Does one who dies upon tawhid (the oneness of Allah) escape the Fire despite committing sins?

The questioner : I adopt the view that if I do any of these things, except for the belief of La ilaha illa Allah (There is no god but Allah) which I hold; do I escape, by the word of Allah, if I die upon tawhid (the oneness of Allah) now?

The Shaykh : You escape from the punishment of eternal abode, or from the punishment of the ages.

The questioner : From eternal abode, from eternal abode in the Fire of Hell.

The Shaykh : Yes, but from the punishment of the ages, you do not escape.

The questioner : Truly, I do not escape.

The Shaykh : Okay, then bring it up so we can see, what resulted?

The questioner : It resulted... up to now... that I used to be with the Muslim Brotherhood, adopting the previous idea in the ranks of the Brotherhood; until I reached the Shura Council.

The Shaykh : The previous idea, and what is it?

The questioner : The one that was with me in the same way, and if... what is measured from us.

The Shaykh : Okay, you were in the Brotherhood, you adopted...

The questioner : Fatwas (scholarly legal rulings) that I was raised upon.

The Shaykh: All right.

The questioner : And truly, when I left the Brotherhood...

The Shaykh: All right.

The questioner : Then severe follow-up, severe follow-up from the enemies of Allah, the tyrants whom we all ruled... and their intelligence services and their tools, why? Because I felt that this was a real, crushing, annihilating danger for these tyrants in all their categories, this is what I believed. Now, when I adopt the new thing, which is truth, as long as I escape from eternal abode in the Fire of Hell... in everything... our wealth and our families occupied us, I left the house and did not stand up for this... I ask about it except for... the text, if Allah wills. In the house, I do not ask about it except... likewise, all these matters I will adopt practically, as long as they do not take me out of the religion.

The Shaykh : I understand from your words.

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : That you will commit all the sins, like this.

The questioner : I hope that I am not.

The Shaykh : My master, hope is something else; we hope for this even for the open sinners, that is another discussion. But regarding your idea and your presentation of the issue, the meaning of your words is that you will commit all the lewd acts.

The questioner : Except shirk (associating partners with Allah).

The Shaykh : Except shirk (associating partners with Allah), now with the new concept, but with the old concept.

The questioner : The old concept.

The Shaykh: No.

The questioner: No.

The Shaykh : Allow me... in the old concept, no.

The questioner: No.

The Shaykh : I think you are mistaken in this.

The questioner : Perhaps.

The Shaykh : Okay, previously you were not on the opinion that we... because I know that your opinion is with us in it; the fornicator when he commits zina (unlawful sexual intercourse), or the thief, or the deceiver, or the one who takes riba (usury or interest), all examples we presented to you.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Do you believe that this one who takes riba (usury or interest) is a disbeliever who has apostatized from his religion, the thief is a disbeliever who has apostatized from his religion, and the deceiver is a disbeliever who has apostatized from his religion? I discussed with you everything I discussed on the basis that I exonerate you from reaching this depth; to believing that every Muslim who testifies to the oneness of Allah and to the Prophet's message and everything of Islam, if he commits a forbidden act, that you believe merely committing this haram (forbidden) makes him a disbeliever. I have seen this in a dream... I have not seen it, and I do not imagine seeing it, let alone in reality. So, my good opinion of you, perhaps you will help me to keep it?

The questioner : Practically, we did not adopt this, meaning, whoever ate riba (usury or interest) or whoever stole or committed zina (unlawful sexual intercourse), we did not adopt this.

The Shaykh : What is this? Please...

The questioner : We did not adopt that he is an apostate.

The Shaykh : This is the basis on which I discussed with you.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : So, nothing has developed in you except the correction of your belief only, but your life's starting point will remain the same, just as you did not rule that the one who takes riba (usury or interest) is an apostate, even though he is a sinner. And you, who hold this idea, why did you not fear that you are one who takes riba (usury or interest), and you commit zina (unlawful sexual intercourse), and you steal, and you believe that if you steal, you are not abiding in the Fire forever, and you, if you did... from this perspective.

The questioner : I believed the belief I was accustomed to from long ago until now, meaning the rule... that the call to establish the religion of Allah is from the content of the testimony, or from... the testimony, or from La ilaha illa Allah (There is no god but Allah) specifically... the call to Allah - Mighty and Majestic...

The Shaykh : In terms of practical application, your position now is as follows: you say: if I adopt what we agreed upon, you will do and do and do; why? Because you are guaranteed that you are not abiding in the Fire forever, and likewise you were in the past.

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : Likewise you were in the past, if you stole, if you committed zina (unlawful sexual intercourse), if you took riba (usury or interest), you thought that you do not abide in the Fire forever, and... you had nothing from this perspective... that you were not aware of this precise scientific detail; practical disbelief and belief-based disbelief. And what resulted, as it appeared to me - and I am not yet certain - what resulted from behind this distinction is what I denied to me... and now you admitted that I am correct and you followed me - also - when you gave the example of the practical one who prayed... between us, and he did not... gold. I denied it to him and his like, so you denied it before based on my previous idea, my denial to him for wearing gold. So when... and you, you did not deny it previously... I remembered the example of gold; this one who prayed between us was wearing a gold ring. I was denying it and I still deny it. You were not denying it and you started denying it; what is the reason? Is there something...?

The questioner : No, wearing a gold ring...

The Shaykh : Subhan Allah ... .

The questioner : Yes... absolutely regarding gold.

The Shaykh : I am speaking about the gold ring, wearing a gold ring... a necessity for it; because the meaning in the words... the words are general, including the branch and proceeding with the root. I... this one who prayed beside me... between us, and he was wearing a gold ring, so I was denying it to him considering him a Muslim, and you were not denying it to him considering him in this jahiliyyah (the pre-Islamic age of ignorance) society; meaning: you treated him as you treat disbelievers. So after we clarified the research regarding belief-based and practical disbelief, here a difference appeared to you, you are practically, and he, you started participating in the denial. And if you see him praying while wearing a gold ring, you deny it to him as I used to deny it to him. Here a difference appeared with you, but regarding you going back, becoming an open sinner, enjoining riba (usury or interest), committing zina (unlawful sexual intercourse), and stealing, there is no difference between the previous and the later; because previously you believed that the one who takes riba (usury or interest), commits zina (unlawful sexual intercourse), and so on, does not abide in the Fire forever, and now your place has not moved, likewise he does not abide... in the Fire. Did you acquire from me something that harms you in your life's starting point? No, but you acquired from me - if Allah wills - the correction of some of your life's starting points, including this example.

The questioner : ... but... something was with me that establishing the religion of Allah and the call and... denies the most important, the greatest... tawhid (the oneness of Allah). He used to say: La ilaha illa Allah (There is no god but Allah), meaning, whoever did not deny... meaning, he became an apostate in belief.

The Shaykh : So you did not agree with me!!

The questioner : Therefore, I.