In Islam the issue of moral, spiritual accountability is well defined. It is established that only God knows who was effectively and sufficiently exposed to the truth before willfuly rejecting it.
The responsible ones are those who
68:43"were called upon to make obeisance indeed while yet they were safe (saalimun)".
This word indicates full possession of the power of judgement. The Quran states that for individuals to reject the divine guidance while in a state of being "saalimun", this can only happen if the truth conflicts with their paradigms, desires, and worldly interests, and essentially stems out of pride, prejudice and arrogance hence its condemnation. Analyzed objectively and rationally, Islam can never conflict with one's inner conscience. That is why one always finds an element of subjectivity based on worldly interests, whenever someone with a decently working rational mind rejects Islam after all questions are properly answered within the islamic paradigm. Such people do not reject Islam because they are stupid. If they go through a serious introspection, they will point out those worldly reasons specific to them. No philosophical objection a disbeliever will raise but it will be common to every monotheistic system. There are answers that better explain these problems from a theistic view rather than atheistic. That is why such people will most often resort to objections in regards to Qur'anic statements or ahadith, which turn out to be genuinely based on poor knowledge as well as the desperate need to pile up as much layers of excuses as possible so as to cover for the real, base, worldly reasons for rejecting Islam.
Therefore one only becomes accountable for rejecting Islam
47:25,6:49,4:115"after guidance has become manifested to him"
something the guilty himself will recognize in the hereafter 67:9. This is the central condition for responsible choice of creed
22:17"Surely those who believe and those who are Jews and the Sabeans and the Christians and the Magians and those who associate (others with Allah)-- surely Allah will decide between them on the day of resurrection; surely Allah is a witness over all things".
This establishes that whoever, Muslim or else, follows his religion with sincerity and isnt guilty of rejecting divine ordinances out of pride, prejudice or arrogance, stubbornness and unflinching stance despite the clear explanations, that person will have his sincerity in his own faith judged according to God's knowledge, wisdom, justice. In fact the Quran when quoting an exchange between the prophet Musa and Firon, explains that Allah alone decrees the destiny of those who were not reached by divine guidance for He alone knows their motives and understands the cause of their choices. He alone can appreciate their spiritual merits and demerits
20:48-55,17:54"Your Lord knows you best; He will have mercy on you if He pleases, or He will chastise you if He pleases" 15:24-5"And certainly We know those of you who have gone before and We certainly know those who shall come later. And surely your Lord will gather them together; surely He is Wise, Knowing" 25:58"and Sufficient is He as being aware of the faults of His servants".
God adds to Moses' answer that common sense and the observation of nature must lead a person to a basic cognizance of a unique Creator. God has created in man the innate ability to come to such conclusion through reason and observation. That hardwired spirituality also leads one to understand the great evils and make the essential correct spiritual choices. Each person is thus at least responsible for his response to that basic guidance even if it isnt directly spelled out to him.
That innate guidance is the essential thing separating us from animals. Contrary to us, morally accountable creatures, animals are not blameable for certain acts like unjust killings (infanticide) or detestable practices (cannibalism) that humans, regardless of their religion or belief (or lack of belief) in God outright reject.
This innate guidance must be nurtured or it degrades and dies, leaving its host without any proper moral and spiritual compass. The neglect and degradation of this God-given tool is something the individual will have to answer to before God 7:172-3,75:2,91:7-10. This might have been the spiritual, moral condition of the prophet's own parents whom the ahadith depict as being in the fire. So for anyone, Muslim or else, to be included among the successful in the Hereafter, indiscriminately, regardless of faith and appellations, described in 64:9 as "whoever believes in Allah" then their belief in God will have to be in accordance with their innate guidance and common sense, and the nature of their deeds may not conflict with their innate capacity to understand good and evil. This means that in any case, a deed is only good because it is in accordance with God's revealed principles.
However, some are at a disadvantage even when it comes to hearkening that basic, ingrained guidance. They are those brought up in a heavily corrupt environment. God will definitely take this factor into account as seen with the Queen of Sheba's case whose disbelief was blamed on her corrupt environment and sinful conditioning 27:43. However that conditioning can still be reversed once guidance is properly conveyed to them or when they leave their atmosphere, as equally seen with the Queen who reformed herself after coming in contact with the prophet Solomon who demonstrated to her what constitutes spiritual uprightness.
