will the disbeliever be accounted for?

The Accounts (3)

will the disbeliever be accounted for?

This is among the disputed questions

It is said: they will not be accounted for because their deeds are low and void so there is no need to account for them and question them.

It is said: they will be accounted for because of various reasons (they will follow later). Their deeds can be weighed because of the reports of their deeds and the justice of Allah Almighty with them, not because they can award virtues. They will not be accepted as was explained earlier. They will go in vain and they will think that they are increasing in good. The Almighty said:

﴿ وَمَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَازِينُهُ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ خَسِرُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ فِي جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدُونَ * تَلْفَحُ وُجُوهَهُمُ النَّارُ وَهُمْ فِيهَا كَالِحُونَ * أَلَمْ تَكُنْ آيَاتِي تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ فَكُنتُم بِهَا تُكَذِّبُونَ ﴾

“And those whose scales are light - they are the ones who will lose themselves for what injustice they were doing toward Our verses. And We have certainly established you upon the earth and made for you therein ways of livelihood. Little are you grateful. And We have certainly created you, [O Mankind], and given you [human] form. Then We said to the angels, "Prostrate to Adam"; so they prostrated, except for Iblees. He was not of those who prostrated.” [Al Anaam: 9-11]

The wisdom in accounting for them; are many:

The first point: establishing an excuse upon them and showing the justice of Allah Almighty upon them.

The second point: reprimanding them and talking to them

The third point: because they were charged with the origins of the Shariah. The Almighty said:

﴿ مَا سَلَكَكُمْ فِي سَقَرَ * قَالُوا لَمْ نَكُ مِنَ الْمُصَلِّينَ * وَلَمْ نَكُ نُطْعِمُ الْمِسْكِينَ * وَكُنَّا نَخُوضُ مَعَ الْخَائِضِينَ * وَكُنَّا نُكَذِّبُ بِيَوْمِ الدِّينِ * حَتَّىٰ أَتَانَا الْيَقِينُ ﴾

“[And asking them], "What put you into Saqar?" They will say, "We were not of those who prayed, Nor did we used to feed the poor. And we used to enter into vain discourse with those who engaged [in it], And we used to deny the Day of Recompense, Until there came to us the certainty.” [Al Mudassir: 42-47]

The disbelievers will dispute about their disbelief and sins. Then they dispute about their levels in Hell. Because of this Allah Almighty said about the hypocrites:

﴿ إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ فِي الدَّرْكِ الْأَسْفَلِ مِنَ النَّارِ وَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُمْ نَصِيرًا ﴾

“Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire - and never will you find for them a helper” [Al Nisa: 145]

The Sheikh of Islam Ibn Taymiyya (may Allah be pleased with him) about the disbelievers: will they be accounted for on the Day of Resurrection or not?

He answered: this issue has been disputed with the companions of Ahmed and other than him. Among them are those who said: they will not be accounted for: Abu Bakr Abdul Aziz, Abu Al Hassan Al Tamimi, Al Qadi Abu Ya’la and other than them. Among them are those who said: they will be accounted for: Abu Hafs Al Barmaki from the companions of Ahmed, Abu Suleman Al Dimishqi and Abu Talib Al Makki.

He gave details of the conversation: the reckoning are required to display their deeds to them and reprimand them over it. What is wanted by the reckoning is the weighing of virtues against sins. If what is wanted by the reckoning is the first meaning, then there is no need to account them for this consideration.

If what is wanted is the second meaning, then those who are meant by that is that the disbelievers will have virtues remaining for which they deserve paradise. This is a clear error.

If what is wanted is that there will be discrepancy regarding the punishment, then the punishment from their great number of sins is greater than punishment for the one who had a few sins. Whoever has virtues, their punishment will be reduced, as Abu Talib was reduced punishment from Abu Lahab.

The Almighty says:

﴿ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَصَدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِ الله زِدْنَاهُمْ عَذَابًا فَوْقَ الْعَذَابِ ﴾

“Those who disbelieved and averted [others] from the way of Allah - We will increase them in punishment over [their] punishment for what corruption they were causing.” [Al Nahl: 88]

And the Almighty said:

﴿ إِنَّمَا النَّسِيءُ زِيَادَةٌ فِي الْكُفْرِ﴾

“Indeed, the postponing [of restriction within sacred months] is an increase in disbelief by which those who have disbelieved are led [further] astray. They make it lawful one year and unlawful another year to correspond to the number made unlawful by Allah and [thus] make lawful what Allah has made unlawful. Made pleasing to them is the evil of their deeds; and Allah does not guide the disbelieving people.” [Al Tawbah: 37] 

The fire has levels. If some of the disbelievers have greater punishment than others because of their large number of sins and few virtues, the reckoning will be for measuring the levels of punishment, not for entering paradise.[1]