Ruling on a believer who commits some sins
If believers die believing in Allaah but having committed sins less than major shirk that puts a person beyond the pale of Islam, one of two scenarios may apply:
1 – they repented from those sins during their lives. If they repented sincerely, Allaah will accept that from them, and they will once again become like those who did not commit any sin, and they will not be punished for their sins in the Hereafter. Indeed, their Lord may honour them and turn their bad deeds (sayi’aat) into good deeds (hasanaat).
2 – those who die without having repented from their sins, or whose repentance was imperfect and did not meet the required conditions, or their repentance was not accepted. What is proven in the verses of the Qur’aan and the Sunnah of the Prophet, and on which the righteous salaf was agreed is that these – the sinners among those who believe in Tawheed (the oneness of Allaah) – fall into three categories:
The first category: People who have many hasanaat (good deeds) to their credit, which outweigh these sayi’aat (bad deeds). Allaah will forgive them for their bad deeds and admit them to Paradise. The Fire will never touch them, as a kindness and blessing from Allaah. According to a hadeeth narrated by Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah will bring the believer close and will shelter him with His screen, then He will say, ‘Do you remember such and such a sin? Do you remember such and such a sin?’ and he will say, ‘Yes, O Lord,’ until He makes him confess his sins and he thinks that he is doomed. Then [Allaah] will say, ‘I concealed it for you in the world and I forgive you for it today.’ Then he will be given the book of his good deeds (hasanaat). But as for the kaafir and the hypocrite, the witnesses will say, ‘These are the ones who lied against their Lord!’ No doubt! the curse of Allaah is upon the zaalimoon (wrongdoers) [cf. Hood 11:18].’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2441; Muslim, 2768).
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“So as for those whose Scale (of good deeds) will be heavy, they will be the successful (by entering Paradise)”[al-A’raaf 7:8]
“Then as for him whose Balance (of good deeds) will be heavy,
He will live a pleasant life (in Paradise)” [al-Qaari’ah 101:6-7]
The second category: people whose hasanaat and sayi’aat are equal, so their sayi’aat are enough to keep them away from Paradise, but their hasanaat are enough to save them from Hell. These are the people of al-A’raaf (a wall with elevated places) whom Allaah says will stand between Paradise and Hell as long as Allaah wills, then they will be granted permission to enter Paradise, as Allaah says after telling us of the entrance of the people of Paradise to Paradise and the people of Hell to Hell. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And between them will be a (barrier) screen and on Al-A‘raaf (a wall with elevated places) will be men (whose good and evil deeds would be equal in Scale), who would recognise all (of the Paradise and Hell people), by their marks (the dwellers of Paradise by their white faces and the dwellers of Hell by their black faces). And they will call out to the dwellers of Paradise, ‘Salaamun ‘Alaykum’ (peace be on you), and at that time they (men on Al-A‘raaf) will not yet have entered it (Paradise), but they will hope to enter (it) with certainty.
And when their eyes will be turned towards the dwellers of the Fire, they will say: ‘Our Lord! Place us not with the people who are Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers).’
And the men on Al-A‘raaf (the wall) will call unto the men whom they would recognise by their marks, saying: ‘Of what benefit to you were your great numbers (and hoards of wealth), and your arrogance (against Faith)?’
Are they those, of whom you swore that Allaah would never show them mercy. (Behold! It has been said to them): ‘Enter Paradise, no fear shall be on you, nor shall you grieve’” [al-A’raaf 7:46-39]
The third category: People who will meet Allaah persisting in committing major sins and acts of immorality, so their sayi’aat will outweigh their hasanaat. These are the ones who will deserve to enter Hell in a manner commensurate with their sins. Some of them will be seized by the Fire as far as their ankles, some up to mid-calf, some up to their knees, and for some only the mark of sujood will be spared. These are the ones whom Allaah will permit to be brought forth from the Fire because of the intercession of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
He, all the Prophets, the angels, the believers and whoever else Allaah wishes to honour will intercede for them. Whoever among these sinners has more faith and committed less sins will have a lighter punishment and remain in Hell for a shorter period and will be brought forth sooner. Those whose sins were greater and whose faith was weaker, will have a greater punishment and will remain for longer. We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound from all evils.
