The Recording Angel on the Left Waits…
عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَ:"إِنَّ صَاحِبَ الشِّمَالِ لِيَرْفَعُ الْقَلَمَ سِتَّ سَاعَاتٍ عَنِ الْعَبْدِ الْمُسْلِمِ الْمُخْطِئِ أَوِ الْمُسِيءِ، فَإِنْ نَدِمَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ اللَّهَ مِنْهَا أَلْقَاهَا، وَإِلا كُتِبَتْ وَاحِدَةً"
Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated the Messenger of Allah (salallahu alayhi wa salim) said, “ The companion (Angel) on the left lifts his pen for six hours for the Muslim slave that errs or sins. If this slave repents and seeks Allah’s forgiveness for that error or sin, the Angel doesn’t record it. And if the slave doesn’t ask Allah for forgiveness, the Angel records it once.
Collected by At-Tabarani in Kabir (7667 ) , Abu Na’eem in Hilya (6/124), Al-Bayhaqi in Shu’ib (6788). Shaykh Al-Albani graded this hadeeth as being Hasan in Saheehah (1209)
Benefits for this topic:
Lifts the pen for six hours: These six hours could refer to astrological time, or another time period.
The Muslim slave that errs or sins: Means the Angel won’t record the sin or error before the six hours passes. He simply delays writing it.
If the slave repents: This refers to the salve seeking sincere repentance for the sin or error he’s done.
The Angel doesn’t record it: Means the Angel on the left ignores writing it.
If the slave doesn’t ask Allah for forgiveness: This means the Angel on the left writes it down as one bad deed, unlike the Angel that records the good deeds. The Angel on the right writes down a good deed ten times.[ Faydul Qadir Al-Manawee]
Translated by Abu Aaliyah Abdullah ibn Dwight Lamont Battle
Doha, Qatar 1432©
As salam u alaykum 