(  وَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا وَلِقَاءِ الْآخِرَةِ) (Those who denied Our signs and the meeting of the Hereafter): They denied the signs of Allah (swt), the miraculous evidences pointing to Allah’s (swt) Existence and Greatness, and they rejected the Hereafter. This verse does not specify denial of faith in Allah (swt), Angels, Books, or Messengers (PBUT) because the focus for mankind is on the Hereafter. Its perception serves as a crucial aspect for humans, signifying a future where individuals are held accountable and rewarded for their deeds in the worldly life. If someone were to imagine a world without a the Hereafter, then that would be a great problemc, for even though people have heard from Prophets (PBUT), received guidance from Scriptures, and learned from righteous believers about the existence of a Day of Judgment, and that there will be resurrection and accountability after death, nonetheless, some still engage in bad acts like killing, stealing, and violating others’ dignity and property, all while being fully aware of the existence of a Hereafter, so how would be the situation if there were no Day of Judgement! Here, Allah (swt) says: (Those who denied Our signs and the meeting of the Hereafter – their deeds have become worthless): because the meeting of the Hereafter is a meeting with Allah (swt), it is the Day of Judgement.

( حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ ) (their deeds have become worthless): (To become worthless) indicates that their deeds whatever big, they are without any real value. If the action is not for the sake of Allah (swt), one should not believe that his deed if of any genuine benefit. Just as Allah (swt) says:

 وَقَدِمْنَا إِلَىٰ مَا عَمِلُوا مِنْ عَمَلٍ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ هَبَاءً مَّنثُورًا

(And We will regard what they have done of deeds and make them as dust dispersed.) (Al-Furqaan: 23)

( هَلْ يُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ) (Are they recompensed except for what they used to do?): The result would be:

 ( 39 ) وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ ( 40 ) وَأَنَّ سَعْيَهُ سَوْفَ يُرَىٰ ( 41 ) ثُمَّ يُجْزَاهُ الْجَزَاءَ الْأَوْفَىٰ

(( 39 ) And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives ( 40 ) And that his effort is going to be seen – ( 41 ) Then he will be recompensed for it with the fullest recompense) (An-Najm)

The reward for an individual in the Hereafter is determined by the good deeds he has performed in the worldly life. This is why we find that all verses about faith are related to actions:

 ( 1 )   وَالْعَصْرِ ( 2 )   إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ ( 3 )   إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ

(( 1 )   By time, ( 2 )   Indeed, mankind is in loss, ( 3 )   Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.) (Al-Asr)

 إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتُ الْفِرْدَوْسِ نُزُلًا

(Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds – they will have the Gardens of Paradise as a lodging) (Al-Kahf: 107)

 إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ إِنَّا لَا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ مَنْ أَحْسَنَ عَمَلًا

(Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds – indeed, We will not allow to be lost the reward of any who did well in deeds.) (Al-Kahf: 30)