Some lack the mental capacity to discern the truth and arent therefore accountable for failing in this regard
36:62,35:37"Did We not preserve you alive long enough, so that he who would be mindful in it should mind?"
If a person has died before attaining such an age, ie "long enough to be mindful" he will not be called to any account according to this verse. However, the one who has attained this age will certainly be held answerable for his actions and from that point on, for any positive or negative answer to the opportunities of spiritual betterment. Other people despite possessing their full intellectual capacities havent been properly explained the teachings of Islam, and thus logically cannot be held accountable for rejecting something that was misrepresented, willfully or not, to them
3:163,6:132"And all have degrees according to what they do; and your Lord is not heedless of what they do" 46:19"And for all are degrees according to what they did, and that He may pay them back fully their deeds and they shall not be wronged".
These intricacies are impossible to be fully encompassed by the human mind so that someone, in this world, may declare another to be destined for Heaven or Hell. Not even a divinely appointed prophet may do such a thing
46:9"say: I am not the first of the messengers, and I do not know what will be done with me or with you: I do not follow anything but that which is revealed to me, and I am nothing but a plain warner" 39:62"He alone has the power to determine the fate of all things" 31:34"and no one knows what he shall earn on the morrow; and no one knows in what land he shall die; surely Allah is Knowing, Aware".
When on the Day of Judgement, the prophets and messengers are called to testify as to the answer of those reached by their message, they will humbly reply
16:84,89,7:6,5:109"We have no knowledge, surely Thou art the great Knower of the unseen things".
These noble witnesses only knew of that outward response which was made to them, but only Allah knows how the message was received by each individual, how far the rejecters were or how far the followers truly believed and remained true to it during and after the death of the messengers. In the words of Jesus on the day of judgement
5:117"I did not say to them aught save what Thou didst enjoin me with: That serve Allah, my Lord and your Lord, and I was a witness of them so long as I was among them, but when Thou didst cause me to die, Thou wert the watcher over them, and Thou art witness of all things".
Only divinely guided messengers and prophets and nobody else, are able to clear all misconceptions and falsehood and explain things in such a way that if one denies the truth then he can be pointed out as an "unbeliever". He is then inflicted with divine retribution. But even then, disbelief has many degrees and circumstancial factors hence even the prophets being unable to say whether such unbelievers are destined for hell in the Hereafter.
So when 64:9 describes the successful in the Hereafter with an indiscriminate phrase, applicable to Muslims and non-Muslims alike, as those "who believe in God and do good", it enforces that any appellation becomes irrelevant if one refuses believing in God as is taught in the Quran when it reaches them. This is clearly attested by the direct context of the verse. 64:9 gives two inseparable conditions to be among the successful in the Hereafter:
- the first condition is Belief in God, meaning at least in accordance with the innate guidance and common sense (for those not reached by the revelations), or as prescribed in the Quran for those reached by the guidance of this Book.
- the second condition is Doing good, meaning at least in accordance with the innate guidance (for those not reached by the revelations), or as prescribed in the Quran for those reached by the guidance of this Book. That is why in the Quran exhortation to perform good deeds is preceded everywhere by Faith and the prophets themselves are not exempted from such principle 6:88. It is thus not any deed, but the best of deeds that is required 67:2, meaning for those reached by divine revelation, with deep sincerity and faith
9:19,53-4"Spend willingly or unwillingly, it shall never be accepted from you; (for) verily you have ever been an ungodly people. And naught prevented that their spendings should be accepted from them, save that they have disbelieved in Allah and in his Messenger, and they do not perform the prayer but while they are sluggish, and they do not spend but while they are averse".
The best of deeds is one which is done because it conforms with the fabric of the universe, as commanded by the Creator of all things, not solely because it feels like it is the right thing to do at a particular time. That mindframe is restricted, and selfish even if it seems to bring good in a specific situation. The best of deeds however is a mindframe that changes one's perception of humanity's role in all aspects of life, making the individual an active participant in an intricate mechanism whose ultimate purpose is goodness, regardless of one's whims, personal feelings and appreciations.
The willful rejecters of Islam, can still do good and be rewarded in this world, but their deeds will have no value in the Hereafter if it turns out to be the same Hereafter that was described in the Book they rejected entirely after having properly understood it
5:27"Allah only accepts from the God-conscious".
