This is an issue that confuses me alot...Lets say a really good person is a kuffar..

Kafer or Kufer means any person on this earth doesn't (didn't) believe in Allah (SAW)as the only God and Mouhammad (PBUH) as the last messenger .



from this rule you can know this person is kafir or not

Alex,

Your question is a very crucial one that has confused and kept up a lot of people awake at night. I hope to help you and others understand this as I struggled with it a long time before and luckily great Sheikh explained it beautfully for me.

First off what Alpha Dude said is correct, you need to have received the message correctly. Not receiving a message is clear and the Quran says "Whoever chooses to follow the right path, follows it but for his own good; and whoever goes astray. goes but astray to his own hurt; and no bearer of burdens shall be made to bear another" burden. Moreover. We would never chastise [any community for the wrong they may do[ ere We have sent an apostle [to them]." So if someone never heard of God's religion or heard a distorted story about it (like "there are those muslims and they believe in multiple Gods and are barbarians who kill each other over them") then God is their judge on judgement day to know what is in their heart and how to reward or punish them.

Now with that aside, we need to talk about the current day communities of people who you and I meet and can be nice and kind-hearted, and just say they think all the religions are fabricated and don't believe in them, or choose some deviant man-made religion in order to improve their spirituality.

We as muslims have learned something very important, and that is "intention". The prophet said "deeds are by intention, and for every person the reward of whatever he intended. So whomever makes hijra (migration) for God and his apostle, then his hijra is for God and his apostle, and whomever makes hijra for a worldly affair to win, or a woman to marry, then his hijra is for what he has intended it for"

A muslim person is rewarded when and only when he intends to please God and for the sake of God. If you give money to the poor because it is charity and God likes that, then it's charity and is accepted, if you give it so that you look good in front of your fiance, or to ask that person later on for something to do for you, you'll get no reward for it. The prophet said in a hadith (to the meaning of): "There will come three people on judgement day, a scholar, a charitable man, and a warrior.
The scholar will be asked in what he spent his life, and he will say: "I spent it gaining knowledge and teaching people oh God, for you", and he will be told "You lie, you did that so that people would say what a great scholar, and it was said, so it's done." and he is placed in hell.
The charitable man would be asked the same and he will say: "I spent from your provisions on the poor and needy for your sake", and he will be told "You lie, you did that so people would say what a generous man, and it was said." and this man is placed in hell as well.
The warrior would be asked the same and he will say: "I made jihad and died for your sake!" and he will be told "You lie, you did that so people would say what a hero, and it was said." and he too will be placed in hell."

Our deeds are attached to our intentions, and all our rewards are attached to making it for the sake God.

Now Alex, if someone doesn't believe in God, WHAT IS THE GOOD THING THEY DO INTENDED FOR?

You see good deeds are good, and they have their immediate rewards. That is actually what you see in people who don't believe, they do something good but expect something in return. Sometimes it is vulgar and short-sided as "scratch my back and I'll scratch yours", but many times it is more of "if I do this they will like me", and "if I do this I will get more business", and "if I give money I'll take it off my tax return and look good in front of the community".

You know what? There is even the bigger one that is actually tricky: "I do this because it FEELS GOOD!"

Well yes, God al-hamdolellah created in us the instincts that make good deeds feel good to good people. But if you do a deed only to feel good, then God wasn't in that equation, was He?

That is actually WHY non-believers are given an easier life and as mentioned in another thread here, seem to be getting a happy life. That is their reward for whatever sincere actions happen from them.

God is never going to be unfair, he has given us all the same shot. If the people were sincerely good, they would shiver upon reading or hearing the verses of Quran and say "We believe". Instead they choose to refuse the charge and come up with all sorts of arguments why they're "not convinced". I will never forget the argument I had with an athiest I was discussing on a different board, that he claimed he doesn't believe at all all this we say about the scientific miracles of Quran, and when I asked why, he said that he looked at them and found that number 23 (iron brought down from space) MAY have been known by people then judging from the meteorites, so a person COULD have told the prophet about it. I wrote back "So you got tonumber 23, but while reading the first 22 miracles you just passed through and could not even acknowledge what you've read?!" to which he said, that he cannot explain that or comment on it but that this one shows THAT YOU'RE MAKING THINGS UP!

If that man stops at a traffic light, it will be because he avoids a traffic fine. If he picks up litter, it will be because he wants a clean street for himself to enjoy or actually far-sighted to think about his kids. If he is standing at a charity event, you can be very confident that he's there networking with other business people or getting a tax break or maybe pleasing someone else. If they don't believe in God, then to them there is no God to do anything for. And God rewards those who serve him and obey him in what he has ordained upon us.

