Why do non-Muslims not get rewarded for their good deeds?

                                            

I have heard a plenty of non-Muslims to be doubtful of Islam because of their knowledge of not being rewarded in the hereafter for their good deeds unless they say the Shahadah. And as any other believer who would have felt challenged and perplexed by this striking concept, I too had a couple of things in my mind to be sorted out. Anyway, I was keen to solve the puzzle.

Was the world meant to be spread Peace in? Does goodness bounce back? If yes, both believers and non-believers play their part. Why are, then, rewards only promised to the believers if the task is being fulfilled on both ends?

There are even more intriguing questions that continue to grow and directly challenge the idea of equality in Islam. Is the world biased in the favour of Muslims? Does Islam single out Muslims for all the virtues and punish polytheists despite of their contributions?

It is simple and subtle. Whatever that a person does in his life, is done with a backdrop of reasons encouraging it. Nothing executes with the knowledge of it being far-fetched. Even if it is a heinous crime involving danger, the criminal would have speculated it on the grounds of cost-benefit analysis. This concludes that any act ,be it good or bad, is carried out to fulfill a purpose or to achieve a target

Now here, it becomes clear that intentions matter and it is one of the core reasons, why a task is being done in the first place. If so, the intentions of a believer aim, by a good deed, at submitting his will to Almighty God while that of an unbeliever target at gaining worldly pleasures- fame, money, respect- this compromises the fundamental idea of a good deed.

Then, what is a good deed?

One that is only beneficial and morally correct or that with clear “whys” behind It.

"A good deed is an act, that is ethically and morally acceptable, carried out in an attempt to  please Allah and Allah only"

Consider the example of a student who is assigned a task by his teacher. The student works really hard, gets all the answers correct and proof-reads them, in order to impress the teacher. However he ends up getting it checked by some other teacher in the school, or does not get it checked at all. Will he be able to achieve a grade or would the task still hold the same level of importance? No, since the very goal behind the task is naively damaged.

Therefore, the reason why a person may not be repaid for his virtuousness is based on the  fact that; A good deed ceases to elicit a reward unless done for Allah (S.W.T).

And this rule equally applies to believers if their intentions too, behind a good deed, aim at the acquisition of something other than the will of Allah.