Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalam-Alaikum...
Is it sinful to have bad thoughts? Please answer in the light of Sunnah and the Holy Quran. 

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Answer:

Sinful to have Bad Thoughts

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Sahih Muslim Hadith 235 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said that Allah Subhanah Says: ‘When it occurs to My bondsman that he should do a good deed but he actually does not do it, I record one good deed for him, but if he puts it into practice, I make an entry of ten good acts in his favour. When it occurs to him to do evil, but he does not commit it, I forgive that. But if he commits it, I record one evil deed against his name.’ The Messenger of Allah (saws) said the Angels said: ‘That bondsman of yours intends to commit evil, though His Lord is more Vigilant than he!’ Upon this He (the Lord) said: ‘Watch him; if he commits (evil), write it against his name, but if he refrains from doing it, write one good deed for him, for he desisted from doing it for My sake.’ The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: ‘He who amongst you is of good faith, all his good acts are multiplied from ten to seven hundred times (and are recorded in his name) and all the evils that he commits are recorded as such (i.e. without increase) until he meets Allah.’

If an evil thought occurs unintentionally to mind and the person does not take his thought to action, in light of the above quoted hadith, there is no sin recorded against the person in his Book of Records. Allah Subhanah’s Mercy is such that if it occurs to one to do an evil act, but he does not actually do it, Allah Subhanah forgives the person that thought and the Angels do not record it in the Book of Records. And if the person refrains from doing the evil only for the Sake and Fear of Allah, not only does the Lord Most Gracious forgive him his fault, but it is recorded as a good deed!

My dear and beloved brother, one should not take this Mercy of Allah Subhanah as a licence to intentionally bring about and constantly fantasize about evil; for that would indeed be making a mockery of the Mercy and Grace of our Lord Most Merciful. This forgiveness only applies to random and unintentional thoughts that the Shaytaan whispers to our hearts.

One should not put oneself into an environment of trial (like going to a bar, a disco, a gambling house, prostitution, evil movies, frequenting mixed gatherings, etc.), where evil is encouraged. If a person frequents places where evil is encouraged, then that going by itself is the action of a person, and he will be held accountable for his act of attending such evil gatherings. But if one strives his best to stay away from evil, avoids going to places or doing things which inspire evil, and inadvertently and unintentionally an evil thought occurs to his mind….these are the thoughts which are surely forgiven by Allah Subhanah.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan