Nullifying Of Deeds and Expiation of Sins

By: Ayatullah Shaheed Sayyid Abdul Husain Dastghaib
Wal La Zee Na…A'maalahum (Surah Muhammad 47:8-9)
Translation: And those who are believed and did good deeds and who put faith in the book revealed to Muhammad by his Lord and which is right, God removed their sins from them and straightened their condition.
We intend to describe this matter in a style understandable for all. The fact is that if a man leaves this world with no faith in God even after doing only good deeds throughout his life, he will not be benefited by it. Ahbaat means to nullify, making void, to end and finish. Dying faithless nullifies all good deeds. If somebody asks: Is it not written in the Holy Quran: Fa Man…Yarah (Surah 99:7). Meaning: If one does even an iota of good deed he will get its reward. The answer is: The person who died faithless has himself destroyed his deeds, because, after denying God, there is no meaning for him of getting any reward and entering paradise (that is, whatever good he did, he did not do in obedience to God, but he did it only because it was good in his thought). Therefore, God also paid up him the reward of that good deed in the world, as He has said that He does not destroy anyone's deed, as we have said earlier, for example, it is possible that he may get relief during the agony of death or he may not become ill or regain health soon, may not suffer any monetary losses etc.

Curtain Between Haatim And Nausheerwaan And The Fire Of Hell
It is also likely that good deeds of a denier may cause curtailment in his punishment in the Hereafter. Accordingly it is said that since the generosity of Haatim Taai and the justice of Nawsheerwan was famous, hellfire does not burn them though they are in it.
It is in Quranic text: Wa Lal…Kuffaar (Surah Nisaa: 18)
Also it is mentioned at another place: Wal Lazee…(Surah Aaraaf 7:147) meaning: Those who denied our verses (signs) and their attendance in Hereafter, all of their deeds went in vain. They will be given only the reward or punishment of what they did. That is, One who goes as a denier from this world, his deeds will go in vain.

Sins Which Make A Man Die Faithless
All the verses and hadiths which were mentioned so far, about going of deeds in vain were regarding kufr (atheism) and shirk (polytheism). But what about other sins or offences? Do they also make good deeds go in vain?
Yes! Some of the sins are such according to some specific narrations. For example, regarding disobedience to parents, it is mentioned by the impeccables: A voice will be heard: Yaa Aaq! I'mal Maa Shi'Ta Meaning: O disobedient to parents! Do whatever you wish, none of your good deeds will ever be accepted).
If some one has made his or her mother unhappy, her complain will burn down into ashes good deeds even if they are of Himalian size. Some other sins like making false allegations against others also make one faithless. Likewise it is also mentioned that if one is much jealous and openly so causing pain to others then, according to a narration: Ya Kulul Eeman Ka Maa Ta'Kulun Naar Al Hatab, are also of this kind as we have said earlier.

Faith (Imaan) Is The Expiation Of Kufr (Denial) And Taubah (Repentance) Is The Atonement Of Gunah (Sins)
The maaddah (root) of 'Takfeer' is 'Kufr'. Wa Yukaffiru Anhum Saiyiaatihim (Surah Fath 48:5). It means covering (hiding) and to remove the effect of sins. There is no doubt that becoming momin (believing) removes the effects of earlier kufr (disbelief). So if one was faithless from the beginning of his life but he believed (became Muslim) at the end and dies, he will certainly get salvation.
But the thing which can remove the effects of sins committed by a faithful person is true repentance. The Holy Quran says: Fa Oo Laa Ika…Hasanaat. (Surah Furqaan 25:7). It means that the kind and Merciful Allah changes their sins and offences into good deeds and virtues.

Good Deeds Which Remove Evils
Do any other good deeds except true Tawbah also remove sins? The answer is: Innal Hasanaat Yuzhibnas Saiyiaat (Surah Hud 11:114). This apparently shows that doing good deeds removes the effects of bad or evils. But it could not be made specific as to which good deeds are so effective. Of course there are many narrations speak about such good deeds. For instance, it is mentioned in Behaar-ul-Anwaar, vol.15 that a man came to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and submitted: O messenger of God! I have committed a very big sin (he had, when he was a Kafir, buried his daughter alive). So please show me a good deed that may result in my forgivance by Allah. The Hazrat replied: Is your mother alive? He replied in the negative. (This indicates that behaving nicely with mother is the best remedy for the removal of great consequences of great sins). The Holy Prophet asked: Is your aunt alive? He said: Yes. The Hazrat said: Go and behave nicely with your aunt (it will turn into a good behaviour with your mother due to her close relation with your late mother). Then the Holy Prophet added: Lav Kaa Na Ummahu Meaning: It would have been better had his mother been alive, because good behaviour with mother is very effective in removing consequences of such sins.