Even the disbelievers are at different levels

In George Bush's memoirs, Moving Ahead. he mentioned that he had attended the funeral of Brezhnev, the President of the Soviet Union. Bush said, "I found the funeral to be dark and morbid; it was devoid of faith and spirit." He said this because he is Christian and they are atheists.

 

(And you will find the nearest in love to the believers [Muslims] those who say: 'We are Christians.)     (Qur'an 5: 82)

 

Observe that although he is misguided, he was able to discern their falsehood. Thus, the matter becomes relative. How matters would have been different had he known Islam, the true religion of Allah!

 

(And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.)  (Quran 3: 85)

 

This incident brought to my mind a saying of Ibn Taymiyah. He was speaking to a member of a deviant Sufi sect. The man said to Ibn Taymiyah, "Why is it that when we come to you (the people of the Sunnah), our miracles lose their effect and become useless? But, when we go to the Mongolian disbelieving Tartars, our miracles work?"

 

Ibn Taymiyah said,

"Do you know what the example of you, the Tartars, and us is? As for us, we are white horses. You are spotted horses, and the Tartars are black ones. When the spotted one enters upon a throng of black, he appears to be white. And when he enters upon a crowd of white, he appears to be black. Now, you have some remnants of light, and when you mix with the people of disbelief, that light becomes visible. But when you come to us, the people of the Sunnah who have the greater light, your blackness and darkness is all that is left for you. And this is the example of you, the Tartars, and us."

 

(And for those whose faces will become white, they will be in Allah is Mercy [Paradise], therein they shall dwell forever)        (Qur'an 3: 107)