40:40"and whoever does good, whether male or female, and he is a believer, these shall enter the garden, in which they shall be given sustenance without measure"
Heaven can be likened to a relationship with God, just as Hell is the absence of such connection
13:20-25"Those who fulfill the covenant of Allah and do not break the contract, And those who join that which Allah has ordered to be joined and fear their Lord and are afraid of the evil of [their] account, And those who are patient, seeking the countenance of their Lord, and establish prayer and spend from what We have provided for them secretly and publicly and prevent evil with good - those will have the good consequence of [this] home - Gardens of perpetual residence; they will enter them with whoever were righteous among their fathers, their spouses and their descendants. And the angels will enter upon them from every gate, [saying], "Peace be upon you for what you patiently endured. And excellent is the final home." But those who break the covenant of Allah after contracting it and sever that which Allah has ordered to be joined and spread corruption on earth - for them is the curse, and they will have the worst home".
The concept of nearness to Allah implies honoring, satisfaction and reward as often stated in the Quran. It is used in different contexts, as in the magicians whom Pharaoh promised to honor by drawing them near to him 26:42, to the believers who are urged to seek the means to obtain Allah's nearness 5:35. Nearness to Allah in the Hereafter is presented as the foremost reward of the foremost in faith, far surpassing everything that heaven may offer of delights 56:10-11,88,54:55,83:28 the Prophet Jesus is likewise made near to Allah 3:45, as the angels near to Allah executing His commands 4:172. Those honored individuals will experience realities of the unseen that are restricted to others 83:21. Further, those nearest to God
21:19"are never too proud to worship Him and never grow weary".
Contrary to worldly ownership and mastership, the closer a servant is to his master the more benefits he gains in terms of power, material gains and personal freedom. But as regards to God's ownership which is the true and absolute one, the closer the servant is drawn to Him the more humbled and submissive the servant becomes, aware of his insignificance in relation to the Supreme Being. That is how complete and intricate the Quran is, in its argumentations for perfect monotheism.
In contrast, Hell is described as the place of those whom Allah has "laan". Often rendered "curse", the Arabic denotes remoteness from God 3:87. Hell is the necessary result of separation from God. God is the source of all goodness, separation from Him necessarily results in a situation devoid of all goodness. And Hell is the climax of the absence of all good. The punishment of the disbelievers the day they are raised is described as the alienation from God's mercy
23:66,83:15,20:126,11:99"And they are overtaken by curse/laana in this (world), and on the resurrection day, evil the gift which shall be given".
All those who attribute a lie to Allah incur His curse/laanat (distancing or being forsaken) 11:18, as well as those who die as disbelievers 2:161, those who commit great sins like murder 4:93, hypocrites 9:68, ungratefulness 15:17 or slander 24:23.
To further corroborate how rejecting God from one's life in this world manifests as severing of ties in the hereafter. The Quran explains that In the hereafter, all Revelations will be fulfilled. The veil over the unseen realities will be lifted, and truth will be so evident that not a single soul will deny the Creator. Those that did so in this life will ask to be sent back to behave differently, or will beg for the dreadful cataclysms of the day of resurrection to be delayed 6:27-28,7:53,32:12,39:56-9,44:10-16. But these requests will be denied, universal judgement must eventually happen at a time most appropriate as decreed by the perfect Judge. There is no postponing of a time of respite during which sufficient exposure to the clear warnings has occurred 35:37. Further, even if the requested is granted
"if they were sent back, they would certainly go back to that which they are forbidden, and most surely they are liars".
The condemned will acknowledge that reality as they have now gained understanding of the functioning of spiritual causality, stating that although they are eager to return to life to make amends and take advantage of every occasion to do good, they themselves arent sure whether this desire will actualize. This is indicated with laAAla in 23:100. That is why some people, even if they are made to live indefinitely, they will remain in the same spiritual condition of denial and ungratefulness 2:96.
The request to return will thus be denied, just as will be their declaration of faith, and they will still be labelled disbelievers 46:34. The hereafter is the place where the spiritual condition manifests to such an extent that it affects the resurrected body, incapable of bending the knees and prostrating in worship when commanded. This will ironically mirror their willfull refusal to worship in this world 68:42-3,77:48-9. It follows that their demands for forgiveness, which stem from the repentant heart of the worshipper, will be cut short and forbidden from further pleas 41:24,30:57. As Solomon is reported to have stated in regards to prayers offered to God after the time of respite expires
Prov1:28"Then they will call me, and I will not answer; they shall seek me, and they shall not find me".Their knees will only bend when that physical desire will be unrelated to worship, but to abasement, begging to be spared entry in hell 19:72. There is a similar statement in the Hebrew Bible concerning the non-validity of worship in the hereafter
Ps115:17"Neither will the dead praise God, nor all those who descend to the grave".