(You can't enter a play or a concert without booking and buying a ticket, why would they enter paradise when they don't have one, especially that the tickets were free: All they had to do was say La Elaha Ella Allah and the ticket gets booked and will be waiting for them there)

God bless all those who believe and worship him.

format_quote Originally Posted by Sampharo

God is never going to be unfair, he has given us all the same shot. If the people were sincerely good, they would shiver upon reading or hearing the verses of Quran and say "We believe".

With all due respect, Sampharo, are you suggesting that everybody who has read Qu'ran and remained unconvinced by it is not 'sincerely good'?
I would understand if you called these people 'stubborn' or 'deceived' or 'hard-hearted' or any of these things - but to claim that they cannot be 'sincerely good' seems very strong.

I believe that only God sees into our hearts, and he understands our troubles and our hurdles and our stumbling blocks ... even our reasons for being unable to believe.

format_quote Originally Posted by glo

With all due respect, Sampharo, are you suggesting that everybody who has read Qu'ran and remained unconvinced by it is not 'sincerely good'?

No no sister Glo, I am sorry if it was misunderstood as I didn't mean that. I did not mean that someone hears of it or listens to a few verses and temporarily is not convinced is automatically evil. WHat I meant was if they were good in their hearts, they would not have fought against accepting God's truth that transcends argument.

Let me elaborate on this. God said that whomever has good in his heart God will show him the truth in his verses, and whomever holds evil will be prevented from it: "And who could be more wicked than he to whom his Sustainer's messages are conveyed and who thereupon turns away from them, forgetting all [the evil] that his hands may have wrought? Behold, over their hearts have We laid veils which prevent them from grasping the truth, and into their ears, deafness; and though thou call them onto the right path, they will never allow themselves to be guided." [18:57]

Friends of mine who went to Africa for Dawah understand that concept well, as they told me they learned that it was very important to arrive to those tribes and villages and show nothing but impecable behaviour, bash nothing of the tribes' habits or traditions (even witch-craft or voodoo), and simply be pious and wait for them to ask. When they introduce God's religion they explain about values and morality and that God first and foremost requires people to be good and do good deeds. They mention jews and christians but do not attack them or their beliefs, just explain how they went astray from the actual path. The response is almost always hordes of them pronouncing Shahada in glorious waves as tribal elders explain that such behaviour and morality is what they learned from their forefathers and this is truly what matters to them, and they explain that they don't understand those christian missionaries that come with aid and food but bash muslims and speak ill of other people and their faith.

Hope that clarifies things a bit.

format_quote Originally Posted by AlexIslam

... say a very good person...dies an atheist.... what will happen?

Atheists don't beleive in God ; so how logical is that they deserve rewards from God on the final Day ? If a believer and non-believer get same rewards on the final day , do u think it will be just ?

Allah says in Quran that if u want to go to paradise we must believe in Him without associating partner with Him . By rejecting any Prophet of God , it mean one did not submit himself/ herself to God properly .

So , s/he deserves the punishment . And Allah knows Best.

And those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, they are dwellers of paradise, they will dwell therein forever.

( سورة البقرة , Al-Baqara, Chapter #2, Verse #82)


Verily, We have sent you (O Muhammad Peace be upon him ) with the truth (Islam), a bringer of glad tidings (for those who believe in what you brought, that they will enter paradise) and a warner (for those who disbelieve in what you brought, they will enter the Hell-fire). And you will not be asked about the dwellers of the blazing Fire.

( سورة البقرة , Al-Baqara, Chapter #2, Verse #119)

there are few important things to remember regarding this question:

1 - good defined by who?
2 - What is purpose of a doing a good if it is not to serve the purpose of our life - pleasing Allah!?
3 - Allah says in the Qur'an multiple times that the good acts of kufaar (i.e., charity) has no value in His sight since they reject Islam
4 - what is the benefit for asking "what will happen to fullan who died but did good"? worry about yourself and those who are alive.
5 - if the person did not get the message of Islam or altered version reached to him and he died in that state then he will be tested on the day of judgment. So why worry about these kinds of people?

and Allah knows best

format_quote Originally Posted by Sari

This also makes me think about we are so fortunate to be born Muslim, what if we had been born into non Muslim families and never found Islam. It makes me shudder.

