The Ruling of a Person Intending to Commit a Bad Deed

As for the bad deed, he said: and if he intends to do a bad deed, and doesn’t do it, Allah writes it as a complete good deed, like a man who intends to steal but he remembers Allah the Almighty, and the fear of Allah overtakes him, so he leaves stealing. One complete good deed is written for him, because he left the act of disobedience for the sake of Allah. So, he was rewarded for that. This was explained in detail in another narration with different wording. He (Allah) said: because he left it for Me. He intended to backbite someone and talk about his honor, however, he remembered that it is forbidden, so he left it. He left it for the sake of Allah, therefore he will be given a full good deed. If he does a bad deed, it will be written for him as only one bad deed. It will not exceed (one bad deed), as Allah the Almighty says: “Whoever comes [on the Day of Judgement] with a good deed will have ten times the like thereof [to his credit], and whoever comes with an evil deed will not be recompensed except the like thereof; and they will not be wronged.” [Al-An’am:160]