Tafsir of Qaf 50:18

(What he utters of a word) [meaning: whatever he utters, be it good or evil]. Muhammad ibn Abi Ma‘dan recited: ma yalfazu [with a fatha on the fa’]. (Except that there is with him a Raqib) [a guardian angel who watches his speech and records it. If it is good, he is the one on the right; if it is evil, he is the one on the left]. (‘Atid) [prepared to record whatever he is commanded of good or evil].

The specification of "word" [in the verse] is to establish the ruling for actions [as well] by way of the text's implication. There is disagreement regarding what they record. Imam Malik and a group said: They record everything, even the moaning during illness. In Sharh al-Jawhara by al-Laqani, it states: Among that which must be believed is that Allah Almighty has angels who record the deeds of the servants—whether good or evil, or otherwise—whether it is speech, action, belief, state, intention, or resolution. The Exalted has chosen them for this; they do not neglect anything of their [the servants'] affairs, whether done intentionally or through forgetfulness and negligence, whether issued during health or illness, as narrated by the scholars of transmission and tradition.

In some traditions, there is evidence that internal speech is not recorded. Al-Bayhaqi recorded in al-Shu’ab from Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman that speech has seven locks; if it exits them, it is recorded, and if it does not, it remains in the heart, the throat, the tongue, the palate, and the lips.

Some held that the mubah (permissible) is not recorded by either of them because there is neither reward nor punishment for it, and recording is for the purpose of recompense; thus, it is exempted in ruling from the generality of the verse. This has been narrated from ‘Ikrimah.

Ibn Abi Shaybah, Ibn al-Mundhir, al-Hakim (who authenticated it), and Ibn Mardawayh via his path, recorded from Ibn ‘Abbas that he said: "Only good and evil are recorded; [things like] 'O boy, saddle the horse' or 'O boy, give me water' are not recorded."

Others said: Everything issued by the servant is recorded, even the permissible acts. Then, when his day’s deeds are presented, the permissible acts are erased, and what remains—that which has reward or punishment—is recorded. This is the meaning of His saying: Allah erases what He wills and confirms [what He wills]. Al-Suyuti pointed to this in some of his treatises and made it a way to reconcile the two views: the view of recording the permissible and the view of not doing so.

Something similar was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas; Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from him regarding the verse that he said: "Everything he speaks is recorded, good or evil, such that his saying 'I ate, I drank, I went, I came, I saw' is recorded. Then, on Thursday, his speech and deeds are presented; he confirms what was good or evil and discards the rest. That is the saying of Allah: Allah erases what He wills and confirms."

Furthermore, concerning the permissible acts, according to the view that they are recorded, the angel on the left records them, as is indicated by what Ibn Abi Shaybah and al-Bayhaqi in Shu’ab al-Iman recorded via al-Awza’i from Hassan ibn ‘Atiyyah: A man was on a donkey and it stumbled with him, so he said: "May it be destroyed!" The one on the right said: "It is not a good deed for me to record it." The one on the left said: "It is not a bad deed for me to record it." Then the one on the left was called: "What the one on the right left, record it."

It has come in some reports that the one on the right is in charge of the one on the left. Al-Tabarani, Ibn Mardawayh, and al-Bayhaqi in al-Shu’ab recorded this from a Hadith of Abu Umamah in marfu’ form, stating: "When the servant performs a good deed, it is recorded for him ten times over. And when he performs an evil deed and the one on the left intends to record it, the one on the right says: 'Hold off.' So he holds off for six or seven hours. If he seeks forgiveness from Allah Almighty for it, nothing is recorded against him. If he does not seek forgiveness, one evil deed is recorded against him." And similar to seeking forgiveness, as explicitly stated in another Hadith, is performing a compensatory act of obedience, for the one on the right says: "Leave him for seven hours; perhaps he will glorify Allah or seek forgiveness."

The apparent meaning of the verse includes the disbeliever as well; thus, he also has two angels who record what is for him and against him of his deeds. More than one has explicitly stated this, mentioning that what is "for him" includes acts of obedience that do not require intention, such as charity and maintaining ties of kinship; and what is "against him" is much, especially according to the view that he is held accountable for the branches of the Sharia.

In Sharh al-Jawhara, the correct view is that the good deeds of a child are recorded, even though the insane person has no watchers because his state is not directed towards accountability, unlike the child. The apparent meaning of the verse implies the inclusion of the child. Al-Juzuli hesitated regarding whether the Jinn and the angels have watchers, then asserted that the Jinn have watchers, followed by the opinion of the same for the angels—peace be upon them. Al-Laqani said after citing this: "I have not encountered this regarding the Jinn from anyone else," implying that he did encounter it regarding the angels from others. Perhaps it is what was narrated from some that the meaning of the "Spirit" in the saying of Allah: The angels and the Spirit descend is the watchers over the angels. The claim of this for them and for the Jinn requires transmission. As for the objection to this regarding the angels on the grounds of infinite regress, it is rebutted by what is not hidden to the contemplative.

