is not deemed to have had invalid faith initially, as though he had invalidated a prayer, fast, or Hajj before completing it. Rather, one says what Allah Most High has said:

“Whoever rejects faith, his deeds have become worthless.”

He also said:

“If you associate others with Allah, your deeds will surely become worthless.”

And He said:

“If they had associated others with Allah, all that they used to do would have become worthless.”

If his faith had been invalid in itself, it would necessarily follow that his previous marriages must be judged invalid, the animals he had slaughtered unlawful to eat, his previous receipt of inheritance invalid, and all his acts of worship void. Even if he had performed Hajj on someone else’s behalf, that Hajj would be invalid. If he had led people in prayer for a time and then apostatized, they would have to repeat the prayers they had offered behind him. If he had given testimony or issued a judicial ruling and then apostatized, his testimony and ruling would necessarily be invalidated—and likewise in similar cases.

Similarly, when a disbeliever repents of his disbelief, if he had been loved by Allah and a friend of His while still a disbeliever, it would necessarily follow that the rulings attaching to that disbelief must be deemed inapplicable. All of this contradicts what is established by the Quran, the Sunnah, and scholarly consensus.

The discussion of this “question” parallels the discussion of provision and appointed lifespans. It also rests on the “principle concerning the attributes of action,” which is a major principle.

On this basis, the answer to the questioner becomes clear. For those who hold that a friend of Allah can only be someone who meets Him at death with faith and mindfulness of Him, ascertaining this is more difficult for the person himself and for others. For those who hold that a person who possesses faith and mindfulness of Allah may be His friend even if his ultimate outcome is unknown, ascertaining this is easier.