Source: Sermons of Ḥāfiẓ Muḥammad Isḥāq Zāhid, compiled by Tawḥīd.com
Allah, the Lord of Might and Majesty, has shown humanity the path to success in this world and the Hereafter through faith (īmān) and righteous deeds (aʿmāl ṣāliḥah). However, there are certain extremely dangerous matters that completely destroy a person’s good deeds and render all his efforts worthless.
A true believer is not only one who performs righteous deeds, but also one who protects them and safeguards himself from everything that harms his faith and actions.
In this article, those matters are mentioned which invalidate righteous deeds, so that we may avoid them and protect our actions.
Whoever denies the verses of Allah or rejects the Day of Resurrection, all his righteous deeds become worthless in the sight of Allah, no matter how great they may appear outwardly.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِالْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَالًا الَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا أُولٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَلِقَائِهِ فَحَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فَلَا نُقِيمُ لَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَزْنًا ﴾
Translation:
“Say: Shall We inform you of the greatest losers in respect of deeds? Those whose efforts in the worldly life have gone astray while they thought they were doing good works. They are those who denied the verses of their Lord and the meeting with Him, so their deeds became worthless, and We shall not set up for them any weight on the Day of Resurrection.”
Allah Almighty also says:
﴿ وَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا وَلِقَاءِ الْآخِرَةِ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ ۚ هَلْ يُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ﴾
Translation:
“And those who denied Our verses and the meeting of the Hereafter— their deeds have been rendered void. They will only be recompensed for what they used to do.”
Islam is the only religion accepted by Allah. No other religion is acceptable to Him.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ الْإِسْلَامُ ﴾
Translation:
“Indeed, the religion with Allah is Islam.”
And He says:
﴿ وَمَنْ يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ ﴾
Translation:
“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers.”
Whoever abandons Islam becomes an apostate, and apostasy may occur through:
◈ Uttering statements of disbelief
◈ Committing acts of shirk
◈ Adopting false beliefs
◈ Doubting the fundamental doctrines of Islam
As soon as a person becomes an apostate, all his previous good deeds are destroyed.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ وَمَنْ يَرْتَدِدْ مِنْكُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ فَيَمُتْ وَهُوَ كَافِرٌ فَأُولٰئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ ﴾
Translation:
“Whoever among you turns back from his religion and dies as a disbeliever— their deeds have become worthless in this world and the Hereafter.”
However, if such a person repents sincerely and returns to Islam before death, his deeds are preserved.
Shirk is the greatest sin and the most severe injustice. Whoever falls into shirk, all his righteous deeds are destroyed.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُوا لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ﴾
Translation:
“If they had associated partners with Allah, all that they used to do would have become worthless.”
Allah Almighty addressed the Prophet ﷺ:
﴿ لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ ﴾
Translation:
“If you were to associate partners with Allah, your deeds would surely be rendered void, and you would be among the losers.”
This is a severe warning for the Ummah.
Whoever disbelieves in Allah, no matter how many charitable, social, or humanitarian works he performs, they hold no value with Allah without true faith.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ كَرَمَادٍ اشْتَدَّتْ بِهِ الرِّيحُ فِي يَوْمٍ عَاصِفٍ ﴾
Translation:
“The example of those who disbelieve in their Lord—their deeds are like ashes blown away by a strong wind on a stormy day.”
Disliking the Qur’an or any of its rulings leads to the destruction of righteous deeds—such as disliking:
◈ Punishment for theft
◈ Qisās for murder
◈ Prescribed punishment for adultery
◈ The command of ḥijāb
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ ذٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَرِهُوا مَا أَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ فَأَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ ﴾
Translation:
“That is because they disliked what Allah revealed, so He rendered their deeds worthless.”
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ ذٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمُ اتَّبَعُوا مَا أَسْخَطَ اللّٰهَ وَكَرِهُوا رِضْوَانَهُ فَأَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ ﴾
Translation:
“That is because they followed what angered Allah and disliked His pleasure, so He nullified their deeds.”