Furthermore, some suggested regarding the two angels with a human that they are two angels in person, not in species, for every human, remaining with him until his death. They then stand at his grave glorifying Allah Almighty, praising Him, and magnifying Him, and they record the reward for that to their companion if he was a believer.

Abu al-Shaykh in al-‘Azamah and al-Bayhaqi in Shu’ab al-Iman recorded from Anas that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "Allah Almighty has appointed two angels over His believing servant to record his deeds. When he dies, the two angels appointed to him say: 'He has died, so permit us to ascend to heaven.' Allah Almighty says: 'My heaven is filled with My angels who glorify Me.' They say: 'Shall we remain on earth?' Allah Almighty says: 'My earth is filled with My creation who glorify Me.' They say: 'Then where?' He says: 'Stand at the grave of My servant, glorify Me, praise Me, and magnify Me, and record that for My servant until the Day of Resurrection.'" It has also come that they curse him until the Day of Resurrection if he is a disbeliever.

Al-Hasan said: The watchers are four; two by day and two by night. This admits the possibility of rotation, such that every day and night there are four different from the four of the day and night preceding them, or the opposite.

Some said: The angel of good deeds is rotated to honor the obedient, and the angel of evil deeds is not rotated to veil the sinner in general. It is apparent that they do not leave the person. Some said: They leave him when he has intercourse or enters the lavatory, but this does not prevent them from recording what issues from him in that state. They have a sign for the good and the evil, whether physical or of the heart.

Some reports are apparent in that what is in the heart is not recorded. Ibn al-Mubarak and Ibn Abi al-Dunya in al-Ikhlas and Abu al-Shaykh in al-‘Azamah recorded from Damrah ibn Habib that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "The angels ascend with the deed of a servant from the servants of Allah Almighty, increasing and purifying it until they reach where Allah Almighty wills of His dominion. Then Allah Almighty reveals to them: 'You are watchers over the deed of My servant, and I am the Watcher over what is in his heart. This servant of Mine did not purify his deed for Me, so place it in Sijjin.' He said: 'And they ascend with the deed of a servant from the servants of Allah Almighty, belittling and despising it until they reach where Allah Almighty wills of His dominion. Then Allah Almighty reveals to them: 'You are watchers over the deed of My servant, and I am the Watcher over what is in his heart. So multiply it for him and place it in ’Illiyyun.'"

It came in a Hadith of ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad in Zawa’id al-Zuhd from Abu ‘Imran al-Jawni that the angel is called: "Record for so-and-so, son of so-and-so, such-and-such" (meaning of a righteous deed). He says: "O my Lord, he did not do it." He says: "Glory be to Him and Exalted, he intended it." It may be said that they record what is in the heart, excluding hypocrisy and intended acts of obedience, to reconcile the reports. It has also come that the sick and the traveler have the same good deeds recorded for them as they used to do while in health and residence.

Ibn Abi Shaybah, al-Daraqutni in al-Afrad, al-Tabarani, and al-Bayhaqi in al-Shu’ab recorded from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "There is no one among the Muslims afflicted with a trial in his body except that Allah Almighty commands the watchers, saying: 'Record for My servant what he used to do while he was healthy, as long as he is bound in My restraint.'" Ibn Abi Shaybah recorded from Abu Musa saying: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "Whoever is ill or travels, Allah Almighty records for him what he used to do while healthy and resident." In some traditions, there is evidence that some acts of obedience are recorded by other than these two angels.

Furthermore, the angels who are with a human are not restricted to the two recording angels. From ‘Uthman that he asked the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: "How many angels are upon the human?" He mentioned twenty angels; al-Mahdawi stated this in al-Fasil. Some mentioned that the Mu’aqqibat (successors) in His saying: For him are angels in succession, before him and behind him, protecting him by the command of Allah are not the recorders, without dispute. Al-Laqani narrated from Ibn ‘Atiyyah that every human being has four hundred angels from the time he is a drop in the womb until his death; Allah Almighty knows best the authenticity of that.

Ibn al-Mundhir and Abu al-Shaykh in al-‘Azamah narrated from Ibn al-Mubarak that he said: "Five angels are appointed over the servant; two by night and two by day, who come and go, and a fifth angel who does not leave him, neither by night nor by day." And His saying, the Almighty...