The Pens that Record

Shaykh Yahya ibn Ali Al-Hajooree (May Allah protect and preserve him) mentioned in his explanation for Imam An-Nawaawee’s forty hadeeth that Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said there are numerous recording pens. Some of them are as follow

First: One pen’s evidence is found in the verse where Allah said

وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِنْ بَنِي آدَمَ مِنْ ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَىٰ أَنْفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ ۖ قَالُوا بَلَىٰ ۛ

And when your Lord brought forth from the children of Adam, from their backs, their descendants, and made them bear witness against their own souls: Am I not your Lord? They said: Yes! [ Al-Araf 172]

Second: The most exalted pen is found in the hadeeth of ‘Ebadah ibn Al-Saamat (may Allah be pleased with him). He narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said

إِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ الْقَلَمَ فَقَالَ لَهُ اكْتُبْ. قَالَ رَبِّ وَمَاذَا أَكْتُبُ قَالَ اكْتُبْ مَقَادِيرَ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ حَتَّى تَقُومَ السَّاعَةُ

The first thing Allah created was the pen. Then He ordered it to write. After that the pen said, “ Oh my Lord what do you want me to write?”. At that time Allah ordered the pen to write the decree for everything until the Day of Judgment.[ Abu Dawud 4702 and At-Tirmithi 2308 ]

. This pen is general 

Third: The pen which records if the fetus is happy or sad. This is found in the hadeeth reported by Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him). He narrated that Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said

فَيُكْتَبُ رِزْقُهُ وَأَجَلُهُ وَعَمَلُهُ ثُمَّ يُكْتَبُ شَقِىٌّ أَوْ سَعِيدٌ

“ …His share of provisions, lifespan , deeds and if he’s among the happy or unhappy is written…..[Muslim 6900]

Fourth: The pen that writes about the mature person. Allah’s messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said

رُفِعَ الْقَلَمُ عَنْ ثَلاَثَةٍ عَنِ النَّائِمِ حَتَّى يَسْتَيْقِظَ وَعَنِ الصَّبِىِّ حَتَّى يَحْتَلِمَ وَعَنِ الْمَجْنُونِ حَتَّى يَعْقِلَ

“

The pen doesn’t record on three people; the person asleep until he wakes up, the child until he reaches puberty and the insane until he regains mental facilities.” [ Abu Dawud 4405, At-Tirmithi 1488, An-Nisa’3445, and Ibn Majah 2119]

Shaykh Yahya said this hadeeth refers to two pens. The one which records the bad deeds and the one which records the good deeds. [2004 Darul Hadeeth class after Thur for Jam’i Saheeh mima Laysa fee Saheehain.

Fifth: The pens that have been lifted. Ibn Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said

رُفِعَتِ الأَقْلاَمُ وَجَفَّتِ الصُّحُفُ

“…The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried.”[ At-Tirmithi 2706]

This benefit was taken from page 54 in Shaykh Yahya’s explanation for An-Nawaawee’s forty hadeeth. Printed Darul Kitab wa Sunnah 2007 first edition. 

Translated By The Noble Brother: 

Abu Aaliyah Abdullah ibn Dwight L Battle