We heard that the one who abandons prayer receives no reward for any of his deeds, but if Allah Mighty and Majestic guides him to prayer, is he credited for the good deeds he was doing?
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The questioner : We heard that the one who abandons prayer receives no reward for any of his deeds, but if Allah Mighty and Majestic guides him to prayer, is he credited for the good deeds he was doing during the time he was not praying, or does the reward for those deeds begin from the date he committed to prayer?
The Shaykh : If a person repents from his disbelief, whether his disbelief was by abandoning prayer, or by mocking the religion of Allah, or by insulting Allah, or by insulting His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), or by insulting any of the laws of Allah, then what has passed is forgiven for him, by the saying of Allah Blessed and Exalted is He:[Al-Anfal 8:38] And because apostasy nullifies what came before it, and repentance nullifies what came before it. Allah the Exalted says: [Az-Zumar 39:53] And He Blessed and Exalted is He says: [Al-Furqan 25:68-70] So if he repents, Allah forgives him what preceded of his sin, and what he did of righteous deeds before his apostasy returns to him, because Allah the Exalted made the condition for the invalidation of deeds for one who apostatizes that he dies upon apostasy, so He said: [Al-Baqarah 2:217] In fact, what he did in a state other than apostasy is recorded for him, by the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Muslim 123a.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : If a person repents from his disbelief, whether his disbelief was by abandoning prayer, or by mocking the religion of Allah, or by insulting Allah, or by insulting His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), or by insulting any of the laws of Allah, then what has passed is forgiven for him, by the saying of Allah Blessed and Exalted is He:
Say to those who have disbelieved [that] if they cease, what has previously occurred will be forgiven for them
قُلْ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِنْ يَنتَهُوا يُغْفَرْ لَهُمْ مَا قَدْ سَلَفَSay, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful."
قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ(68) And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed], except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever should do that will meet a penalty. (69) Multiplied for him is the punishment on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein humiliated - (70) Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.
وَالَّذِينَ لا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ وَلا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلا يَزْنُونَ وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَامًا * يُضَاعَفْ لَهُ الْعَذَابُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَيَخْلُدْ فِيهِ مُهَانًا * إِلَّا مَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُوْلَئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًاAnd whoever of you reverts from his religion [to disbelief] and dies while he is a disbeliever - for those, their deeds have become worthless in this world and the Hereafter, and those are the companions of the Fire, they will abide therein eternally.
وَمَنْ يَرْتَدِدْ مِنْكُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ فَيَمُتْ وَهُوَ كَافِرٌ فَأُوْلَئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ وَأُوْلَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَYou accepted Islam with all the previous virtues that you practised.
أسلمت على ما أسلفت من خيرThe questioner : May Allah reward you with good.