Good deeds before Islam

imam nawawi in his minhaj [sharh muslim 2/141] said after citing qadi iyad's opinion [below]:

ibn baTTal and other research scholars [muHaqqiqin] that the hadith is taken literally. that is, if a kafir becomes a muslim and dies upon faith [on islam], he will be given reward for his good actions that he did while he was a kafir. they cited the hadith of abu sayid al-khudri raDiyAllahu anhu in which RasulAllah sallAllahu alayhi said:

when a kafir becomes a muslim, and his islam is good [i.e. he becomes a good muslim] Allah ta'ala will Inscribe for him for every good deed that he did in his past - and erase all his bad deeds and sins done in the past; and his good deeds thereafter [becoming a muslim], for every good deed his reward will be 10 to 700 times; and recompense for sin will be one is to one.​

this was mentioned by dar quTni in 'uncommon reports of malik' and reported by malik via 9 different routes and established in them that a kafir when becomes a muslim [and is steadfast as a muslim], every good deed he did in his state as a polytheist will be written for him [i.e. merits reward]. ibn baTTal after mentioning the hadith said: 'it is for Allah taala to bestow His favours upon His slaves, as much as He likes. no one has the right to object.' and he said: 'this is similar to the saying of RasulAllah sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam to Hakim ibn Hizam raDiyAllahu anhu: 'you became a muslim for the past in which you did good deeds'.

Allah ta'ala knows best.

 

in saHiH muslim, kitab al-iman, there is a topic titled: 'the ruling concerning the deeds of a person, when he becomes a muslim afterward'

hadith #194 vide Hakim ibn Hizam who asked RasulAllah sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam: 'concerning matters of worship [taHannuth] which i did in the pagan times [jahiliyyah]; will i get any reward for that? RasulAllah sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam said: "you became a muslim because of the good that you did in the past"



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scholars differed on this matter. and they interpreted the saying of RasulAllah sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam.
imam muslim himself interpreted taHannuth as 'worship' but qaDi iyad in his linguistic appraisal says that: "taHannuth is a deed that is not sin".

thereafter, qadi iyaD says in his ikmal, [see 1/414 onwards]

[summarised, reworded:] at the outset, it contradicts the fundamental principle: that a kafir's actions to draw closer to Allah [taqarrub] is invalid. and therefore the hadith will have to be interpreted. there are four possibilities for the saying: 'good in the past':

1. that you had a good nature - and because of that good nature you will benefit in islam. and your previous [good] habits are a precursor, and will be helpful in doing good deeds and worship [after islam].

2. you earned a good name because of those good deeds. and that will remain with you after islam.

3. it is not farfetched, that you will do even more good deeds in islam [than you did before]; and because of which your reward in the hereafter will increase. it is said about a kafir: 'when he does a good deed, he will merit consideration [by decrease in punishment] - so it is not distant that his reward will be increased in this case as well.

qaDi iyaD also said: by the blessing of your good deeds in the past, Allah ta'ala has guided you towards islam.