Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.

The heart develops black spots due to sins

tirmidhi:3334Qutaybah > al-Layth > Ibn ʿAjlān > al-Qaʿqāʿ b. Ḥakīm > Abū Ṣāliḥ > Abū Hurayrah

the Messenger of Allah said: “Verily, when the slave (of Allah) commits a sin, a black spot appears on his heart. When he refrains from it, seeks forgiveness and repents, his heart is polished clean. But if he returns, it increases until it covers his entire heart. And that is the ‘Ran’ which Allah mentioned: ‘Nay, but on their hearts is the Ran which they used to earn.’”  

الترمذي:٣٣٣٤حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ عَنِ ابْنِ عَجْلاَنَ عَنِ الْقَعْقَاعِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا أَخْطَأَ خَطِيئَةً نُكِتَتْ فِي قَلْبِهِ نُكْتَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ فَإِذَا هُوَ نَزَعَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ وَتَابَ سُقِلَ قَلْبُهُ وَإِنْ عَادَ زِيدَ فِيهَا حَتَّى تَعْلُوَ قَلْبَهُ وَهُوَ الرَّانُ الَّذِي ذَكَرَ اللَّهُ {كلاَّ بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ} [المطففين 14]  

قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ

See similar narrations below:

Collected by Ibn Mājah, Mālik, Aḥmad, Ḥākim, Ibn Ḥibbān, Nasāʾī's Kubrá, Bayhaqī, Suyūṭī

The heart develops black spots due to sins

ibnmajah:4244Hishām b. ʿAmmār > Ḥātim b. Ismāʿīl And al-Walīd b. Muslim > Muḥammad b. ʿAjlān > al-Qaʿqāʿ b. Ḥakīm > Abū Ṣāliḥ > Abū Hurayrah

“When the believer commits sin, a black spot appears on his heart. If he repents and gives up that sin and seeks forgiveness, his heart will be polished. But if (the sin) increases, (the black spot) increases. That is the Ran that Allah mentions in His Book: “Nay! But on their hearts is the Ran (covering of sins and evil deeds) which they used to earn.” [83:14]  

ابن ماجة:٤٢٤٤حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ حَدَّثَنَا حَاتِمُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَالْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَجْلاَنَ عَنِ الْقَعْقَاعِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ إِذَا أَذْنَبَ كَانَتْ نُكْتَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ فِي قَلْبِهِ فَإِنْ تَابَ وَنَزَعَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ صُقِلَ قَلْبُهُ فَإِنْ زَادَ زَادَتْ فَذَلِكَ الرَّانُ الَّذِي ذَكَرَهُ اللَّهُ فِي كِتَابِهِ {كَلاَّ بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ} [المطففين 14]  

malik:56-18Mālik > Balaghah

Malik related to me that he heard that Abdullah ibn Masud used to say, "The slave continues to lie and a black spot grows in his heart until all his heart becomes black. Then he is written, in Allah's sight, among the liars."  

مالك:٥٦-١٨وَحَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ أَنَّهُ بَلَغَهُ

أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ كَانَ يَقُولُ لاَ يَزَالُ الْعَبْدُ يَكْذِبُ وَتُنْكَتُ فِي قَلْبِهِ نُكْتَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ حَتَّى يَسْوَدَّ قَلْبُهُ كُلُّهُ فَيُكْتَبَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ  

ahmad:7952Ṣafwān b. ʿĪsá > Muḥammad b. ʿAjlān > al-Qaʿqāʿ b. Ḥakīm > Abū Ṣāliḥ > Abū Hurayrah

“When the believer commits sin, a black spot appears on his heart. If he repents and gives up that sin and seeks forgiveness, his heart will be polished. But if (the sin) increases, (the black spot) increases. That is the Ran that Allah mentions in His Book: “Nay! But on their hearts is the Ran (covering of sins and evil deeds) which they used to earn.” [83:14] (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 4244)   

أحمد:٧٩٥٢حَدَّثَنَا صَفْوَانُ بْنُ عِيسَى أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَجْلَانَ عَنِ الْقَعْقَاعِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ إِذَا أَذْنَبَ كَانَتْ نُكْتَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ فِي قَلْبِهِ فَإِنْ تَابَ وَنَزَعَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ صُقِلَ قَلْبُهُ وَإِنْ زَادَ زَادَتْ حَتَّى يَعْلُوَ قَلْبَهُ ذَاكَ الرَّانُ الَّذِي ذَكَرَ اللهُ ﷻ فِي الْقُرْآنِ {كَلَّا بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ} [المطففين 14]  

hakim:3908Abū al-ʿAbbās Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb > Bakkār b. Qutaybah al-Qāḍī Bimiṣr > Ṣafwān b. ʿĪsá > Muḥammad b. ʿAjlān > al-Qaʿqāʿ b. Ḥakīm > Abū Ṣāliḥ > Abū Hurayrah > Rasūl Allāh

