Many non-Muslims to whom we talk about religion have a hard time understanding why they could be punished in the Hereafter if they are kind, honest, just etc. with other fellow humans. Their problem is that they do not realize that Allah ta`aalaa may forgive killing of a hundred people, but has promised not to forgive taking anyone as a partner to Him. They do not realize that their crime against their Creator is much worse than any crime against creation that they can imagine. So their being kind and just towards the creation is of no use if they show arrogance, heedlessness, denial and ungratefulness towards the Lord of the worlds, His Law, His Books, His Prophets etc..

AlHamdulillaah, I have found a written piece that discusses the greatness of the crime of kufr, may Allah ta`aalaa protect us from it.

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The Summit of Evil in this World is Disbelief

"Good And Evil" By Sh. M. Al-Sha`rawi

The summit of evil in this world is disbelief. There is no greater evilto be found than that because there is no sin grater than disbelief. An unbeliever has committed something which causes Allah to exclude him from His mercy. That is why Allah Almighty says: "Allah does not forgive anything being made a partner with Him but He forgives apart from that to anyone He wills." (4:48)

Thus even if someone who enters into disbelief were to be given the entire world, it would be evil for him, because however much he has, the enjoyment of this world is very little. However much wealth, rank, or power he has it will leave him. That is why Allah Almighty says: "The worst of beasts in the sight of Allah are those who reject and do not believe." (8:55)

Why are they the worst of beasts? We know that beasts have no intellect. They cannot think or understand. Nonetheless, they carry out their appointed tasks in full. They carry loads and perform all that is asked of them or for which they were created. They are ruled by instinct. When food is brought they eat what they need and then stop eating. If you try to tempt them with more food they refuse it, no matter what it is, because the rule of instinct is a true one which only lets the animal have what it needs. On the other hand, you find man, who has been given choice, stuffing his belly with food. Someone tells him, "You did not try this sweet," or "You have never tasted this variety," and he does not respect the fact that Allah has forbidden us excess with regard to food. He fills his stomach until he is unable to move. The human species directs itself to sensual gratification and not simply to self-preservation.

Allah Almighty has honored man with intellect so that he can reflect on His signs in existence and come to believe that this universe has a Creator who brings things into existence. But instead of that, he uses his intellect as a means to disbelief and heresy and so it distances him from Allah and makes him disobedient to Allah. So it is as if he repudiates this great honour which Allah has given him. Indeed, he directs it to the opposite of its appointed task and in doing so he is lower than a beast which crawls on the earth on all fours.