Hezekiah's prayer in Isa38 strongly reflects that notion too.
Their state of certainty, which will only be due to profound regret at seeing the undeniable manifestation of the realities they were warned about 6:28,10:54,67:8-11 and which they suppressed all the while entertaining the idea that it might possibly be true, cannot benefit them anymore
16:84,32:29,89:23"On that day shall man be mindful, and what shall being mindful (then) avail him?".
Spiritual mindfulness is irrelevant beyond this world
34:52"And how shall the attaining (of faith) be possible to them from a distant place".
In this world where mankind is given the opportunity to reject or accept faith, God indiscriminately provides among the humans, as a matter of testing their God-consciousness, not to honor them 39:52,34:35,17:20. This higher objective is captured through the recurrent statement "that you might be grateful" ending the verses speaking of God's favors. Through this device (wealth, power, children, health etc) we have opportunities to feel God's presence whichever way we look 2:115. That is why the lawful things must be opened to all, and no human being has the authority to withhold them from another. No man-made laws are allowed to overrule this divine plan 2:168 especially not when it comes to the believers themselves 2:172. They are the foremost entitled to enjoy God's bounties, as they profit from them with gratefulness and God-consciousness in this world. That is why God states that despite this indiscriminate distribution among the people, the bounties as well as the inheritance of the land are for the believers in this world and will be exclusively theirs in the Hereafter
21:105,39:73-4,43:72,7:32"Who has prohibited the embellishment of Allah which He has brought forth for His servants and the good provisions? Say: These are for the believers in the life of this world, purely (theirs) on the resurrection day"7:50"And the inmates of the fire shall call out to the dwellers of the garden, saying: Pour on us some water or of that which Allah has given you. They shall say: Surely Allah has prohibited them both to the unbelievers".
Those who rejected God's mercy in this world will be forbidden from it in the hereafter. It will only be made available to those who proved themselves worthy of it, ie "purely (theirs) on the resurrection day". As regards to the others, as they were completely "off the mark" conjecturing on the Unseen, they will be raised far away from God's grace and mercy
34:52-53"And how shall the attaining (of faith) be possible to them from a distant place? And they disbelieved in it before, and they utter conjectures with regard to the unseen from a distant place".
The disbelievers being located in a "distant" place, ie in regards to the straight path is repeatedly alluded to for example in 6:71,41:44,53. The prophet Micah alludes to the same phenomenon in this very world, the day the promised punishment befalls the transgressors
Micah3:4"then they shall cry out to the Lord, but He shall not respond to them; and He shall hide His countenance from them at that time, as they wrought evil with their works".
Again in Prov15:29 it says that
"The Lord is far from the wicked".Their own spiritual senses will testify to this heedlessness on the Resurrection 41:19-23. They will realize the error of neglecting those senses to the point they became unreceptive 67:10-11. Their spiritual state in this world (blindness, deafness) will be a source of suffering in the hereafter, taking them even further in their misguidance away from the path of truth
17:97,20:124-7,21:100,17:72"And whoever is blind in this, he shall (also) be blind in the hereafter, and more erring from the way".
This shows that man's spiritual state in life is amplified in the Hereafter and the spiritual degradation will cause them not to sense or experience anything of God's mercy
23:66,83:15,20:126"Our communications came to you but you neglected them; even thus shall you be forsaken this day".
Just as our physical form in this world depends on proper fetal development, our re-creation in the hereafter will depend on our spiritual development in this world. A person born in this world with physical disabilities will be hindered in experiencing the pleasures of this world, and will sometimes live a life of suffering. The same happens to the spiritually disabled in the hereafter. They end up forsaken for their ungratefulness in this world 16:83 on a Day whose occurrence they rejected and neglected
45:31-4"Today We forsake you as you neglected the meeting of this day of yours".
God forsakes them in fact in this very world, when they waste their time of respite 25:18, neglecting the guidance that should have instead triggered their inner disposition to believe
64:6,30:30,21:10"Certainly We have revealed to you a Book in which is your good remembrance".
