(… ثُمَّ رُدُّوا إِلَى اللَّهِ مَوْلَاهُمُ الْحَقِّ) (Then they His servants are returned to Allah, their true Lord.…): They were from Allah (swt) when they were created, and they will return to Him to be reckoned, either getting rewards or punishments.

(  وَهُوَ أَسْرَعُ الْحَاسِبِينَ… ) (…and He is the swiftest of accountants): He will reckon every single person for his deeds, as the Messenger of Allah (saws) has said:

“When a man dies all his good deeds come to an end except three: Ongoing charity (Sadaqah Jariyah), beneficial knowledge and a righteous son who prays for him.”[1]

According to what can be understood from the outward purport of the Hadith, deeds will continue being written after a person passes away. Whereas in another verse, Allah (swt) says:

} وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَى{

(And that each person will only have what they endeavoured towards) (An-Najm: 39)

Since the human being will be reckoned, as Allah (swt) says of Himself:

(  وَهُوَ أَسْرَعُ الْحَاسِبِينَ… ) (…and He is the swiftest of accountants): He will reckon every single person for his deeds, as the Messenger of will they be reckoned based on their deeds? And after a person passes away, will his deeds not be cut off and continue being written for him? Is there a discrepancy between the text of the Hadith and the Quranic verse?

The answer: Those who do not know the Principles of Quranic Exegesis, the Sciences of the Prophetic Traditions and the Sciences of the Arabic Language will not be able to embark upon the interpretation of the Book of Allah (swt), nor will they be able to understand the knowledge of the meanings derived from Tafsir. Allah (swt) has told us that:

وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَى

(And that each person will only have what they endeavoured towards) (An-Najm: 39)

The above-mentioned Hadith does not go against the Quranic verse. This is because, the charity whose benefit is continuous was of the deeds of the human being before he died. Likewise, for the knowledge that continues to be benefitted from, did he not obtain it during his lifetime? Also, is the piety of his son but a result of his upbringing? Thus, these three things are still considered his own deeds, as Allah (swt) says:

 وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَى

(And that each person will only have what they endeavoured towards) (An-Najm: 39)

Therefore, there is no conflict between the Prophetic Tradition and the outward purport of the Quranic verse whatsoever.

[1] Sunan At-Tirmidzi: The Book of Judgments, Chapter: al-Waqf, Hadith No. 1376.