This is the situation of the sinful believers in the Hereafter.
With regard to this world, so long as they do not do anything that would put them beyond the pale of Islam, then they are believers whose faith is lacking, as the righteous salaf agreed, basing that on the verses of the Qur’aan and the ahaadeeth of the Prophet. These aayahs include:
“But if the killer is forgiven by the brother (or the relatives) of the killed against blood money, then adhering to it with fairness and payment of the blood money to the heir should be made in fairness” [al-Baqarah 2:178 – interpretation of the meaning]
So Allaah describes the killer as the brother of the heirs of the victim. This brotherhood is the brotherhood of faith, which indicates that the killer is not regarded as a kaafir, even though killing a believer is one of the most serious of major sins.
And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And if two parties (or groups) among the believers fall to fighting, then make peace between them both. But if one of them outrages against the other, then fight you (all) against the one that which outrages till it complies with the Command of Allaah. Then if it complies, then make reconciliation between them justly, and be equitable. Verily, Allaah loves those who are the equitable.
The believers are nothing else than brothers (in Islamic religion). So make reconciliation between your brothers, and fear Allaah, that you may receive mercy” [al-Hujuraat 49:9-10]
So Allaah described each of the fighting parties as believers, even though fighting is a major sin. Indeed, He described the ones who reconcile between them as being their brothers, which indicates that the one who commits a major sin which does not reach the degree of shirk and kufr is still regarded as a believer and comes under the rulings on believers, but he is lacking in faith. In this way the shar’i texts may be reconciled and support one another. And Allaah knows best.
See A’laam al-Sunnah al-Manshoorah, 212; Sharh al-‘Aqeedah al-Waasitiyyah by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 2/238.
How will the sinful Muslim take his book of deeds on the Day of Resurrection?
Praise be to Allaah.
The Qur’aan and Sunnah indicate that the people will take their books, which contain the record of their deeds, on the Day of Resurrection. Some will take their books in their right hands and some will take their books in their left hands from behind their backs.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Then as for him who will be given his Record in his right hand will say: ‘Here! read my Record!
20. ‘Surely, I did believe that I shall meet my Account!’
21. So he shall be in a life, well‑pleasing.
22. In a lofty Paradise,
23. The fruits in bunches whereof will be low and near at hand.
24. Eat and drink at ease for that which you have sent on before you in days past!
25. But as for him who will be given his Record in his left hand, will say: ‘I wish that I had not been given my Record!
‘And that I had never known how my Account is!
27. ‘Would that it had been my end (death)!
28. ‘My wealth has not availed me;
29. ‘My power (and arguments to defend myself) have gone from me!’
30. (It will be said): ‘Seize him and fetter him;
31. Then throw him in the blazing Fire.
32. ‘Then fasten him with a chain whereof the length is seventy cubits!’
33. Verily, he used not to believe in Allaah, the Most Great”
[al-Haaqqah 69:19-33]
“Then as for him who will be given his Record in his right hand,
8. He surely, will receive an easy reckoning,
9. And will return to his family in joy!
10. But whosoever is given his Record behind his back,
11. He will invoke (for his) destruction,
12. And he shall enter a blazing Fire, and made to taste its burning.
13. Verily, he was among his people in joy!
14. Verily, he thought that he would never come back (to Us)!”
[al-Inshiqaaq 84:7-14]
These verses indicate that the believer who is destined for Paradise will take his book in his right hand, and that the kaafir who is doomed to Hell will take his book in his left hand, from behind his back.
The evidence that those who take their books in their left hands are the kaafirs is the verses in which Allaah says:
“Verily, he used not to believe in Allaah, the Most Great” [al-Haaqqah 69:33]
“Verily, he thought that he would never come back (to Us)!” [al-Inshiqaaq 84:14]
i.e., he thought that he would never return to Allaah.
This is also indicated by the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“But those who disbelieved in Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), they are those on the Left Hand (the dwellers of Hell)” [al-Balad 90:19]
Al-Qurtubi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his Tafseer (20/65): i.e., those who will take their books in their left hands. End quote.
