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The incitement of Shaytan and the encouragement of the Angels

I am looking for the Hadith which states “Verily in the heart of man a thought is stirred by Shaytan and a thought is stirred by an angel…”

Answer

The full Hadith is as follows:

Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (radiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “Certainly Shaytan incites/whispers/stirs a thought in [the heart] of man and angels encourage/stir a thought in [the heart] of man. As for the whisper/thought stirred by Shaytan, it instigates towards the doing of evil, and falsifying truth. And as for the thought stirred by the angel, it encourages good, and confirmation of the truth. So he, who finds in his heart [the thought of doing good and affirming the truth] should know that it is [a bounty] from Allah and should praise Allah, and he who finds in his heart the other thought [from Shaytan] should seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan, the accursed. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) then recited the verse from the Qur’an [reiterating what he said] ‘Shaytan makes you fear poverty and orders you to commit evil deeds (Surah Al Baqarah, Verse: 268)’”

(Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith: 2988)

Imam Tirmidhi (rahimahullah) has declared the Hadith sound (hasanun gharib). Imam Ibn Hibban (rahimahullah) has also authenticated the Hadith.

(Sahih Ibn Hibban; Al Ihsan, Hadith: 997)

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.

Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala

Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar

This answer was collected from HadithAnswers.com. The answers were either answered or checked by Moulana Haroon Abasoomar (rahimahullah) who was a Shaykhul Hadith in South Africa, or by his son, Moulana Muhammad Abasoomer (hafizahullah), who is a Hadith specialist. 

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