the actions of disbelievers in this world are like the expiation for ẓihār, for it is not required to be repeated if he converts to Islam, and it suffices." End quote. Then the ḥāfiẓ said: "The truth is that it does not necessarily follow from the recording of reward for a Muslim during his state of Islam, as a favor and kindness from Allāh, that this is because his actions performed in disbelief are accepted. The ḥadīth only involves the recording of reward and does not address acceptance. It is possible that acceptance becomes conditional upon his conversion to Islam, so it is accepted and rewarded if he converts, otherwise not. This is a strong position. This has been affirmed by those like al-Nawawī, Ibrāhīm al-Ḥarbī, Ibn Baṭṭāl, and others among the earlier scholars, as well as al-Qurṭubī and Ibn al-Munīr among the later scholars. Ibn al-Munīr said: "The claim that it is written for him during his disbelief contradicts the principles, but that Allāh adds to his good deeds in Islam the reward of what he thought was good, there is no objection to it, just as He favors him initially without any action, and as He favors the incapacitated with the reward of what he used to do when he was able. So if it is permissible to record for him the reward of what he did not do at all, it is permissible to record the reward of what he did without fulfilling the conditions. Others have argued that those who believe from among the People of the Book are given their reward twice, as indicated by the Quran and the authentic ḥadīth. If he had died on his initial faith, none of his righteous deeds would have benefited him; rather, they would be scattered dust. This indicates that the reward for his initial deeds is recorded for him in addition to his later deeds. And by his saying (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) when ʿĀʾishah asked him about Ibn Judʿān and the good he used to do: 'Will it benefit him?' He said: 'He never said, "My Lord, forgive me my sin on the Day of Judgment,"' indicating that if he had said it after converting to Islam, what he did in disbelief would benefit him." I said: "This is the correct view that cannot be contradicted, as numerous ḥadīths support it. For this reason, al-Sindī said in his commentary on al-Nasāʾī: 'This ḥadīth indicates that the good deeds of a disbeliever are suspended; if he converts to Islam, they are accepted, otherwise, they are rejected.'"