Silsilah Sahihah

Benefits:

Imam al-Albani rahimahullah writes:

According to the position of the verifying scholars of Islam, the correct view is that if a disbeliever performs good deeds such as charity and maintaining family ties while in a state of disbelief, and then becomes Muslim, the reward for his previous good deeds is also preserved for him. Some have even claimed consensus (ijma‘) of the Muslims on this opinion.

Whereas some people think that this position is contrary to the legal principles. However, this position is not correct, because in this world, some actions of the disbeliever are considered valid; for example, if a disbeliever pays the expiation (kaffarah) for zihar while in a state of disbelief, then after accepting Islam, there is no need to perform it again.

Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah said: In this hadith, the writing of the reward is mentioned, not its acceptance. It is possible that acceptance is suspended upon Islam, meaning that if the disbeliever becomes Muslim, then his good deeds will also be accepted and he will be given reward for them; otherwise, not. This is the stronger position. Among the earlier scholars, Imam Nawawi, Ibrahim Harbi, and Ibn Battal, and among the later scholars, Imam Qurtubi and Ibn Munir, have supported this view.

Ibn Munir said: There is nothing to prevent that the good deeds which a disbeliever performs with a good intention while in a state of disbelief, Allah Ta‘ala may grant him reward for those previous good deeds after he accepts Islam, just as Allah Ta‘ala continues to grant reward to a weak Muslim (such as a sick person or a traveler) for those deeds which he used to perform during times of strength and ability, but cannot do during weakness. If reward can be received for an act without actually performing it, then reward can also be given for an act in which all the complete conditions are not found.

Some scholars of Islam have established this issue by reasoning that when the People of the Book, i.e., Jews and Christians, accept Islam, they are given double reward, as is established from the Qur’an and hadith. But if they die upon Judaism or Christianity, then even their good deeds do not benefit them. It is thus known that the good deeds of a disbeliever are written down, but the condition for obtaining reward is that he accepts Islam. Consider that when Sayyidah A’ishah radi Allahu anha asked about the righteous deeds of Ibn Jud‘an, whether they would benefit him, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam replied: “Ibn Jud‘an never said even for a single day: O my Lord! Forgive my sins on the Day of Resurrection.” From this answer, it is understood that if he had accepted Islam, then the good deeds performed in the state of disbelief would have been beneficial for him.

I (al-Albani) say: This is the correct position in light of various ahadith, and no one should oppose it. Allamah Sindhi, in his marginal notes on [سنن نسائي], said: This hadith indicates that the good deeds of a disbeliever are suspended; if he is honored with Islam, they are accepted, otherwise rejected. The following statement of Allah Ta‘ala will be applied to those disbelievers who die in a state of disbelief:

«وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَعْمَالُهُمْ كَسَرَابٍ» [سورۃ نور: 39] “The deeds of the disbelievers are like a mirage (without reality).”

It is apparent that there is no evidence against the above-mentioned position. The straightforward matter is that the grace and bounty of Allah Ta‘ala is very vast.

I (al-Albani) say: The verse mentioned by Allamah Sindhi rahimahullah, and all similar verses in which the warning of deeds being nullified due to shirk is mentioned, all have this meaning; for example, the statement of Allah Ta‘ala:

«وَلَقَدْ أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ لَئِنْ اَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ» [سوره زمر: 65]

“(O Muhammad!) It has been revealed to you and to those before you: If you commit shirk, surely your deeds will be nullified and you will surely be among the losers.”

All these verses and those related to this subject will be applied to the one who dies in a state of shirk, as Allah Ta‘ala has said:

«وَ مَنْ يَرْتَدِدُ مِنْكُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ فَيَهُتُ وَهُوَ كَافِرُ فَأُولئِكَ حَبِطَتُ اَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَأُولئِكَ أَصْحَبُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَلِدُون» [سورة بقره: 217] “And whoever among you turns back from his religion and dies as a disbeliever, then their deeds will become worthless in this world and the Hereafter, and they are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein forever.”

Another jurisprudential issue arises from this discussion, and that is: If a Muslim, after performing Hajj, becomes an apostate, and then after apostasy is honored with Islam again, then his previous Hajj will not be nullified, and it will not be obligatory for him to perform Hajj again. This is the position of Imam Shafi‘i rahimahullah, and one narration from Layth ibn Sa‘d is also in support of this. Imam Ibn Hazm preferred this position and spoke about it in a very excellent and strong manner, and I consider it appropriate to mention it. He says:

If a Muslim, after performing Hajj and ‘Umrah, becomes an apostate, then Allah Ta‘ala guides him and saves him from Hell, and he becomes Muslim again, then it will not be obligatory for him to perform Hajj and ‘Umrah again. This is the position of Imam Shafi‘i, and one narration from Layth ibn Sa‘d is also the same. Whereas Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Malik, and Abu Sulayman are of the opinion that his previous Hajj or ‘Umrah will be nullified, and he will have to perform this obligation again. They have presented this verse as evidence for their view:

«لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ» [سوره زمر: 65]

“If you commit shirk, your deeds will be nullified and you will be among the losers.”

The proponents of this position have presented only this evidence, but in reality, this is not a proof for them, because in this verse it is stated that if a polytheist dies in a state of shirk, then his deeds will be nullified, but if he becomes Muslim, then his previous righteous deeds will be preserved. This is the truth, and there is no doubt in it. Yes, it is agreed that if a polytheist performs acts such as Hajj, ‘Umrah, prayer, fasting, and zakah while in a state of shirk, these obligations will not suffice for him (because it is necessary to perform these acts with the conditions and restrictions of the Shari‘ah).

Consider the last phrase of this verse «وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِين» (“and you will be among the losers”). From this phrase, it is also correct to deduce that if an apostate becomes Muslim again, then the righteous deeds performed before accepting Islam will not be nullified, rather they will be recorded and he will be given their reward, because the Muslim Ummah is agreed that if an apostate accepts Islam again, he will certainly be among the successful and prosperous, and will not remain among the losers. Thus, it is known that the one whose deeds are nullified is the one who dies in a state of disbelief, shirk, or apostasy.

Consider, Allah Ta‘ala says:

«وَمَن يَرْتَدِدْ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِ فَيَمُتْ وَهُوَ كَافِرٌ فَأُولَٰئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ» [سورة بقره: 217]

“And whoever among you turns back from his religion and dies as a disbeliever, then their deeds will become worthless in this world and the Hereafter, and they are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein forever.”

In this noble verse, it has been clarified that the deeds of the apostate will be nullified when he dies in a state of disbelief.

Furthermore, the following statements of Allah Ta‘ala are general regarding the preservation of good deeds:

«أَنِّي لَا أُضِيعُ عَمَلَ عَامِلٍ مِّنكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَىٰ» [سورة آل عمران: 195]

“I do not let the work of any worker among you go to waste, whether male or female.”

«فَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَه» [سوره زلزله: 7] “Whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it.”

These are general ahadith regarding the preservation of good deeds and their not being wasted; without any indication, they cannot be specified. Thus, it is known that when an apostate accepts Islam again, his previous Hajj and ‘Umrah are preserved. [صحيحه: 247]