Question:
After a person dies, the angels who recorded their deeds depart. If that is the case, who records the ongoing rewards from ongoing charity (sadaqah jariyah), beneficial knowledge, and the prayers of a righteous child? These rewards continue after death. Who records them?
Answer:
This question connects two aspects: the three deeds that continue to bring reward after death, and the role of the recording angels.
When a person dies, the angels appointed to record his deeds do leave. But that does not mean Allahﷻ does not know or record what continues. Allahﷻ is not dependent on angels for knowledge. He is All-Knowing and has already recorded everything.
In Surah Al-An’am (6:59), Allahﷻ says: “And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. And He knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it.” Allahﷻ knows every detail without needing angels to inform Him.
The angels record deeds as a means of establishing accountability for humans, not because Allahﷻ is unaware. Allahﷻ has also recorded everything in the Preserved Tablet (Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz) before creation.
For example, when a person digs a well as ongoing charity, Allahﷻ already knew that well would be used by people, and He has recorded the reward. The angels may or may not record it, but Allahﷻ has already decreed and recorded it.
Similarly, beneficial knowledge taught by a person continues to benefit others, and Allahﷻ has already recorded that reward. The prayer of a righteous child—Allahﷻ has recorded that as well.
Allahﷻ says in Surah Al-Hadid (57:22): “No disaster strikes upon the earth or among yourselves except that it is in a register before We bring it into being.” Everything is already recorded.
Thus, even though the recording angels leave after death, Allahﷻ Himself records all deeds, including those that continue to bring reward. The angels were a means for accountability during life, but Allahﷻ’s knowledge and record are complete and independent.
In Surah Al-Kahf (18:49), it is mentioned that the record will be placed before people on the Day of Judgment, and they will see everything they did—nothing is missed, small or large.
In Surah Al-Isra (17:13), Allahﷻ says: “And for every person We have imposed his fate upon his neck, and We will produce for him on the Day of Resurrection a record which he will encounter spread open.”
This is like a memory card attached to every person, automatically recording everything. So, there are multiple forms of recording: the angels, the Preserved Tablet, and the personal record.
Therefore, the ongoing rewards after death are recorded by Allahﷻ, based on His prior knowledge and decree. There is no need to worry about who records them after the angels depart.