I am so gratefull to Allah that he granted me the favour of being born into a Muslim family, but i wonder how and why Allah decides for some people to be born into Muslim families and some to be born into non Muslim families, hence making it harder for them to find Islam.

our ummah is very special and unique sis. Allah made that promise to prophet mohammad pbuh before he died that he will take care of the ummah because our beloved prophet mohammad pbuh was worried so who ever is guided it is surely a huge blessing and Allah has chosen the most wise and pious people to spread the message for him so that Allah might reward them inshallaah and the rewards are great

format_quote Originally Posted by glo

With all due respect, Sampharo, are you suggesting that everybody who has read Qu'ran and remained unconvinced by it is not 'sincerely good'?
I would understand if you called these people 'stubborn' or 'deceived' or 'hard-hearted' or any of these things - but to claim that they cannot be 'sincerely good' seems very strong.

I believe that only God sees into our hearts, and he understands our troubles and our hurdles and our stumbling blocks ... even our reasons for being unable to believe.

What ever it is sisters and brothers.. i feel we can never surely says who goes or doesnt go to hell.. Its entirely up to Allah and he can do what so ever he wishes.We are not capable of understanding or speculating of what he would do.

But i do believe that a innately good man would finally go to heaven if he belives that There is a single god who brought him to life. What does innately good mean ? Its up to the supreme power (GOD) to decide .

format_quote Originally Posted by cat eyes

and pious people to spread the message for him so that Allah might reward them inshallaah and the rewards are great

Ameen to you dua

i have read an article explaining on 'kekufuran' ( i hope thats in arabic...because i don't know how to translate it from malay...huhuhu)

i can't remember the explanation why we can see lots of character of this kekufuran in the muslims country....

First of, Allah creates nothing in vain, that includes the kufis.


Allah says: If Allah had so willed,He would have made you a single people,but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues. The goal of you all is to Allah; it is He that will show you the truth of the matters in which you dispute;(5:48)

Many of us think that if we believe and pray, fast, we will be okay. But Allah doesn't create nothing in vain. Just look at everything he has ceated. For a very good reason. Look at your self, take an Anatomy and Physiology class, our interior organs are amazig,each one of them functions like a machine. All of that is created so we can speak,hear and think...how many times do we take it for granted. The Qur'an says that we will be questioned for our thinking and hearing. And the same goes for everything else, so watch youselves!!!!

THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE. YOU FORGOT THE MAIN MESSAGE OF ALLAH. I ONLY CREATED THE JINN AND MAN TO WORSHIP ME. FOR WHAT DO THE KUFIS UTILIZE THEMSELVES???? LOSERS........


Allah created us to do everything in his name and for his reason. For what reason and what motivates kufis to do good???
SURAH ASR!!!!

Brother/sister, all you need to know regarding your question is the following.

Allah
Allah, He who has the Godhood which is the power to create the entities.

Ar-Rahmaan
The Compassionate, The Beneficient, The One who has plenty of mercy for the believers and the blasphemers in this world and especially for the believers in the hereafter.

Ar-Raheem
The Merciful, The One who has plenty of mercy for the believers.

Al-Malik
The King, The Sovereign Lord, The One with the complete Dominion, the One Whose Dominion is clear from imperfection.

Al-Quddoos
The Holy, The One who is pure from any imperfection and clear from children and adversaries.

As-Salaam
The Source of Peace, The One who is free from every imperfection.

Al-Mu'min
Guardian of Faith, The One who witnessed for Himself that no one is God but Him. And He witnessed for His believers that they are truthful in their belief that no one is God but Him.

Al-Muhaimin
The Protector, The One who witnesses the saying and deeds of His creatures.

Al-^Azeez
The Mighty, The Strong, The Defeater who is not defeated.

Al-Jabbaar
The Compeller, The One that nothing happens in His Dominion except that which He willed.

Al-Mutakabbir
The Majestic, The One who is clear from the attributes of the creatures and from resembling them.

Al-Khaaliq
The Creator, The One who brings everything from non-existence to existence.

Al-Bari'
The Evolver, The Maker, The Creator who has the Power to turn the entities.

Al-Musawwir
The Fashioner, The One who forms His creatures in different pictures.

Al-Ghaffaar
The Great Forgiver, The Forgiver, The One who forgives the sins of His slaves time and time again.

Al-Qahhaar
The Subduer, The Dominant, The One who has the perfect Power and is not unable over anything.

Al-Wahhaab
The Bestower, The One who is Generous in giving plenty without any return. He is everything that benefits whether Halal or Haram.

Al-Razzaaq
The Sustainer, The Provider.

Al-Fattaah
The Opener, The Reliever, The Judge, The One who opens for His slaves the closed worldy and religious matters.

Al-^Aleem
The All-knowing, The Knowledgeable; The One nothing is absent from His knowledge.

Al-Qaabid
The Constricter, The Retainer, The Withholder, The One who constricts the sustenance by His wisdomand expands and widens it with His Generosity and Mercy.

Al-Baasit
The Expander, The Englarger, The One who constricts the sustenance by His wisdomand expands and widens it with His Generosity and Mercy.

Al-Khaafid
The Abaser, The One who lowers whoever He willed by His Destruction and raises whoever He willed by His Endowment.

Ar-Raafi^
The Exalter, The Elevator, The One who lowers whoever He willed by His Destruction and raises whoever He willed by His Endowment.

Al-Mu^iz
The Honorer, He gives esteem to whoever He willed, hence there is no one to degrade Him; And He degrades whoever He willed, hence there is no one to give Him esteem.

Al-Muthil
The Dishonorer, The Humiliator, He gives esteem to whoever He willed, hence there is no one to degrade Him; And He degrades whoever He willed, hence there is no one to give Him esteem.

As-Samee^
The All-Hearing, The Hearer, The One who Hears all things that are heard by His Eternal Hearing without an ear, instrument or organ.

Al-Baseer
The All-Seeing, The One who Sees all things that are seen by His Eternal Seeing without a pupil or any other instrument.

Al-Hakam
The Judge, He is the Ruler and His judgment is His Word.

Al-^Adl
The Just, The One who is entitled to do what He does.

Al-Lateef
The Subtle One, The Gracious, The One who is kind to His slaves and endows upon them.

Al-Khabeer
The Aware, The One who knows the truth of things.

Al-Haleem
The Forebearing, The Clement, The One who delays the punishment for those who deserve it and then He might forgive them.

Al-^Azeem
The Great One, The Mighty, The One deserving the attributes of Exaltment, Glory, Extolement,and Purity from all imperfection.

Al-Ghafoor
The All-Forgiving, The Forgiving, The One who forgives a lot.

Ash-Shakoor
The Grateful, The Appreciative, The One who gives a lot of reward for a little obedience.

Al-^Aliyy
The Most High, The Sublime, The One who is clear from the attributes of the creatures.

Al-Kabeer
The Most Great, The Great, The One who is greater than everything in status.

Al-Hafeez
The Preserver, The Protector, The One who protects whatever and whoever He willed to protect.

Al-Muqeet
The Maintainer, The Guardian, The Feeder, The Sustainer, The One who has the Power.

Al-Haseeb
The Reckoner, The One who gives the satisfaction.

Aj-Jaleel
The Sublime One, The Beneficent, The One who is attributed with greatness of Power and Glory of status.

Al-Kareem
The Generous One, The Bountiful, The Gracious, The One who is attributed with greatness of Power and Glory of status.

Ar-Raqeeb
The Watcher, The Watchful, The One that nothing is absent from Him. Hence it's meaning is related to the attribute of Knowledge.

Al-Mujeeb
The Responsive, The Hearkener, The One who answers the one in need if he asks Him and rescues the yearner if he calls upon Him.

Al-Wasi^
The Vast, The All-Embracing, The Knowledgeable.

Al-Hakeem
The Wise, The Judge of Judges, The One who is correct in His doings.

Al-Wadood
The Loving, The One who loves His believing slaves and His believing slaves love Him. His love to His slaves is His Will to be merciful to them and praise them:Hence it's meaning is related to the attributes of the Will and Kalam (His attribute with which He orders and forbids and spoke to Muhammad and Musa -peace be upon them- . It is not a sound nor a language nor a letter.).

Al-Majeed
The Most Glorious One, The Glorious, The One who is with perfect Power, High Status, Compassion, Generosity and Kindness.

Al-Ba^ith
The Reserrector, The Raiser (from death), The One who resurrects His slaves after death for reward and/or punishment.

Ash-Shaheed
The Witness, The One who nothing is absent from Him.

Al-Haqq
The Truth, The True, The One who truly exists.

Al-Wakeel
The Trustee, The One who gives the satisfaction and is relied upon.

Al-Qawiyy
The Most Strong, The Strong, The One with the complete Power.

Al-Mateen
The Firm One, The One with extreme Power which is un-interrupted and He does not get tired.

Al-Waliyy
The Protecting Friend, The Supporter.

Al-Hameed
The Praiseworthy, The praised One who deserves to be praised.

Al-Muhsee
The Counter, The Reckoner, The One who the count of things are known to him.

