Allah, the Prophet ﷺ relates, has written down the good deeds and the bad, and then explained His accounting. Whoever intends a good deed but does not do it, Allah writes it as one full good deed. Whoever intends it and does it, Allah writes it from ten to seven hundred times over, and more. Whoever intends a bad deed and does not do it, Allah writes it as a full good deed; and only if he does it is it written as a single bad deed, or wiped away.
Where this hadith comes from
This is a hadith qudsi: a saying in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) conveys the words of Allah Himself, outside the Qur'an. Here the Prophet relates how his Lord has written down both the good deeds and the bad, and then spelled out the generous terms of that accounting.
It is narrated by Ibn 'Abbas (ra) and recorded by both al-Bukhari and Muslim, so it carries the highest grade, sahih (agreed upon). The same report appears in Imam an-Nawawi's Forty (hadith 37), a sign of how central this measure of mercy is.
The key words
What it means, line by line
Allah first states that He has written down the good deeds and the bad, then explains how. Whoever resolves on a good deed (hamma) but does not manage to do it has a full good deed recorded for him, because the sincere intention is itself counted. Whoever resolves on it and then does it has it written from ten times over up to seven hundred, and far more by Allah's grace.
The bad side is weighed by a different, lighter measure. Whoever resolves on a sin and then leaves it is given a full good deed, while one who carries it out has only a single sin written, never multiplied. Every column tilts toward the servant's rescue.
Every column tilts toward you
Read the ledger slowly, and notice how mercy is built into every line. A sincere intention to do good already counts, even unfulfilled. A done good is multiplied at least tenfold, often far more. An evil merely intended and then abandoned for Allah's sake is recorded as a good. And a sin committed is written only once, never multiplied, and still erasable by repentance. By this accounting it is genuinely hard to lose.
A reason to keep reaching
If you have ever feared your scale is hopeless, this hadith answers you. The One keeping the books has weighted them entirely toward your rescue. So do not hold back from good for fear it is too small, every atom is multiplied. And do not despair over sin, it is capped and forgivable. Keep intending good, doing what you can, and turning from wrong, and trust the generous Hand that records it all.
Carry this with you
The ledger is kept by the Most Generous. Reach for good without fear.
Intention already counts.
A sincere resolve to do good is written as a good deed even if you never manage it.
Good is multiplied.
A done good is ten to seven hundred times and beyond. The smallest good is never small.
Evil is capped and erasable.
A sin is written once, never multiplied, and can be wiped away by repentance.
Restraint is rewarded.
To intend a wrong and leave it for Allah is written as a full good deed. You win by holding back.
A du'a to carry
مَن جَآءَ بِٱلْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُۥ عَشْرُ أَمْثَالِهَا ۖ وَمَن جَآءَ بِٱلسَّيِّئَةِ فَلَا يُجْزَىٰٓ إِلَّا مِثْلَهَا وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ
Whoever comes with a good deed will have ten times the like thereof, and whoever comes with an evil deed will not be recompensed except the like thereof; and they will not be wronged. (Al-An'am 6:160)
A du'a of gratitude for His mercy
Allah opened His ledger to show how He counts: good multiplied, evil capped, intentions rewarded, restraint rewarded. Every column was tilted toward our rescue before we ever acted.
O Allah, You who multiply our good and limit our evil and reward even our intentions, make our scales heavy with good, and forgive what we have fallen into. Ameen.
The hadith qudsi is from sunnah.com: 'Allah has written down the good deeds and the bad ones...' narrated by Ibn 'Abbas (ra), recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim, graded sahih (agreed upon). The supporting Qur'an (6:160) is in Uthmani script verified via quran.ai (ar-uthmani-minimal) with the Saheeh International translation. Per the editorial policy this stays with the creed and spirit (Allah's generous accounting). FOR SCHOLAR REVIEW before publication.