Guiding the Hadiths of Hope and the Punishment of Sinners
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Regarding the hadith that was reported about the man whom Allah granted favor to and saved, who had ninety-nine registers of sins and transgressions placed in one scale, and then the card containing the testimony that there is no god but Allah was brought, and the card outweighed the registers and the registers were scattered, what is your guidance regarding this hadith in light of the other known hadiths? And it is necessary that the sinners be punished in Hell, even though they all say: "There is no god but Allah." Also, is it appropriate to present this hadith and the other hadiths of hope to the common people, or is clarification necessary?
As for the first: It must be known that if a person is a believer, even if his faith is weak, we do not assert that he will enter the Fire;because of the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Surah al-Nisa: 48] So this man who had the word of tawhid, which is the testimony that there is no god but Allah, this complete sincerity prevented him from abiding in the Fire,And it is permissible that Allah forgives him, as in the verse: [Surah al-Nisa: 48] And this verse, as you know, was mentioned twice in Surah al-Nisa.
As for the hadiths of hope, like this hadith and others, is it appropriate for them to be recited to the common people?Answer: It is appropriate for them to be recited to the common people with one of two things: either their meaning is explained to the common people, or the hadiths of warning are mentioned along with them, so that hope does not predominate over them and they fall into security from the deception of Allah, nor fear so that they fall into despair of the mercy of Allah. For this reason, Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said a good word, he said: "You will not relate to a people a hadith that their minds do not grasp but it will be a trial for some of them." So it is obligatory for a person, when mentioning such hadiths, to explain their meaning so that they do not become confusing for the common people.
As for the first: It must be known that if a person is a believer, even if his faith is weak, we do not assert that he will enter the Fire;because of the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُIndeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُAs for the hadiths of hope, like this hadith and others, is it appropriate for them to be recited to the common people?Answer: It is appropriate for them to be recited to the common people with one of two things: either their meaning is explained to the common people, or the hadiths of warning are mentioned along with them, so that hope does not predominate over them and they fall into security from the deception of Allah, nor fear so that they fall into despair of the mercy of Allah. For this reason, Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said a good word, he said: "You will not relate to a people a hadith that their minds do not grasp but it will be a trial for some of them." So it is obligatory for a person, when mentioning such hadiths, to explain their meaning so that they do not become confusing for the common people.