God will be veiled from them, they will not see His mercy 83:15 while the believers on the other hand because of having developed and nurtured their spirituality will feel and experience God's mercy with such intensity that they will literally be "in" Allah's mercy 3:107.
This "cutting off" of the rejecters and blind transgressors is something David speaks of in his
Psalms73:27"For behold, those who have distanced themselves from You will perish; You have cut off anyone who strays from You".
When the Quran speaks of the people's final destination in the Hereafter, it adjoins "righteousness" to "faith" as a prerequisite for entering Heaven 20:75,64:9 while no mention has been made of the "evil acts" of the future dwellers of Hell, only their "disbelief". This subtely indicates that disbelief by itself is enough to determine a person's situation in the hereafter, whether that disbelief is accompanied by the evil act or not 30:15-16.
A believer is one who has cleft the limits of the visible world of 'materiality' by accepting the existence of another one perceivable only through reasonable and spiritual deduction. By doing so, he has created a connection between himself and the realm of an extraordinary, bigger, and greater world.
Plato's "Euthyphro Dilemma", often invoked by atheists, in which Socrates asks Euthyphro:
“Is a pious man loved by the gods because he is pious, or is he considered pious because he is loved by the gods?”
should thus be re-stated in Islamic, or generally speaking monotheistic terms;
“Is what is ‘good’ commanded by God because it is good, or is it considered ‘good’ because God commands it?”.
As already answered above, one who does a morally commendable action simply because it agrees with his conscience or intellect while knowingly rejecting the divine authority that commanded that action will not be successful in a world -the afterlife- designed for those who developed a relationship with God. That type of deed does not qualify as the "best of deeds", which is what God demands of us 67:2.
This defines "good" or anything ultimately ethical as "what God wants". This is because God wants us to do what is good and avoid what is bad for us and for the community at large in this world and in the next world. What God wants is what is good and God wants it because it is good. As a side note, from a philosophical viewpoint, it is humanly impossible to perform a purely, ethically altruistic action because of the very existence of a motivation for the altruistic act. It is the difference between mercy/generosity coming from God, of which He has nothing to gain and human generosity. The person helping concludes that his/her help will make someone better off than before. And it is this knowledge which makes absolute selflessness impossible, because this knowledge is in itself a utility gain to the helper. The gain may be a concrete sense of goodwill, or just the simple knowledge that they have helped someone. Therefore, all acts of generosity have some degree of self-interest attached to them. A believer in God, in addition to the satisfaction of knowing that a fellow human is in better condition, has fulfilled an act that does not stem from fleeting whims and feelings. He has fulfilled a duty, regardless of his personal judgement, one that is more far-reaching in that it conforms with the overall system of the universe.
Those who rejected the belief in God and the Hereafter when guidance clearly came to them, their deeds, which they confined to this world and for the achievement of their worldly desires, without any expectation of repercussions in the Hereafter, will therefore have no weight ie worthless in the world to come
7:147,47:1"(As for) those who disbelieve and turn away from Allah's way, He shall render their works ineffective".
The standard against which the deeds are weighted, as already said, is the truth. Truth is a combination of the correct deeds with correct faith. These incomplete works will thus ultimately vanish like ashes scattered by the winds of a "stormy" Day, ie the Day of Resurrection where Truth makes all falsehood vanish
14:18,24:39-40,25:23,47:1-3,18:105"Therefore their works are vain, and on the Day of Resurrection We assign no weight to them".
In reference to the same reality, the book of Psalms states
Ps1:4-6"Not so the wicked, but [they are] like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore, the wicked shall not stand up in judgment, nor shall the sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish".
Again, we read in
Prov11:18"A wicked man earns illusory wages".
Judaism in addition states that because the Torah (binding on Jews) and noachide laws (binding on non-Jews) are meant to develop a relationship with God, then should a person comply by any of those commands like not stealing, without that his compliance be rooted in the desire to please God then the person still doesnt get any reward in the hereafter, a world in the presence of God for whom the person didnt actually do anything. The opposite is the case of the one who refrains from stealing because he believes it is a law binding on himself and revealed to Moses.
