The questioner says: I want to know the authenticity of this hadith. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: A messenger came to me from my Lord and informed me, or he said:
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The questioner : The questioner says: I want to know the authenticity of this hadith. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih al-Bukhari 6444 My question is: What is the authenticity of this hadith? And what is its detailed meaning?
The Shaykh : This hadith is authentic, and its meaning is that if a person dies upon Islam, he will enter Paradise even if he committed unlawful sexual intercourse and stole, but he must be punished for his sins as Allah (Mighty and Majestic) wills, unless Allah forgives him. This hadith does not mean that we are lenient regarding sins and major sins; rather, this hadith encourages the realization of Islam, and that Islam prevents eternal abode in the Fire. However, a person must know that sins, as the scholars said, are the post of disbelief, and sins continue with a man until he reaches the limit of disbelief, may Allah protect us from that. For the acts of obedience to the heart are like watering a tree; if a person persists in them and is steadfast, the tree remains alive and lush. And sins are like cutting the branches of the tree; every time a person cuts a branch, it weakens and diminishes until its branches are gone, and perhaps in that lies the loss of its root. So a person must protect his faith by obeying Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and avoiding His disobedience. But if it is assumed that he committed sins that do not necessitate disbelief, then his end is Paradise, if Allah wills.
And our saying: “Then his end is Paradise” does not mean that committing sins leads to entering Paradise, but its meaning is that the sinner, no matter how great his sins are, if they do not reach the limit of disbelief, his end must be Paradise after he is punished for what his sin requires, unless Allah pardons him.
A messenger came to me from my Lord and informed me, or he said: “Give good news that whoever dies from your community not associating anything with Allah will enter Paradise.” I said: “Even if he commits unlawful sexual intercourse and steals?” He said: “Even if he commits unlawful sexual intercourse and steals.”
آتاني آتٍ من ربي فأخبرني أو قال: فبشرني أنه من مات من أمتك لا يشرك بالله شيئاً دخل الجنة، قلت: وإن زنى وإن سرق؟ قال: وإن زنى وإن سرقThe Shaykh : This hadith is authentic, and its meaning is that if a person dies upon Islam, he will enter Paradise even if he committed unlawful sexual intercourse and stole, but he must be punished for his sins as Allah (Mighty and Majestic) wills, unless Allah forgives him. This hadith does not mean that we are lenient regarding sins and major sins; rather, this hadith encourages the realization of Islam, and that Islam prevents eternal abode in the Fire. However, a person must know that sins, as the scholars said, are the post of disbelief, and sins continue with a man until he reaches the limit of disbelief, may Allah protect us from that. For the acts of obedience to the heart are like watering a tree; if a person persists in them and is steadfast, the tree remains alive and lush. And sins are like cutting the branches of the tree; every time a person cuts a branch, it weakens and diminishes until its branches are gone, and perhaps in that lies the loss of its root. So a person must protect his faith by obeying Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and avoiding His disobedience. But if it is assumed that he committed sins that do not necessitate disbelief, then his end is Paradise, if Allah wills.
And our saying: “Then his end is Paradise” does not mean that committing sins leads to entering Paradise, but its meaning is that the sinner, no matter how great his sins are, if they do not reach the limit of disbelief, his end must be Paradise after he is punished for what his sin requires, unless Allah pardons him.