Is a good deed recorded for one who intended to pray Qiyam al-Layl and set an alarm for it, then became lazy and went back to sleep?
Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated from Ibn Abbas, who narrated from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, quoting from his Lord, blessed and exalted be He, who said: "Indeed, Allah has decreed good deeds and evil deeds. Then He clarified that: whoever intends to perform a good deed and does not perform it, Allah records it with Him as a complete good deed. And if he intends to perform it and performs it, Allah, Mighty and Majestic, records it with Him as ten good deeds, up to seven hundredfold, and to many more multiples. And whoever intends to perform an evil deed and does not perform it, Allah records it with Him as a complete good deed… And if he intends to perform it and performs it, Allah records it as one evil deed." This hadith indicates that whoever resolves to perform an act of obedience and firmly intends it in his heart, a complete good deed is recorded for him, because the intention of good is an act of the heart. The intention (hamm) mentioned here refers to a firm resolve and eagerness to act. He is rewarded for his resolve as long as he does not intend to abandon the act and completely turn away from it. The magnitude of the good deed varies according to the impediment. If the impediment is external, the reward is greater. What the questioner intended and resolved upon is recorded for him in the manner mentioned in the question, even if he does not perform it, as long as he does not completely turn away from it by canceling the intention and changing it to its opposite. The reward recorded here is not equal to the reward recorded when the deed is performed, because the doer is granted the reward of the intention along with the reward of the action, while the one who merely intended is granted the reward of the intention alone.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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