This is a major Quranic theme. When all has been created with an inner truth, for a higher purpose and for an appointed term in a universe whose phenomena all testify to a higher reality 30:8,14:19,10:3-6 by Allah who is Truth in essence 22:6,62 it necessitates that everything false or based on falsehood, ie devoid of its higher purpose ultimately perishes. That reality many times manifested in this very world with the uprooting of transgressing nations altogether. That is why, as said previously, only the Truth in one's actions will be measured
7:8"The weighing on that day is the true. As for those whose scales are heavy, they are the successful".Their deeds are therefore nullified in the Hereafter, and their good deeds, that is, those deeds in accordance with their "self-reproaching soul" and innate understanding of good and evil will be restrained to this passing world
18:104"lost in this world's life"
as if they were lush vegetations that then become
18:45"dry broken into pieces which the winds scatter".
The restriction of these deeds to this passing world means they will have no value in the Hereafter because they were not done with the right perspective of building a relationship with God. Their corresponding reward will be paid in this world, because the Quran repeatedly says that Allah never lets the good deeds remain unrewarded
42:20,46:20,17:18,11:15-16"Whoever desires this world's life and its finery, We will pay them in full their deeds therein, and they shall not be made to suffer loss in respect of them. These are they for whom there is nothing but fire in the hereafter, and what they wrought in it shall go for nothing, and vain is what they do".
This general statement covers all people, regardless of their belief or profession of faith, including Muslims who also may sometimes transgress and conduct themselves hypocritically or with a strict materialistic mindframe. Certain crimes and great sins however warrant a punishment so severe that the nullification of the reward does not only concern the next life, but also the present one 2:217,3:21-2.
As regards the previously mentioned notion of restraining the reward of certain good deeds to this present life only, the New Testament speaks of the same principle, when it quotes Jesus in Matt6 about those who do "good" without any perspective of the Hereafter such as praying, fasting or giving to charity only to be seen by men that they will have no reward in the Hereafter and that they will be paid in full in this world only, meaning the deed will not be considered as "good" in the Hereafter
"Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full"
or as stated in the Quran
4:142,107:4-6"So woe to the praying ones, Who are unmindful of their prayers, Who do (good) to be seen".
Those who die while still guilty of shirk with God/attributing equal or superior authority to anything besides God will suffer the same fate
39:65"And certainly, it has been revealed to you and to those before you: Surely if you associate (with Allah), your work would certainly come to naught and you would certainly be of the losers".
Shirk is the major roadblock to mankind's spiritual purpose. Although God could forcefully make one achieve that goal of creation, by for instance erasing all reasons for the spiritual dissensions among the humans 42:8, He has decreed in accordance with divine justice, moral accountability, and the overarching principle of no compulsion in religion 2:256,18:29 that we must maintain and nurture our own inner selves through tazkiya 87:14,91:7-10. The word stems from z-k-w, used concretely for a plant that matures well and bears fruit. It is metaphorically used for all religious directives, particularly charity/zakat, as they help one to grow spiritually and bear fruit in the hereafter. Tazkiya is a process ultimately beneficial for one'self 35:18, manifesting itself in the above spoken notion of servitude to God.
There is a reason the Quran constantly lays stress on God's transcendental oneness and uniqueness; the acceptance of that concept frees man from all sense of dependence on other influences and powers, and thus elevates him spiritually and brings about that tazkiya/purification, for Allah alone is the way to achieve that goal 4:49. Because shirk with God/ascribing an equal or superior authority to anything besides Him, compromises that objective, the Quran describes it as the only unforgivable sin if left unrepented for until the signs of death, anything other than that may or may not be forgiven by God if left unrepented for, according to God's knowledge, justice, mercy 4:48,116,25:68-71,39:53-55.
It is to be kept in mind that just as there are intrinsic rights in creation depending on rank, for example the rights of an insect arent as those of a sentient animal, nor of a human, nor king, similarly God epitomizes maximal rights, honour and authority vis a vis the humans. Denying His supremacy is thus the maximal transgression of a human in relation to Him. Hence the categorization of this sin as the highest in severity.
Other sins, if left unrepented for, lead to the same consequences, such as hypocrisy, blind denial of the truth and pursuit of falsehood, aversion to the divine guidance, death after having apostised, unjustified murder of the righteous 2:217,3:21-2,5:52-3,18:105,47:1-9. However the most extreme case of loss is the one, regardless of his level of righteousness, that falls into a type of sin that renders all previous upright deeds devoid of any value in the Hereafter. Among high profiles of righteousness having instantly lost themselves to a great sin the traditions speak of Iblis, and the Quran, after providing a list of honorable prophets states that
6:88"and if they had set up others (with Him), certainly what they did would have become ineffectual for them".