“When the believer commits sin, a black spot appears on his heart. If he repents and gives up that sin and seeks forgiveness, his heart will be polished. But if (the sin) increases, (the black spot) increases. That is the Ran that Allah mentions in His Book: “Nay! But on their hearts is the Ran (covering of sins and evil deeds) which they used to earn.” [83:14] (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 4244)   

الحاكم:٣٩٠٨حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ ثنا بَكَّارُ بْنُ قُتَيْبَةَ الْقَاضِي بِمِصْرَ ثنا صَفْوَانُ بْنُ عِيسَى أَنْبَأَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَجْلَانَ عَنِ الْقَعْقَاعِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ إِذَا أَذْنَبَ ذَنْبًا كَانَتْ نُكْتَةً سَوْدَاءَ فِي قَلْبِهِ فَإِنْ تَابَ وَنَزَعَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ سُقِلَ مِنْهَا قَلْبُهُ وَإِنْ زَادَ زَادَتْ حَتَّى يَعْلَقَ بِهَا قَلْبُهُ فَذَلِكَ الرَّانُ الَّذِي ذَكَرَ اللَّهُ فِي كِتَابِهِ {كَلَّا بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ} [المطففين 14]  

«هَذَا حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحٌ عَلَى شَرْطِ مُسْلِمٍ وَلَمْ يُخَرِّجَاهُ» على شرط مسلم

The heart develops black spots due to sins

hakim:6Abū al-Naḍr Muḥammad b. Muḥammad b. Yūsuf al-Faqīh > Ibrāhīm b. Ismāʿīl al-ʿAnbarī > Abū Kurayb > Abū Khālid al-Aḥmar > Ibn ʿAjlān > al-Qaʿqāʿ b. Ḥakīm > Abū Ṣāliḥ > Abū Hurayrah

the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “When the servant ˹of Allah˺ commits a sin, a black spot appears upon his heart. If he repents, it is polished away. But if he repeats, ˹the black spot˺ increases until it grows large in his heart. That is the "rān" that Allah mentions in His Book: “Nay! But on their hearts is the rān...” [Muṭaffifīn 83:14]  

This ḥadīth is Ṣaḥīḥ and is not collected in the two Ṣaḥīḥs. Muslim objects to aḥādīth from al-Qaʿqaʿ b. Ḥakīm from Abu Ṣāliḥ
الحاكم:٦أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو النَّضْرِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يُوسُفَ الْفَقِيهُ ثنا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ الْعَنْبَرِيُّ ثنا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ ثنا أَبُو خَالِدٍ الْأَحْمَرُ عَنِ ابْنِ عَجْلَانَ عَنِ الْقَعْقَاعِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «إِذَا أَذْنَبَ الْعَبْدُ نُكِتَ فِي قَلْبِهِ نُكْتَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ۔ فَإِنْ تَابَ صُقِلَ مِنْهَا فَإِنْ عَادَ زَادَتْ حَتَّى تَعْظُمَ فِي قَلْبِهِ فَذَلِكَ (الرَّانُ) الَّذِي ذَكَرَهُ اللَّهُ ﷻ {كَلَّا بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ} [المطففين 14]»  

هَذَا حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحٌ لَمْ يُخَرَّجْ فِي الصَّحِيحَيْنِ وَقَدِ احْتَجَّ مُسْلِمٌ بِأَحَادِيثِ الْقَعْقَاعِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ سكت عنه الذهبي في التلخيص في هذا الموضع

ذِكْرُ الْإِخْبَارِ عَمَّا يَجِبُ عَلَى الْمَرْءِ مِنْ تَعْقِيبِ الِاسْتِغْفَارِ كُلَّ عَثْرَةٍ، وَإِنْ كَانَ الْمَرْءُ مُشَمِّرًا فِي أَنْوَاعِ الطَّاعَاتِ

ibnhibban:930Ismāʿīl b. Dāwud b. And Rdān Bimiṣr > ʿĪsá b. Ḥammād > al-Layth > Ibn ʿAjlān > al-Qaʿqāʿ b. Ḥakīm > Abū Hurayrah

the Messenger of Allah said: “Verily, when the slave (of Allah) commits a sin, a black spot appears on his heart. When he refrains from it, seeks forgiveness and repents, his heart is polished clean. But if he returns, it increases until it covers his entire heart. And that is the ‘Ran’ which Allah mentioned: ‘Nay, but on their hearts is the Ran which they used to earn.’” (Using translation from Tirmidhī 3334)   