This is a clear statement that taking the book in the left hand is something that is limited to the kuffaar.
Undoubtedly the obedient believer who will be saved from punishment, will take his book in his right hand. This is indicated by the context of the verses. The simple reckoning will be merely showing his deeds without discussing them. If a person’s deeds are discussed he will be punished or doomed to Hell, as is narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2172; Muslim, 2876.
This is also indicated by the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (2441), Muslim (2768) and Ibn Maajah (183) from Safwaan ibn Muhriz al-Maazini who said: Whilst I was walking with Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him), holding his hand, a man came up to him and said: “What did you hear the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say about al-najwa (the secret conversation that Allaah will have with His slaves on the Day of Resurrection)?” He said: “I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: ‘Allaah will draw the believer close to Him and He will screen him, then He will say: “Do you admit such and such a sin? Do you admit such and such a sin?” And he will say: “Yes, O Lord.” Then when he has admitted his sins, and thinks that he is doomed, (Allaah) will say: “I concealed them for you in the world, and I forgive you for them today.” Then he will be given the book of his good deeds [Ibn Maajah adds: In his right hand]. As for the kaafirs and the hypocrites, they will be called before all people. Those are the ones who told lies about Allaah.’”
As for the sinners among those who believed in Tawheed, who will enter Hell and then be brought forth from it, there is a difference of scholarly opinion concerning them. Some scholars say that they will take their books in their right hands and some say that they will take their books in their left hands.
Al-Safaareeni (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The kaafir will be given his book in his left hand from behind his back, and the sinful believer will be given his book in his left hand from in front of him, and the obedient believer will be given his book in his right hand from in front of him. Al-Maawirdi was certain that what is well known is that the (Muslim) evildoer who dies without having repented from his evildoing will take his book in his right hand, then he narrated an opinion which suggests that we should not discuss this matter and said: No one says that he will take it in his left hand.
Yoosuf ibn ‘Umar narrated that the Maalikis differed concerning sinners among those who believe in Tawheed. It was said that they will take their books in their right hands, and it was said that they will take them in their left hands.
With regard to the view that they will take their books in their right hands, it was said that they will take them before they enter the Fire, and that will be a sign that they will not abide therein forever. And it was said that they will take them after they are brought out of the Fire. And Allaah knows best. End quote.
From Lawaami’ al-Anwaar al-Bahiyyah, 2/183
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: With regard to a believer who sins, will he take his book in his right hand or in his left hand? He replied: He will take it in his right hand. End quote.
From al-As’ilah al-Mulhaqah bi Sharh al-Safaareeniyyah, p. 500.
It seems – and Allaah knows best – that no one will take his book in his left hand except the kaafir, as is apparent from the verses quoted above.
What the Muslim should do is to strive hard to do acts of obedience and worship, and to do good deeds, so that he will be among those who are given their books in their right hands. May Allaah make us among them.
And Allaah knows best.
How will those who entered Hell then were brought forth from it enjoy Paradise?
Praise be to Allaah.Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah believe that some of the Muslims will enter Paradise without being brought to account or being punished, and some of them will enter Paradise after being brought to account, and some will enter Paradise after being punished in Hell as Allaah wills, then He will bring them forth from it.
The fact that these people are brought forth from Hell then admitted to Paradise will not cause them any sorrow or distress in Paradise, because Paradise is the abode of delight, and they will have whatever the other people of Paradise will have, as mentioned in the Qur’aan and Sunnah.
There is nothing in the evidence to suggest that these people will feel any kind of regret after entering Paradise due to the punishment that they experienced in Hell.
But the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has told us about how these people will be after they are brought forth from Hell. That includes the following:
1 – They will be thrown into the River of Life, and will grow anew.
It was narrated from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When the people of Paradise enter Paradise and the people of Hell enter Hell, Allaah will say: ‘Whoever had a mustard-seed’s weight of faith in his heart, bring him out.’ So they will bring him out, and they will come out like burned skeletons, and they will turn into charcoal. They will be thrown into the River of Life, then they will grow like seeds growing in the silt left by a flood.”
