإِذَا هُوَ فَعَلَهَا كَانَ لِسَانُهُ قَلَمَهُ وَرِيقُهُ مِدَادَهُ وَأَثْبَتَهَا عَلَيْهِ.
3. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from Ali ibn Hafs al-‘Awsi from Ali ibn al-Sa’ih from ‘Abd Allah ibn Musa ibn Ja’far from his father عليه السلام who has said the following: “Once I asked him عليه السلام 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 good deed his breath comes out with a good smell and the angel on the right side says to the one on the left side, ‘Stand up; he intends to perform a good deed.’ When he performs it his tongue serves as his pen and his saliva as ink and he writes it down for him. Whenever he intends to commit an evil deed his breath comes out with a foul smell. The angel on the left says to the one on the right, ‘Stop; he intends to commit an evil deed.’ For an evil act his tongue serves as the pen and his saliva as ink and he writes it down against him.’”
  • Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi
    Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (1/292)
  • Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi
    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Kāfī