Does Ibn al-Qayyim have two views on the issue of the extinction of the Fire of the sinning monotheists and the permanence of the Fire of the polytheists?

The questioner : Ibn al-Qayyim, in al-Wabil al-Sayyib, affirms the extinction of the Fire of the sinning monotheists and the permanence of the Fire of the polytheists. Does he have two views on this issue?

The Shaykh : Yes; this is what I detailed in my introduction to the book: "Raf' al-Astar 'an Batil Qawl Man Qala bi Fana' al-Nar" (Lifting the Veils from the Falsity of the Statement of One Who Says the Fire Will Be Extinguished). In his book: "Hadi al-Arwah ila Bilad al-Afrah" (Guiding the Souls to the Lands of Delight), he examines this issue in detail. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah likewise—and we have published some of the manuscripts—says that the Fire is extinguished absolutely. However, Ibn al-Qayyim's statement in al-Wabil al-Sayyib is like a return from that statement to what is correct: the Fire of the polytheists does not extinguish. This is because Allah says: . So the Fire of the polytheists and their punishment therein is for eternity, with no end to it. This is a statement that Muslims who estimate the knowledge of Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah should not be misled by, especially when we find this statement that removes the difficulty and the doubt by distinguishing between the Fire of the sinners and the Fire of the polytheists. The Fire of the sinners is the one that extinguishes, while the Fire of the polytheists remains, just as the bliss of the believers remains.The Shaykh : Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, and especially when we found this statement that removes the difficulty and the doubt by distinguishing between the Fire of the sinners and the Fire of the polytheists. The Fire of the sinners is the one that extinguishes, while the Fire of the polytheists remains, just as the bliss of the believers remains.

The questioner : So, is the correct view that the Fire of the sinning monotheists extinguishes?

The Shaykh : Of course, yes, and it must be so; because no monotheist will ever remain in the Fire eternally.