Pretending to be Muslim outwardly while hiding disbelief in the heart destroys all deeds.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فَأَصْبَحُوا خَاسِرِينَ ﴾
And regarding the hypocrites during the Battle of the Trench:
﴿ أُولٰئِكَ لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا فَأَحْبَطَ اللّٰهُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ ﴾
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ وَسَيُحْبِطُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ ﴾
Translation:
“Allah will render their deeds void.”
Disrespecting the Prophet ﷺ is among the most dangerous causes of ruined deeds.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ أَنْ تَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالُكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تَشْعُرُونَ ﴾
Translation:
“Lest your deeds become worthless while you do not even realize it.”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
(( إِنَّ أَخْوَفَ مَا أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمُ الشِّرْكُ الْأَصْغَرُ ))
(( الرِّيَاءُ ))
Translation:
“The thing I fear most for you is minor shirk.”
“It is showing off.”
(( فَيَجْعَلُهَا اللّٰهُ هَبَاءً مَنْثُورًا ))
(( مَنْ تَرَكَ صَلَاةَ الْعَصْرِ فَقَدْ حَبِطَ عَمَلُهُ ))
For a true believer, doing good deeds alone is not sufficient—protecting them is equally essential. We must constantly examine our faith, intentions, and actions, and avoid everything that leads to Allah’s displeasure and the destruction of deeds.
May Allah grant us sincerity, protect our deeds, enable us to fulfill the rights of others, and accept our actions.
وَآخِرُ دَعْوَانَا أَنِ الْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
Dangerous Matters That Destroy Righteous Deeds
Allah, the Lord of Might and Majesty, has shown humanity the path to success in this world and the Hereafter through faith (īmān) and righteous deeds (aʿmāl ṣāliḥah). However, there are certain extremely dangerous matters that completely destroy a person’s good deeds and render all his efforts worthless.
A true believer is not only one who performs righteous deeds, but also one who protects them and safeguards himself from everything that harms his faith and actions.
In this article, those matters are mentioned which invalidate righteous deeds, so that we may avoid them and protect our actions.
① Denying the Verses of Allah or the Day of Resurrection
Whoever denies the verses of Allah or rejects the Day of Resurrection, all his righteous deeds become worthless in the sight of Allah, no matter how great they may appear outwardly.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِالْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَالًا الَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا أُولٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَلِقَائِهِ فَحَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فَلَا نُقِيمُ لَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَزْنًا ﴾
Reference: Al-Kahf: 103–105
Translation:
“Say: Shall We inform you of the greatest losers in respect of deeds? Those whose efforts in the worldly life have gone astray while they thought they were doing good works. They are those who denied the verses of their Lord and the meeting with Him, so their deeds became worthless, and We shall not set up for them any weight on the Day of Resurrection.”
Allah Almighty also says:
﴿ وَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا وَلِقَاءِ الْآخِرَةِ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ ۚ هَلْ يُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ﴾
Reference: Al-Aʿrāf: 147
Translation:
“And those who denied Our verses and the meeting of the Hereafter— their deeds have been rendered void. They will only be recompensed for what they used to do.”
② Apostasy from Islam
Islam is the only religion accepted by Allah. No other religion is acceptable to Him.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ الْإِسْلَامُ ﴾
Reference: Āl ʿImrān: 19
Translation:
“Indeed, the religion with Allah is Islam.”
And He says:
﴿ وَمَنْ يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ ﴾
Reference: Āl ʿImrān: 85
Translation:
“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers.”
Whoever abandons Islam becomes an apostate, and apostasy may occur through:
◈ Uttering statements of disbelief
◈ Committing acts of shirk
◈ Adopting false beliefs
◈ Doubting the fundamental doctrines of Islam
As soon as a person becomes an apostate, all his previous good deeds are destroyed.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ وَمَنْ يَرْتَدِدْ مِنْكُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ فَيَمُتْ وَهُوَ كَافِرٌ فَأُولٰئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ ﴾
Reference: Al-Baqarah: 217
Translation:
“Whoever among you turns back from his religion and dies as a disbeliever— their deeds have become worthless in this world and the Hereafter.”
However, if such a person repents sincerely and returns to Islam before death, his deeds are preserved.
③ Associating Partners with Allah (Shirk)
Shirk is the greatest sin and the most severe injustice. Whoever falls into shirk, all his righteous deeds are destroyed.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُوا لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ﴾
Reference: Al-Anʿām: 88
Translation:
“If they had associated partners with Allah, all that they used to do would have become worthless.”