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do you not see how they emerge yellow and curved?”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6192) and Muslim (184).
2 – The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stated that they will change after they are brought forth from the Fire.
It was narrated from Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said of the Jahannamiyyoon (those who had been in Hell) that they “would be brought forth from the Fire after having been in it. They will come out as if they are branches of sesame. Then they will go into one of the rivers of Paradise, where they will wash themselves, then they will emerge like sheets of paper.”
Narrated by Muslim (191).
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The word sesame refers to the well-known sesame from which sesame oil is extracted. Imam Abu’l-Sa’aadaat al-Mubaarak ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Kareem al-Jazari, who is known as Ibn al-Atheer (may Allaah have mercy on him), said: What it means – and Allaah knows best – is that if the branches of sesame are gathered and left in the sun so that their seeds may be collected, they turn thin and black as if they have been burned, so these people are likened to them.
“then they will emerge like sheets of paper” They are likened to sheets of paper because they will be so white after they wash themselves and all the blackness that was on them is removed.
Sharh Muslim (3/52).
According to a report narrated by al-Bukhaari (6190):
It was narrated from Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “They will emerge from the Fire through intercession as if they are small cucumbers.”
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
With regard to small cucumbers … What is meant is something that is white and small.
Note:
This likeness refers to how they will be after they grow. But when they first emerge from Hell they will be like charcoal as we shall see in the hadeeth below.
Fath al-Baari (11/429).
3 – They will become like pearls, and Allaah will bestow His good pleasure upon them, and He will never be angry with them.
It was narrated from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah will say: ‘The angels have interceded, the Prophets have interceded and there is no one left but the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.’ Then He will take a handful from Hell, and will bring out people who never did any good and who will have turned into charcoal. He will throw them into a river on the outskirts of Paradise that is called the River of Life, and they will emerge like seeds in the silt carried by a flood. … They will emerge like pearls with jewels around their necks, and the people of Paradise will recognize them. These are the ones ransomed by Allaah, whom Allaah admitted to Paradise with no good deed that they did or sent on ahead. Then He will say: ‘Enter Paradise, and whatever you see is yours.’ They will say: ‘Our Lord, You have given us what You have never given to anyone else in creation.’ He will say: ‘You will have something better than that with Me.’ They will say, ‘O Lord, what could be better than this?’ He will say, ‘My good pleasure, for I will never be angry with you again.’”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (7002) and Muslim (183).
This is an important hadeeth in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) points out the great status of those who are brought forth from Hell, and the honours that their Lord will bestow upon them by His grace and bounty, which include:
(a) Being thrown in the River of Life, and growing anew.
(b) Emerging from the river like pearls with jewels around their necks
(c) Being given everything that they see in Paradise.
(d) Their thinking, because of the blessings and the ultimate joy they experience, that Allaah has honoured them with something that He has not bestowed upon anyone else.
(e) He will bestow His pleasure upon them and never be angry with them again.
The honour that Allaah will bestow upon these people who enter Paradise is confirmed in the following hadeeth:
It was narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I know the last of the people of Hell to be brought forth, and the last of the people of Paradise to enter therein. It will be a man who will emerge crawling from Hell, and Allaah, may He be blessed and exalted, will say to him: ‘Go and enter Paradise.’ He will come to it and it will appear to him to be full. He will go back and say, ‘O Lord, I found it full.’ Allaah, may He be blessed and exalted, will say to him: ‘Go and enter Paradise.’ He will go to it and it will appear to him to be full. He will go back and say, ‘O Lord, I found it full.’ Allaah, may He be blessed and exalted, will say to him: ‘Go and enter Paradise, and you will have the equivalent of the whole world and ten times as much.’ He will say, ‘Are You mocking me – or laughing at me – when You are the Sovereign?’” He said: And I saw the Messenger of Allaah (S) smile so broadly that his molars appeared. And he said: “That will be the lowest of the people of Paradise in status.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6202) and Muslim (186).