ابن حبّان:٩٣٠أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ بْنِ وَرْدَانَ بِمِصْرَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ حَمَّادٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا اللَّيْثُ عَنِ ابْنِ عَجْلَانَ عَنِ الْقَعْقَاعِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنَّهُ قَالَ «إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا أَخْطَأَ خَطِيئَةً نُكِتَ فِي قَلْبِهِ نُكْتَةٌ فَإِنْ هُوَ نَزَعَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ وَتَابَ صُقِلَتْ فَإِنْ عَادَ زِيدَ فِيهَا فَإِنْ عَادَ زِيدَ فِيهَا حَتَّى تَعْلُوَ فِيهِ فَهُوَ الرَّانُ الَّذِي ذَكَرَ اللَّهُ {كَلَّا بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ}»  

ibnhibban:2787Ismāʿīl b. Dāwud b. And Rdān Bi-al-Fusṭāṭ > ʿĪsá b. Ḥammād > al-Layth > Ibn ʿAjlān > al-Qaʿqāʿ b. Ḥakīm > Abū Ṣāliḥ > Abū Hurayrah

the Messenger of Allah said: “Verily, when the slave (of Allah) commits a sin, a black spot appears on his heart. When he refrains from it, seeks forgiveness and repents, his heart is polished clean. But if he returns, it increases until it covers his entire heart. And that is the ‘Ran’ which Allah mentioned: ‘Nay, but on their hearts is the Ran which they used to earn.’” (Using translation from Tirmidhī 3334)   

ابن حبّان:٢٧٨٧أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ بْنِ وَرْدَانَ بِالْفُسْطَاطِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ حَمَّادٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا اللَّيْثُ عَنِ ابْنِ عَجْلَانَ عَنِ الْقَعْقَاعِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ «إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا أَخْطَأَ خَطِيئَةً نُكِتَ فِي قَلْبِهِ نُكْتَةٌ فَإِنْ هُوَ نَزَعَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ وَتَابَ صُقِلَتْ فَإِنْ عَادَ زِيدَ فِيهَا وَإِنْ عَادَ زِيدَ فِيهَا حَتَّى تَعْلُوَ فِيهِ فَهُوَ الرَّانُ الَّذِي ذَكَرَ اللَّهُ جَلَّ وَعَلَا {كَلَّا بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ} »  

قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: {كَلَّا بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ} [المطففين: 14]

nasai-kubra:11594Qutaybah b. Saʿīd > al-Layth > Ibn ʿAjlān > al-Qaʿqāʿ > Abū Ṣāliḥ > Abū Hurayrah

the Messenger of Allah said: “Verily, when the slave (of Allah) commits a sin, a black spot appears on his heart. When he refrains from it, seeks forgiveness and repents, his heart is polished clean. But if he returns, it increases until it covers his entire heart. And that is the ‘Ran’ which Allah mentioned: ‘Nay, but on their hearts is the Ran which they used to earn.’” (Using translation from Tirmidhī 3334)   

الكبرى للنسائي:١١٥٩٤أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ عَنِ ابْنِ عَجْلَانَ عَنِ الْقَعْقَاعِ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا أَخْطَأَ خَطِيئَةً نُكِتَتْ فِي قَلْبِهِ نُكْتَةٌ فَإِنْ هُوَ نَزَعَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ وَتَابَ صَقَلَتْ قَلْبَهُ وَإِنْ عَادَ زِيدَ فِيهَا حَتَّى تَعْلُوَ قَلْبَهُ فَهُوَ الرَّانُ الَّذِي ذَكَرَ اللهُ {كَلَّا بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ} [المطففين 14]  

nasai-kubra:10179Qutaybah b. Saʿīd > al-Layth > Ibn ʿAjlān > al-Qaʿqāʿ > Abū Ṣāliḥ > Abū Hurayrah

the Messenger of Allah said: “Verily, when the slave (of Allah) commits a sin, a black spot appears on his heart. When he refrains from it, seeks forgiveness and repents, his heart is polished clean. But if he returns, it increases until it covers his entire heart. And that is the ‘Ran’ which Allah mentioned: ‘Nay, but on their hearts is the Ran which they used to earn.’” (Using translation from Tirmidhī 3334)   

