^ I never said theat they don't bear any understanding... in fact I quoted two verses which explicated my viewpoint... for one... my discussion with you clarified and nullified my stance and I thanked you for it... in the other, I'm still not satisfied with the answers I've gotten... so I still uphold the viewpoint I have on the matter.
What I've concluded from all this is that a Dua for Forgiveness is not allowed for Non-Muslims... but I still remain to beconvinced that I cannot pray for the guy to be rewarded if Allah so wishes.
argh... that's why I try not to involve myself in religious discussions... they usually lead nowhere.
Umar Bhai: I do not have the reference but it is a common understanding of all 4 school of thoughts based on the ayaat posted in this thread and ahaadeeth in this context that a non-believer is given everything in this world for his good deeds. They do not have any reward after death.
A hadeeth follows:
Ad Duniyaa Jannat-ul-kaafir wa sij'n al Mo'min
meaning This World is a Paradise for a non-believer and a jail for a Mo'min
jazak Allah khayr brother The Hunk for pointing out good verses from the Quran to show exactly where the deeds of non-muslims stand....
and little human, Allah will definitely do justice and if He goes on forgiving men who have openly done shirk, wud it be justice to those who, fearing Allah, have kept away from such evil practices????
President A P J Abdul Kalam said he was “deeply saddened” by the pope’s death. “The world has lost a church leader and a statesman, who throughout his life worked for human dignity and freedom and for the needy and the oppressed.”
“He tirelessly worked for peace on this planet and to establish an international order based on equality and justice,” the president said.
“The government and the people of India join me in paying tribute to the departed soul.”
I think UTD was inferring that goodness that comes from the heart is diffrent than forced goodness that comes because of a threat. Doesn't God know what's in our hearts and wouldn't He be more pleased if we acted from the purity of our hearts rather than because of selfish, non-spiritual reaons?
A good deed done out of love for the Creator is so much better than one done for any other reason. But only a person who has faith in the Creator can understand that.
A true Muslim ALWAYS intends his deeds to be for the sake of Allah ! Regardless of whether he does it by or against his own will.