#782: What are the rewards of a Kāfir who lives a Religious Life?
782 QUESTION
“QUESTION 👇: WHAT HAPPENS TO A GOOD RELIGIOUS PERSON WHO IS NOT A MUSLIM; example a christian or a jew who lived moral life. Would the person be granted Heaven or Hell??PLEASE WE NEED ANSWERS TO THAT! THANK YOU.”
ANSWER:
Wa Alaykum Salām Warahmatullāh Wabarakātuh.
Alhamdulillāh!
Know, may Allāh be merciful to us and to you, that there are no rewards recorded for the Kāfir for him to reap on the Day of Qiyāmah. This is because unifying Allāh in ‘Ibādah (Tawhīd), which is the primary reason of creation is the unique basic condition for the acceptance of any deed carried out by any Servant of Allāh. For this reason Allāh said about the deeds of the Kuffār on the Day of Qiyāmah:
وَقَدِمْنَا إِلَى مَا عَمِلُوا مِنْ عَمَلٍ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ هَبَاء مَّنثُورًا
“And we turned toward that which they did of deeds and then made it a scattered waste.”
And He said about the condition for the acceptance and recording of deeds:
وَلَقَدْ أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
“And it has been revealed unto you and unto those who came before you: if you associate Partners (with Allāh) your deeds shall be wasted and you shall be of those who have lost.”
The Mother of the Believers, ‘Ā’ishah – radiyallāhu ‘anhā – narrated, as was recorded by Imām Muslim in his Sahīh, that once she asked Rasūl -salallāhu alayhi wasallam – about Jad’ān bn ‘Abdillah saying:
“O Messenger of Allāh! Indeed Ibn Jad’ān was in Jahiliyyah strengthening the toes of kinship, feeding the needy, would that benefit him?”
He answered:
لا ينفعه إنه لم يقل يوماً رب اغفر لي خطيئتي يوم الدين
“It will not benefit him anything for he never said for once: ‘O my Lord forgive me my sins on the Day of Recompense”
This Hadīth is so important and pivotal that some of the Ulamā have mentioned that this Hadīth may also apply to a Believer (to a smaller extent though) if he is arrogant and does not recognize the will of Allāh.
As for Ibn Jad’ān, he was ‘Abdillah bn Jad’ān bn ‘Amr and was a cousin to the father of the Khalīfah Abubakr As-Siddīq, the father of ‘Ā’ishah – radiyallāhu ‘anhumā. He was known for his unique generosity and good character toward the needy both from his family and outside it until he became synonymous with it. He dug Wells and built resting places for travellers where people would converge and have some relief from the scorching heat of the sun and the harshness of the weather. Al-Hāfidh Ibn Kathīr mentioned this about him in Al-Bidāyah Wa An-Nihāyah.
As for the goodness they display in this world, then the Rasūl -salallāhu alayhi wasallam – has said about it in the Hadīth recorded by Imām Muslim from Anas bn Mālik – radiyallāhu ‘anhu:
إن الكافر إذا عمل حسنة أطعم بها طعمة من الدنيا، وأما المؤمن فإن الله يدخر له حسناته في الآخرة، ويعقبه رزقاً في الدنيا على طاعته
“If the Kāfir does some good deeds, he is recompensed with anything of the tastes of this world. As for the believer, Allāh treasures for him his good deeds in the Ākhirah and He follows that for him with provisions in this Dunya for His obedience.”
We ask Allāh for expansion is healthy and sound provisions that does not derail us in this World, and the abundance of Jannah in the next.
We ask Allāh for forgiveness that leaves no sin and an illumination that leaves no blemish, amīn.
And Allāh knows best.
Jazakumullāhu Khayran
Bārakallāhu Fīkum.
11th Ramadān, 1440A.H
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