The HB similarly states the good deeds of the righteous are all erased if he should fall into idolatry and persistently commit the great sins without repenting, thinking that his past righteousness will save him Ezek18:24,33:13. As observed by the prophet Solomon righteousness can quickly be outweighed by even a single sin
Ecc10:1"Fying flies make putrid and foamy the oil of a perfumer; so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor".
In parallel to the circumstances leading to the nullification of the good deeds, the Quran also says that when a person's actions satisfy all criteria of acceptability, then it is the evil deeds that are nullified 11:114,29:7. This rewarding, cleansing process occurs in the Hereafter prior to the successful's entry into Heaven, a place of perfect purity, as gracious gift from God.
In the case of those who rejected or disregarded most or all of the directives of the Quran when it was communicated to them (Muslims and non-Muslims alike) and who transgressed willingly and rebelliously, then despite their good actions, their measurements will be light
23:102-103"Then as for him whose scales/mawazin are heavy, these are the successful. And as for him whose scales are light, these are they who shall have lost their souls, abiding in hell".
The Quran also clearly says that among the Muslims themselves there are different grades in God's eyes 35:32-5 and although all will eventually enter heaven, this entry will be granted differently from person to person following a personalized appropriate trial, going from short and easy to lengthy and difficult.
Some will even have to pass through Hell as long as Allah deems fit before being granted entry in heaven 6:128,11:106-108 and the Quran has mentioned several crimes such as murder, corruption of inheritance, abusing the weak people's wealth or charity etc whose perpetrators will go to hell regardless of their faith. It is in such context that the following prophetic saying is understood
"Gabriel, upon him be peace, came to me with the good news that anyone from my nation who dies without associating partners with Allah will enter Paradise. I said, “Even if he commits adultery and theft?” The Prophet said: Even if he commits adultery and theft".
Elsewhere
"People among those who worshiped Allah alone (ahl al-tawḥīd) will be punished in the Hellfire until they are coals. Then the mercy of Allah will reach them and they will be taken out and presented at the gates of Paradise. The people of Paradise will pour water over them and they will grow just as the stubble carried by the stream grows, then they will enter Paradise".
These Mawazin/scales of the day of judgement, is in the plural because it isnt the concept of a regular scale that is meant here. The plural indicates that there will be many criteria of evaluation and measurements to which the deeds will be compared, meaning that the good nature of the deed itself is not enough for it to be weighty in the spiritual realm.
In fact -as explained in details above- a good deed, even done by someone who has professed Islam, such as prayers, fasts, zakat and others can be rendered null and void in the Hereafter if not done as prescribed by God, Who does not judge actions and deeds according to their external form but on the basis of the faith and sincerity underlying them
2:264,3:117,13:22,33:19,67:2"He is the Lord who created death and life so that He may test you that which of you is better in deed".
The ultimate reality of creation is to be a test in the performance of good deeds rather than the quantity of such deeds. For instance when concluding the passage ordaining fasting upon those claiming to adhere to correct faith, it states
2:185"and exalt Allah for His having guided you, and that perhaps you might be grateful (to Him)".
The bestowal of guidance upon a fasting believer is a conclusive reality however sincerity in obedience is conditional upon the person's level of God-consciousness, hence the term "perhaps" attached to the deeper appreciation of the practice.
In many ways does the Quran explain the fact that quantity isnt what is asked from us but rather quality of deeds, including through subtle and eloquent linguistic devices. In 20:75 for example the adjective alsalihat/the good, refers to the deeds, which is rhetorically omitted to bring more focus on the adjective, in this case quality/goodness. Then the verse proceeds to negate quantity and focus on quality, from another angle. The adjective salihat should normally be in the singular feminine, to indicate plural yet the plural feminine is used. This abnormal construction was used even in preislamic literature to indicate that a lesser plural in terms of quantity is meant. Once more, the normal grammatical rule is that a singular feminine adjective comes with an object (the deeds in this particular case) to indicate quantity but if the adjective is in the plural feminine it implies a lesser quantity.
Then again towards the verse's end, the adjective alulaa/the high, describing the ranks of the successful in the Hereafter, follows the same abnormal grammatical construction in order to indicate a lesser plural. This implies that the high dwelling places are restricted, few, exclusive, yet even so, in order to achieve these exalted places one doesn't need to exert himself quantitatively but qualitatively as indicated in the first part of the verse.
