Umar on Judgment: We judge outward deeds, not inner-states

Abdullah ibn ‘Utbah reported: Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Verily, people were judged by revelation in the time of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and the revelation has ceased. We only judge now what is manifested outwardly of your deeds. Whoever shows us good, we will trust him and bring him close. It is not for us to judge anything of his inner secrets. Allah will hold him accountable for his inner secrets. Whoever shows us evil, we will never trust him or believe him even if it is said his intentions are good.”

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2641

Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Bukhari

عن عَبْد اللَّهِ بْن عُتْبَةَ قَالَ قَالَ عُمَر بْن الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ إِنَّ أُنَاسًا كَانُوا يُؤْخَذُونَ بِالْوَحْيِ فِي عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَإِنَّ الْوَحْيَ قَدْ انْقَطَعَ وَإِنَّمَا نَأْخُذُكُمْ الْآنَ بِمَا ظَهَرَ لَنَا مِنْ أَعْمَالِكُمْ فَمَنْ أَظْهَرَ لَنَا خَيْرًا أَمِنَّاهُ وَقَرَّبْنَاهُ وَلَيْسَ إِلَيْنَا مِنْ سَرِيرَتِهِ شَيْءٌ اللَّهُ يُحَاسِبُهُ فِي سَرِيرَتِهِ وَمَنْ أَظْهَرَ لَنَا سُوءًا لَمْ نَأْمَنْهُ وَلَمْ نُصَدِّقْهُ وَإِنْ قَالَ إِنَّ سَرِيرَتَهُ حَسَنَةٌ

2641 صحيح البخاري كتاب الشهادات باب الشهداء العدول

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