Allah Almighty addressed the Prophet ﷺ:
﴿ لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ ﴾
Reference: Az-Zumar: 65
Translation:
“If you were to associate partners with Allah, your deeds would surely be rendered void, and you would be among the losers.”
This is a severe warning for the Ummah.
④ Disbelief in Allah
Whoever disbelieves in Allah, no matter how many charitable, social, or humanitarian works he performs, they hold no value with Allah without true faith.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ كَرَمَادٍ اشْتَدَّتْ بِهِ الرِّيحُ فِي يَوْمٍ عَاصِفٍ ﴾
Reference: Ibrāhīm: 18
Translation:
“The example of those who disbelieve in their Lord—their deeds are like ashes blown away by a strong wind on a stormy day.”
⑤ Disliking Any Command of the Qur’an
Disliking the Qur’an or any of its rulings leads to the destruction of righteous deeds—such as disliking:
◈ Punishment for theft
◈ Qisās for murder
◈ Prescribed punishment for adultery
◈ The command of ḥijāb
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ ذٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَرِهُوا مَا أَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ فَأَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ ﴾
Reference: Muḥammad: 9
Translation:
“That is because they disliked what Allah revealed, so He rendered their deeds worthless.”
⑥ Following Paths That Anger Allah and Disliking His Pleasure
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ ذٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمُ اتَّبَعُوا مَا أَسْخَطَ اللّٰهَ وَكَرِهُوا رِضْوَانَهُ فَأَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ ﴾
Reference: Muḥammad: 28
Translation:
“That is because they followed what angered Allah and disliked His pleasure, so He nullified their deeds.”
⑦ Doctrinal Hypocrisy (Nifāq Iʿtiqādī)
Pretending to be Muslim outwardly while hiding disbelief in the heart destroys all deeds.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فَأَصْبَحُوا خَاسِرِينَ ﴾
Reference: Al-Mā’idah: 53
And regarding the hypocrites during the Battle of the Trench:
﴿ أُولٰئِكَ لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا فَأَحْبَطَ اللّٰهُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ ﴾
Reference: Al-Aḥzāb: 19
⑧ Opposing the Messenger ﷺ After Guidance Has Become Clear
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ وَسَيُحْبِطُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ ﴾
Reference: Muḥammad: 32
Translation:
“Allah will render their deeds void.”
⑨ Disrespecting the Messenger ﷺ
Disrespecting the Prophet ﷺ is among the most dangerous causes of ruined deeds.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ أَنْ تَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالُكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تَشْعُرُونَ ﴾
Reference: Al-Ḥujurāt: 2
Translation:
“Lest your deeds become worthless while you do not even realize it.”
⑩ Showing Off (Riyāʾ)
The Prophet ﷺ said:
(( إِنَّ أَخْوَفَ مَا أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمُ الشِّرْكُ الْأَصْغَرُ ))
(( الرِّيَاءُ ))
Reference: As-Ṣaḥīḥah: 951
Translation:
“The thing I fear most for you is minor shirk.”
“It is showing off.”
⑪ Committing Sins in Seclusion
(( فَيَجْعَلُهَا اللّٰهُ هَبَاءً مَنْثُورًا ))
Reference: Sunan Ibn Mājah: 4245
⑫ Deliberately Abandoning the ʿAṣr Prayer
(( مَنْ تَرَكَ صَلَاةَ الْعَصْرِ فَقَدْ حَبِطَ عَمَلُهُ ))
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 553
⑬ Visiting Fortune-Tellers and Soothsayers
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2230
⑭ Swearing That Allah Will Not Forgive Someone
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2621
⑮ Violating the Rights of People (Ḥuqūq al-ʿIbād)
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2581
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 2449
Conclusion
For a true believer, doing good deeds alone is not sufficient—protecting them is equally essential. We must constantly examine our faith, intentions, and actions, and avoid everything that leads to Allah’s displeasure and the destruction of deeds.
May Allah grant us sincerity, protect our deeds, enable us to fulfill the rights of others, and accept our actions.
وَآخِرُ دَعْوَانَا أَنِ الْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