Al-Mubdi'
The Originator, The One who started the human being. That is, He created him.

Al-Mu^eed
The Reproducer, The One who brings back the creatures after death.

Al-Muhyi
The Restorer, The Giver of Life, The One who took out a living human from semen that does not have a soul. He gives life by giving the souls back to the worn out bodies on the resurrection day and He makes the hearts alive by the light of knowledge.

Al-Mumeet
The Creator of Death, The Destroyer, The One who renders the living dead.

Al-Hayy
The Alive, The One attributed with a life that is unlike our life and is not that of a combination of soul, flesh or blood.

Al-Qayyoom
The Self-Subsisting, The One who remains and does not end.

Al-Waajid
The Perceiver, The Finder, The Rich who is never poor. Al-Wajd is Richness.

Al-Waahid
The Unique, The One, The One without a partner.

Al-Ahad
The One.

As-Samad
The Eternal, The Independent, The Master who is relied upon in matters and reverted to in ones needs.

Al-Qaadir
The Able, The Capable, The One attributed with Power.

Al-Muqtadir
The Powerful, The Dominant, The One with the perfect Power that nothing is withheld from Him.

Al-Muqaddim
The Expediter, The Promoter, The One who puts things in their right places. He makes ahead what He wills and delays what He wills.

Al-Mu'akh-khir
The Delayer, the Retarder, The One who puts things in their right places. He makes ahead what He wills and delays what He wills.

Al-'Awwal
The First, The One whose Existence is without a beginning.

Al-'Akhir
The Last, The One whose Existence is without an end.

Az-Zaahir
The Manifest, The One that nothing is above Him and nothing is underneath Him, hence He exists without a place. He, The Exalted, His Existence is obvious by proofs and He is clear from the delusions of attributes of bodies.

Al-Baatin
The Hidden, The One that nothing is above Him and nothing is underneath Him, hence He exists without a place. He, The Exalted, His Existence is obvious by proofs and He is clear from the delusions of attributes of bodies.

Al-Walee
The Governor, The One who owns things and manages them.

Al-Muta^ali
The Most Exalted, The High Exalted, The One who is clear from the attributes of the creation.

Al-Barr
The Source of All Goodness, The Righteous, The One who is kind to His creatures, who covered them with His sustenance and specified whoever He willed among them by His support, protection, and special mercy.

At-Tawwaab
The Acceptor of Repentance, The Relenting, The One who grants repentance to whoever He willed among His creatures and accepts his repentance.

Al-Muntaqim
The Avenger, The One who victoriously prevails over His enemies and punishes them for their sins. It may mean the One who destroys them.

Al-^Afuww
The Pardoner, The Forgiver, The One with wide forgiveness.

Ar-Ra'uf
The Compassionate, The One with extreme Mercy. The Mercy of Allah is His will to endow upon whoever He willed among His creatures.

Malik Al-Mulk
The Eternal Owner of Sovereignty, The One who controls the Dominion and gives dominion to whoever He willed.

Thul-Jalali wal-Ikram
The Lord of Majesty and Bounty, The One who deserves to be Exalted and not denied.

Al-Muqsit
The Equitable, The One who is Just in His judgment.

Aj-Jaami^
The Gatherer, The One who gathers the creatures on a day that there is no doubt about, that is the Day of Judgment.

Al-Ghaniyy
The Self-Sufficient, The One who does not need the creation.

Al-Mughni
The Enricher, The One who satisfies the necessities of the creatures.

Al-Maani^
The Preventer, The Withholder.

Ad-Daarr
The Distresser, The One who makes harm reach to whoever He willed and benefit to whoever He willed.

An-Nafi^
The Propitious, The One who makes harm reach to whoever He willed and benefit to whoever He willed.

An-Noor
The Light, The One who guides.

Al-Haadi
The Guide, The One whom with His Guidance His belivers were guided, and with His Guidance the living beings have been guided to what is beneficial for them and protected from what is harmful to them.

Al-Badi^
The Incomparable, The One who created the creation and formed it without any preceding example.

Al-Baaqi
The Everlasting, The One that the state of non-existence is impossible for Him.

Al-Waarith
The Supreme Inheritor, The Heir, The One whose Existence remains.

Ar-Rasheed
The Guide to the Right Path, The One who guides.

As-Saboor
The Patient, The One who does not quickly punish the sinners.



"...There is nothing whatever like unto Him, and He is the One that hears and sees (all things). Qur'an [42:11]
(Arabic transliteration: Laysa Kamithlihi Shayun Wa Huwa As-Sami' ul-Basir)