(November 29, 2011 at 8:50 pm)MysticKnight Wrote: Is your view however consistent with Quran. God has promised to be with and paradise for the "good people" (muhsineen). He loves the "good people". Right? But then he states those whom don't believe in Ayatallah (signs of God/guidance of God/revelation of God) will have painful punishment. He also promises disbelievers hell and states he hates them (see Suratal Fatir). The Quran also says "whom is more unjust then whom denies the truth when it comes to him" and other places "whom is more unjust then whom denies Ayatallah..."...and the most repeated thing in Quran is God promising hell for the disbelievers. If disbelievers can be good, then this would be injustice, because God would be punishing good people. Also it would be a contradiction because God says he doesn't love disbelievers but rather hates them in Quran, at the same time stating he loves the doers of good.
God does love the "doers of good" (muhsineen), but He loves them as long as their good deeds have a value or a connection to Him, which can exist only through faith (imaan).
In several verses in the Quran, it says that the good deeds of disbelievers are wiped away because they do not believe in God and hence there is no reward for their deeds. Therefore, atheists are not considered as muhsineen according to the Quranic verses because everyone's goodness is judged from a spiritual perspective. Faith is primary and good actions are secondary. So, if faith is not present in the first place, then all the good deeds will be nullified.
"Those who disbelieve and avert (men) from the way of Allah, He will render their actions fruitless." [47:1]
"And We will regard what they have done of deeds and make them as dust dispersed." [25:23]
"But those who disbelieved - their deeds are like a mirage in a lowland which a thirsty one thinks is water until, when he comes to it, he finds it is nothing but finds Allah before Him, and He will pay him in full his due; and Allah is swift in account." [24:39]
I do believe that atheists can be good at heart, by their actions and morality, but just not spiritual-wise.
Also, here's a good overview:
The Quran, the Believers and the Non-Believers (by Ahmad Shafaat)
