The hadith regarding the entry of certain people into Paradise who did not do any good and abandoned the prayer
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
The questioner says: It is mentioned in a hadith that Allah will admit into Paradise people who never did any good at all. So how do we say that abandoning the prayer is major disbelief?
Answer:
My brother, we do not take one hadith and leave the many hadiths that indicate the obligation of the prayer and its preservation, and that faith does not exist except with deeds. We do not take one obscure or ambiguous hadith and leave the rest of the hadiths. This is the method of the people of deviation,[Ali 'Imran 3:7], who take the ambiguous and leave the clear. So we refer this hadith to the clear hadiths that state that deeds are necessary if one is able to perform them. But if one is not able, and he embraced Islam, repented, and died in this state without being able to perform the deeds, then he is excused and enters Paradise by the permission of Allah. But if a person is able and does not pray his whole life, we say that this person enters Paradise and is a believer? The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: narrated by Muslim. And he said (peace and blessings be upon him): Sunan Ibn Majah 1079Sahih (Darussalam) [At-Tawbah 9:11] This indicates that the one who does not pray is not among our brothers in religion.
He is not among our brothers in religion.[Al-Qiyamah 75:31-32] This is lying in contrast to believing, and turning away in contrast to praying, may Allah protect us from that.
It is not permissible for us to say this, and to say that the hadith states that people who never did any good at all will enter Paradise. These people are excused for one of the reasons: either they died before that, or they were ignorant and it was not clarified to them, and they remained in ignorance until they died. Allah knows best about their conditions. But we do not leave the many hadiths and take an ambiguous hadith.
The presenter:
Allah is sufficient for me against you.
The questioner says: It is mentioned in a hadith that Allah will admit into Paradise people who never did any good at all. So how do we say that abandoning the prayer is major disbelief?
Answer:
My brother, we do not take one hadith and leave the many hadiths that indicate the obligation of the prayer and its preservation, and that faith does not exist except with deeds. We do not take one obscure or ambiguous hadith and leave the rest of the hadiths. This is the method of the people of deviation,
As for those in whose hearts is deviation [from truth], they will follow that of it which is unspecific
فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِنْهُBetween the servant and disbelief and shirk (associating partners with Allah) is abandoning prayer
بين العبد وبين الكفر والشرك ترك الصلاةBetween the servant and disbelief and shirk (associating partners with Allah) is abandoning prayer
بين العبد وبين الكفر والشرك ترك الصلاةThe covenant that distinguishes between us and them is prayer
العهد الذي بيننا وبينهم الصلاةBut if they repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, then they are your brothers in religion
فَإِن تَابُوا وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ فَإِخْوَانُكُمْ فِي الدِّينِHe is not among our brothers in religion.
(31) And the disbeliever had not believed, nor had he prayed. (32) But [instead], he denied and turned away.
فَلَا صَدَّقَ وَلَا صَلَّىٰ وَلَٰكِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰIt is not permissible for us to say this, and to say that the hadith states that people who never did any good at all will enter Paradise. These people are excused for one of the reasons: either they died before that, or they were ignorant and it was not clarified to them, and they remained in ignorance until they died. Allah knows best about their conditions. But we do not leave the many hadiths and take an ambiguous hadith.
The presenter:
Allah is sufficient for me against you.
Source
شرح كتاب التوحيد [ صالح الفوزان ]، تتمة تابع باب ما جاء من التغليظ فيمن عبد الله عند قبر رجل صالح، فكيف إذا عبده ؟ — islamhouse.com (53:40)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.