Al Furqān

وَقَدِمْنَا إِلَى مَا عَمِلُوا مِنْ عَمَلٍ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ هَبَاء مَّنثُورًا

23. “And We will proceed to what they have done of deeds, so We shall render them as scattered floating dust.”

The Arabic word /haba’/ means ‘fine dust’ and the word ‘Manthūr’ means ‘scattered’. In this noble verse the condition of wrongdoers’ actions in Hereafter is imagined. It says:

The Arabic word /‘amal/, as Raqib in Mufradat says, in this verse means: every work or job done by intention. But the word /fi‘l/ ‘verb’ is general and is applied to both jobs and works that are done whether intentionally or unintentionally. The Qur’anic word /qadimna/ is derived from the word /qudūm/, which means to enter or to turn unto something. Here, this word is for putting emphasis on the matter, that is to say they have certainly done all their actions intentionally and on purpose, though their deeds are apparently right and good. Thus, for their polytheism and paganism Allah shall turn unto the work they did and make it scattered motes.

In narrations the extension of those whose deeds will be naught is the persons who perform ritual prayer and fast but do not refrain from unlawful food, or do hate and have enmity against Imam Ali-ibn-Abitalib (as) and his Shiites. By the way, the Arabic word /haba’/ means some very tiny particles of dust that can not be seen in a natural way, unless sun light comes inside a dark room from an opening, so that these particles are clear and visible and, in this way, we can see them.

This sentence shows that their deeds will be so worthless and ineffective that it seems there were not any deeds at all, though they have tried and attempted many years. This verse is like verse 18 of Surah ’Ibrahim No. 14, which says:

Its logical reason is also clear, for what gives meaning and sense to man’s deed is proper intention, motivation, and the final aim of that action. Faithful persons go after doing things with Divine motives and seek for pure sacred aims, and some sound and correct programs, while unfaithful persons are mostly proud, affecter, deceiver, and self-conceited, therefore, their deeds will be of no value. As an example, there are mosques that have been built hundreds years before and the past of centuries of time had the least effect on them. On the contrary, we see some houses that after one month or year there appear some defects in them.

The former was built strongly and with the best construction materials and foreseeing all future events, because it had divine motivation, but as for the latter one, attention was paid only to the colour and appearance of it, for its aim was acquiring wealth and money by means of deception and counterfeit. Basically, according to Islam logic, righteous deeds have got some pests which must be definitely protected. Sometimes it is wrong from the beginning, like the deed which is done hypocritically. Sometimes man will get proud, self-conceited and self-admired while he is performing a deed and his deed will be worthless because of it.

And sometimes after doing a deed, its worth and value will get abolished because its doer does some actions that are contradictory and opposing to it, like a generous action or prodigality that is followed by reproach, or the righteous deeds that are followed by paganism and apostasy. Even, according to some Islamic narrations, sometimes committing sins before doing a good deed will affect it, as about the person who drinks alcoholic drink we read that his righteous deeds done during 40 days will not be accepted by Allah⁹.

Anyway, Islam has got a very strict, calculated and precise program about attributes of righteous deeds. Imam Baqir (as) says:

“On the day of Resurrection Allah brings a group of people while there is a light in front of them, like brightening and white garments, (this is the light of their deeds). Then Allah orders those deeds to be scattered particles of dust. (Then all of them will disappear).

These are those who used to perform ritual prayer and fast, but when they were given something unlawful, they would take it; and when it was said something of the virtues of Imam Ali (as) to them they denied it.” ¹⁰