يَعلَمونَ ما تَفعَلونَ

Who know whatever you do.

EXPOSITION

They know whatever you do because they are not limited to outward apparent actions. They know everything small and big and not even a straw’s worth escapes them, or as al-Nawawī and Ālūsī put it, even if it be the pellicle enveloping a date’s pit or a tiny spot on a date’s pit – you will be recompensed for it.^{‎[1]Nawawi, 2/610; Alusi, 15/270.} So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it (99:7-8).

Though it is only God who knows the hidden (6:59), He gives access to the unseen to whom He approves (2:255, 72:26-7), and they include the angels who watch over man, because after saying Do they suppose that We do not hear their secret thoughts and their secret talks? (43:80), He adds: Yes indeed! And with them are Our messengers, writing down (43:80). This means these watchers have full access to everything that occurs in a person’s mind and heart and what he or she produces in speech and action.

And this is necessary because if the angels only recorded outward actions (as Rāzī suggests)^{‎[2]Razi, 31/78.} then several questions come to mind: do the angels record the insincere actions of a hypocrite as righteous deeds? And do they record the apparently wrong actions of a sincere believer, done under compulsion to save his life or faith, as misdeeds? The words know whatever you do prove that the angels know the intentions of a person as well, because there is no way to distinguish an action or to judge it as good or bad except by knowing the intention with which it was done. Muslim scholars are also unanimous on the Prophetic traditions ‘The reward of deeds are upon the intentions, and every person will be recompensed upon what he intended’,^{‎[3]Bukhari, 1/1 and 1/2.} and ‘Indeed actions are by their intentions’.^{‎[4]Tahdhib, 1/83, h. 67, and 4/186, h. 1-2; Wasail, 1/48, h. 88-89.} Ālūsī has also said the angels write everything, including one’s ideology, intentions, decisions, and even the sounds of moaning during one’s illness and the good deeds of a child.^{‎[5]Alusi, 15/270.} Ṭabarī quotes a tradition concerning the Noble writers that ‘they record what you say and what you mean [by that]’.^{‎[6]Tabari, 30/56.}

Besides confirming that the angels know every detail of a man’s action, this verse helps us draw two other conclusions: 1. The intentions and actions of a person originate from his own free will and not from God, for otherwise there would be no value in recording man’s actions, just as it would be meaningless to warn or reprimand him as these verses do. 2. These angels are infallible and they do not err in distinguishing good from evil or understanding a true, righteous act from a sinful one.

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. From Imam al-Bāqir (a) or Imam al-Ṣādiq (a): ‘Allah, the mighty and glorious, decreed for Adam concerning his progeny that one who intends a good action but does not perform it, for him shall be written one good; and one who intends a good deed and performs it, for him shall be written ten good; and one who intends a misdeed but does not perform it, nothing shall be written against him; and one who intends a misdeed and performs it, only one misdeed shall be written against him.’^{‎[7]Kafi, 2/428, h. 1, and 2/440, h. 1.}

Note: We explained under the Exposition of this verse that the angels who record man’s deeds are aware of his thoughts and intentions as well. If they do not record the sinful thoughts of man that never materialise into action, it is another matter and evidence of God’s grace and kindness; however, this does not change the fact that the angels are aware of these thoughts.

2. It is related from Imam al-Kāẓim (a), that he said: ‘When a person decides to do good, his soul gives out a fragrant scent and the angel on the right says to the angel on the left: “Rise! For he has decided on [doing] good.” So when he does it, his tongue becomes his pen, his saliva his ink, and it is recorded for him. And when he decides on sin, his soul gives out a stench and the angel on the left says to the one on the right: “Stop! He has decided on evil.” So when he does it, his tongue becomes his pen, his saliva his ink, and it is recorded against him.’^{‎[8]Kafi, 2/429, h. 3.}

Note: The use of man’s own saliva as ink and his finger or tongue as a pen to record his own deeds also occurs in traditions regarding the questioning of the dead by angels in the intermediate world.

3. From Imam al-Ṣādiq (a): ‘The Apostle of God said: “A person thinks of doing some good; if he does not do it, one good is written for him for his good intention. And if he does it, Allah writes ten good for him. And a person thinks of committing a sin; if he does not do it, nothing is written against him. And if he commits it, he is given respite for seven hours. The angel on the right says to the angel on the left: ‘Do not be hasty. Perhaps he will follow it with a good deed that will erase it, for God says: indeed good deeds efface misdeeds [11:114], or he may seek forgiveness.’ Then if he says: ‘I seek forgiveness from Allah, there is no god besides Him, knower of the hidden and the apparent, the mighty, the wise, the forgiving, the merciful, the owner of majesty and honour, and I repent to Him,’ then nothing is written against him. But if seven hours pass and he does not follow it with a good [deed] or seeking forgiveness, then the angel of good says to the angel of evil: ‘Write against [this] wretch, deprived [of mercy].’”’^{‎[9]Kafi, 2/429, h. 4.}

Note: Other traditions suggest that the respite is from the day until night, and if he repents, it is not recorded. But the duration of respite is a moot point; for God is always ready to forgive and erase even what is recorded, provided the repentance is from a sincere heart.

4. From Imam al-Ṣādiq (a): ‘When a believing servant commits a sin, Allah gives him respite for seven hours. If he seeks forgiveness, nothing is recorded against him; and if the time passes and he does not ask for forgiveness, a sin is written against him. A faithful remembers his sin even after twenty years until he seeks forgiveness from his Lord and He forgives him; but as for the faithless, He makes him forget [his sin] from the time [he commits it].’^{‎[10]Kafi, 2/437, h. 3.}

Note: And perhaps the reason for this is the tradition we mentioned under 2:80 from the Apostle of God, who said: ‘A faithful sees his sin like a huge rock that he fears will fall on him, whereas a faithless person sees his sin like a fly passing by his nose.’^{‎[11]Mustadrak.W, 11/330, h. 13175.}

[1] Nawawi, 2/610; Alusi, 15/270.
[2] Razi, 31/78.
[3] Bukhari, 1/1 and 1/2.
[4] Tahdhib, 1/83, h. 67, and 4/186, h. 1-2; Wasail, 1/48, h. 88-89.
[5] Alusi, 15/270.
[6] Tabari, 30/56.
[7] Kafi, 2/428, h. 1, and 2/440, h. 1.
[8] Kafi, 2/429, h. 3.
[9] Kafi, 2/429, h. 4.
[10] Kafi, 2/437, h. 3.
[11] Mustadrak.W, 11/330, h. 13175.