4 – They will be known as al-Jahannamiyyoon (the hellish ones) or “ ‘utaqa’ al-Jabbaar” (those ransomed by the Compeller, i.e., Allaah), then this name will be lifted from them.
The name al-Jahannamiyyoon is the plural of jahannami, i.e., hellish (of or pertaining to Hell), What is meant is that Allaah has ransomed them from Hell.
It was narrated from Anas ibn Maalik that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Some people will be brought forth from the Fire after its flames touch them (and change their colour), then they will be admitted to Paradise, and the people of Paradise will call them al-Jahannamiyyoon.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6191).
Ahmad (12060) narrated from Anas: “… they will enter Paradise and the people of Paradise will say: These are al-Jahannamiyyoon.” But al-Jabbaar (the Compeller – Allaah) will say: ‘No, rather they are the ones ransomed by al-Jabbaar, may He be glorified and exalted.’”
Classed as saheeh by Ibn Mandah in al-Eemaan (2/847); Ibn Khuzaymah (2/710) and al-Albaani in Hukm Taarik al-Salaah (p. 33).
Ibn Hibbaan narrated from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri: “… In Paradise they will be called al-Jahannamiyyoon, because of the blackness on their faces, and they will say: ‘Our Lord, take this name away from us.’ So He will command them to wash themselves in a river in Paradise and will take that away from them.”
Narrated and classed as saheeh by Ibn Hibbaan (16/457). It was also classed as saheeh by Shu’ayb al-Arna’oot.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has told us that one dip in Paradise will cause the Muslim to forget all hardship that he faced in this world, so how about if Paradise is to be his eternal abode? It is not farfetched to assume that this also includes the hardship that the Muslim faced when he was in Hell.
It was narrated that Anas ibn Maalik said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The most affluent of the people in this world, of those who will go to Hell, will be brought on the Day of Resurrection and dipped once in the Fire. Then it will be said: O son of Adam, did you ever see anything good? Did you ever have any pleasure? He will say: No, by Allaah, O Lord. Then the most destitute of the people in this world, of those who will enter Paradise, will be brought and dipped once in Paradise, and it will be said to him: O son of Adam, did you ever see anything bad? Did you ever experience any hardship? He will say: No, by Allaah, O Lord. I never saw anything bad and I never experienced any hardship.”
Narrated by Muslim (2807)
Another indication that one dip in the bliss of Paradise will take away all hardship that came before it, even the hardship of being punished in Hell, in addition to what we have mentioned of their forms being changed after they are thrown into the River of Life, is the report narrated by Muslim (2836) from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) who said: “Whoever enters Paradise will enjoy bliss and will not be miserable, his clothes will not wear out and his youth will not fade.”
This blessing confirms that misery will be erased for the one who enters Paradise, and it is general in meaning and includes everyone who enters it, whether they entered Hell beforehand or not.
Al-Qaadi said: What this means is that Paradise is the abode of stability and blessing which will not change or be disturbed by any hardship or corruption. Quoted in Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi (7/194).
For all of these reasons, Allaah tells us about the condition of the people of Paradise when they enter it:
“And they will say: ‘All the praises and thanks be to Allaah Who has removed from us (all) grief. Verily, our Lord is indeed Oft‑Forgiving, Most Ready to appreciate (good deeds and to recompense).
35. Who, out of His Grace, has lodged us in a home that will last forever, where toil will touch us not nor weariness will touch us’”
[Faatir 35:34-35]
Shaykh al-Sa’di (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: i.e., the home of eternal abode, the home where one will want to stay forever, because of the many good things therein, and because of the ongoing delight and because there is nothing to disturb this pleasure.
That is “out of His Grace” towards us and His Bounty, not because of our deeds. Were it not for His Grace, we would not have reached the point we have reached.
“where toil will touch us not nor weariness will touch us” i.e., there will be no tiredness in body, heart or strength, or because of an abundance of pleasures. This indicates that Allaah will make their bodies physically perfect and will create all means of making their abode there one of continuous delight and pleasure, so that they will not be touched by toil or weariness, or by worry or sorrow.
Tafseer al-Sa’di (689).
And Allaah knows best.