Q577 :If a non-Muslim leads a pious life, would he
be rewarded by admission into heaven in the hereafter?
A577 : Islam states clearly that good actions merit
reward from Allah if they are result of believing in Him. Without
faith, any good action is deprived of its value. You could say that
faith, or indeed believing in Allah, is the soul of any good action.
Without it, it remains lifeless. While there is no denying the fact
that some non-believers may have good characters and may be keen to do
good actions, they undermine their own standing in Allah’s sight by
their lack of faith. When the Prophet was asked which people were best,
he answered: “The best among them in pre-Islamic days are the best in
Islam, if they get to know their faith well.” The Hadith speaks of good
people among non-believers. It adds, however, that such a good person
will be distinguished by his goodness if he benetes a Muslim, and he
could distinguish himself still further if he understands Islam well.
This is due to the fact that these additional qualities had the proper
motivation to his good actions and enhance his good character.
Our Dialogue ( Source : Arab News – Jeddah )