That concept is exemplified in the previous verses, through the account of Pharaoh's magicians who, towards their life's end, came to believe and remain steadfast in their faith despite the promised torture. Elsewhere when it adjoins the salihat to correct faith as a prerequisite for success in the Hereafter, it precedes the word with min/of to indicate that complete accomplishment of all righteous deeds is not the intent, even acting upon a part of the prescribed deeds is enough to be counted among the successful 21:94 and God will never let go to waste even the tiniest of those deeds, done in the most secret of ways 99:7. It is reported that
"by his good character a man can reach the degree of the one who stands in prayer at night and the one who is thirsty from fasting in the heat of the day".And as a matter of fact, quality inevitably leads to quantity, eagerness to re-live a spiritually fulfilling experience. Following with the same idea of quality over quantity in terms of deeds is the very general and unspecific injunction to do, side by side with the performance of prayer and charity, any type of good 2:110. The overall principle in Islam in relations to reward in the afterlife is that nothing we can do in itself merits the disproportionate good that lies in store. Only by God's grace are the righteous believers rewarded with paradise. Thus the Quran and the traditions emphasize moderation in religion, as well as the quality, sincerity and constancy in doing good deeds
"The Prophet was asked, "What deeds are loved most by Allah?" He said, "The most regular constant deeds even though they may be few." He added, 'Don't take upon yourselves, except the deeds which are within your ability".
"The Prophet said, "Do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately, and receive good news because one's good deeds will not make him enter Paradise." They asked, "Even you, O Allah's Messenger?" He said, "Even I, unless and until Allah bestows His pardon and Mercy on me".
The balance, just like the books of deeds, the witnessing entities that will be brought forth whether external or within our own selves, are only tools serving the purpose of articulating the truth of one's deeds in such a way that it will inevitably lead to self conviction. They are some of the aspects of God's perfect court of justice
5:109,4:166,6:19,10:28-29,17:13-14,21:47"And We will set up a just balance on the day of resurrection, so no soul shall be dealt with unjustly in the least; and though there be the weight of a grain of mustard seed, (yet) will We bring it, and sufficient are We to take account" 25:58"and Sufficient is He as being aware of the faults of His servants".
This new world, besides obeying to different natural laws, will obey to a different system that shall define success in it. Its "currency" -as explained in details above- will be the good deeds done in the former life, and carried to the next life by correct faith, hence the necessity to keep both worlds in view
2:200-201"For, of men there is he who says, "Our Lord! give us in this world", and for him there shall be no portion in the Hereafter. And among them there is he who says, Our Lord! give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter and save us from the chastisement of the Fire". They shall have (their) portion of what they have earned; and Allah is quick in reckoning".
This passage conveys the important message that a person should be aware that what is good in this world is dependent on the fact that it should become a means of our success in the Hereafter, and only the Almighty can have such knowledge
2:216"and it may be that you dislike a thing while it is good for you, and it may be that you love a thing while it is evil for you, and Allah knows, while you do not know".
Hence, it is best for a person to leave this matter to the Almighty and not present his own suggestion in this regard. A person who only seeks the vainglories of this world without caring for his faith in the Hereafter will have no portion of good in it, his deeds shall be void and forfeited
46:20"And on the day when those who disbelieve shall be brought before the fire: You did away with your good things in your life of the world and you took your fill of pleasure in them.." 21:47,18:105"so their deeds become void and We will not assign to them any weight on the Day of Resurrection".
The Quran says that one builds his place in the hereafter, whether in paradise or hell through his current deeds. He is consequently said as being made to "inherit" that place in the next life. If one doesnt believe in the next life, then his works will remain in this current life of which he will have his proper share. It is faith that makes the good works of this life to be fruitful in the next, without faith the good deeds of this life cannot be fruitful in the next in the case of the willful disbeliever.
Because nothing on that Day will be of value in the eyes of God other than one's deeds carried in the Hereafter with correct faith, those who do not qualify will wish by all means to buy themselves out but on this day of Truth neither will friendships avail people nor any sale/purchase, or ransom will be of any use to anyone 2:254,5:36,16:96,26:88,44:41.
In the utopian Biblical Messianic era, a time whose descriptions parallels in most aspects the Quranic day of judgement, the Psalmist speaks of
Ps49:7-10"Those who rely on their possessions and boast of their great wealth, no one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them. The redemption of their soul will be too dear, and unattainable forever. Will he live yet forever and not see the Pit?"
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