الكبرى للنسائي:١٠١٧٩أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ عَنِ ابْنِ عَجْلَانَ عَنِ الْقَعْقَاعِ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ إنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا أَخْطَأَ خَطِيئَةً نُكِتَ فِي قَلْبِهِ نُكْتَةٌ فَإِنْ هُوَ نَزَعَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ وَتَابَ صُقِلَتْ وَإِنْ عَادَ زِيدَ فِيهَا حَتَّى تُغْلِقَ قَلْبَهُ فَهُوَ الرَّانُ الَّذِي ذَكَرَ اللهُ {كَلَّا بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ} [المطففين 14]  

bayhaqi:20763Abū ʿAbdullāh al-Ḥāfiẓ > Abū al-ʿAbbās Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb > Bakkār b. Qutaybah al-Qāḍī Bimiṣr > Ṣafwān b. ʿĪsá > Muḥammad b. ʿAjlān > al-Qaʿqāʿ b. Ḥakīm > Abū Ṣāliḥ > Abū Hurayrah

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Indeed, when a believer commits a sin, there is a black spot in his heart. If he repents, removes it, and seeks forgiveness, his heart is polished. But if he returns to sin, it increases until his heart is sealed with it. This is what Allah mentioned in His book, 'No! Rather, the stain has covered their hearts of that which they were earning' [Al-Mutaffifin 14]." The scholar mentioned that these narrations, along with those similar to them, serve as a warning and a reminder for those who persist in committing sins without seeking forgiveness and neglecting to repent from them.  

البيهقي:٢٠٧٦٣وَأَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَافِظُ ثنا أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ ثنا بَكَّارُ بْنُ قُتَيْبَةَ الْقَاضِي بِمِصْرَ ثنا صَفْوَانُ بْنُ عِيسَى أنبأ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَجْلَانَ عَنِ الْقَعْقَاعِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ؓ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ إِذَا أَذْنَبَ ذَنْبًا كَانَتْ نُكْتَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ فِي قَلْبِهِ فَإِنْ تَابَ وَنَزَعَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ صُقِلَ مِنْهَا قَلْبُهُ فَإِنْ عَادَ رَانَتْ حَتَّى يُغْلَقَ بِهَا قَلْبُهُ فَذَاكَ الَّذِي ذَكَرَ اللهُ ﷻ فِي كِتَابِهِ {كَلَّا بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ} [المطففين 14] قَالَ الشَّيْخُ وَيُشْبِهُ أَنْ تَكُونَ هَذِهِ الْأَخْبَارُ وَمَا جَانَسَهَا فِي التَّغْلِيظِ وَالتَّشْدِيدِ فِيمَنْ أَصَرَّ عَلَى الذُّنُوبِ غَيْرَ مُسْتَغْفِرٍ مِنْهَا وَلَا مُحَدِّثٍ نَفْسَهُ بِتَرْكِهَا  

suyuti:5701a

the Messenger of Allah said: “Verily, when the slave (of Allah) commits a sin, a black spot appears on his heart. When he refrains from it, seeks forgiveness and repents, his heart is polished clean. But if he returns, it increases until it covers his entire heart. And that is the ‘Ran’ which Allah mentioned: ‘Nay, but on their hearts is the Ran which they used to earn.’” (Using translation from Tirmidhī 3334)   

السيوطي:٥٧٠١a

"إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا أَخْطَأَ خَطِيئةً نُكتَتْ في قَلبِه نُكْتَةٌ سَوْداءُ، فَإِنْ هُوَ نَزَعَ، واسْتَغْفَرَ، وَتَابَ صَقُلَ قَلبُه، وإنْ عَادَ زِيدَ فِيها حتَّى تَعْلُوَ عَلى قَلْبِه، وَهو الرَّانُ الَّذِي ذَكَرَ اللهُ: {كَلَّا بَلْ رَانَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ} ".  

[حم] أحمد [ت] الترمذي حسن صحيح، [ن] النسائي [هـ] ابن ماجة وابن أبي الدنيا في التوبة، [حب] ابن حبّان [ك] الحاكم في المستدرك [هب] البيهقى في شعب الإيمان عن أَبي هريرة
suyuti:1092a
Request/Fix translation

  

السيوطي:١٠٩٢a

"إذا أذنب العبدُ نُكِت في قلبه نُكتةٌ سوداءُ، فإن تاب صُقِل منها، فإن عاد زادت حتى تعظمَ في قلبِه".  

[ت] الترمذي [ن] النسائي [هـ] ابن ماجة [ك] الحاكم في المستدرك عن أبي هريرة