What is the ruling on the children of the people of the period of ignorance?
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The questioner : Are they among the people of the period of ignorance, to be tested on the Day of Resurrection?
The Shaykh : Yes, they are among the people of the period of ignorance. That is, Allah will send a messenger to them on the plain of the Day of Resurrection. Whoever obeys him will enter Paradise, and whoever disobeys him will enter the Fire, just like all those who have an excuse and to whom the call did not reach. Therefore, when he (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about the children of the polytheists, he said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 1949Sahih (Darussalam). So whoever among them responds to the Messenger on the Day of Resurrection and obeys him will be among the servants of the people of Paradise.
The questioner : I know that in my question to you about the children of disbelievers ten or fifteen years ago, you informed me that they are in the Fire.
The Shaykh : Far be it from Allah. They are in the Fire if they reach the age of maturity and die as disbelievers. But if they do not reach the age of maturity and the age of legal accountability, the answer is what you have heard.
The questioner : What about those who convert at the hands of the extremists of the Sufi orders and others, and believe that this is Islam? Are they also considered among the people of the period of ignorance?
The Shaykh : Yes, as long as the correct Islam has not reached them, they are so, like the Europeans and Americans and others, who are deceived by some calls, such as the extremist Sufis and the Qadiyyan group, and the like.
The questioner : And they believe that this is Islam.
The Shaykh : It is Islam.
The questioner : Therefore, we cannot declare them disbelievers?
The Shaykh : No, we have their outward appearance; they testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. As for their reckoning, that is with Allah.
The Shaykh : Yes, they are among the people of the period of ignorance. That is, Allah will send a messenger to them on the plain of the Day of Resurrection. Whoever obeys him will enter Paradise, and whoever disobeys him will enter the Fire, just like all those who have an excuse and to whom the call did not reach. Therefore, when he (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about the children of the polytheists, he said:
Allah knows best what they would have done.
الله أعلم بما كانوا يعملونThe questioner : I know that in my question to you about the children of disbelievers ten or fifteen years ago, you informed me that they are in the Fire.
The Shaykh : Far be it from Allah. They are in the Fire if they reach the age of maturity and die as disbelievers. But if they do not reach the age of maturity and the age of legal accountability, the answer is what you have heard.
The questioner : What about those who convert at the hands of the extremists of the Sufi orders and others, and believe that this is Islam? Are they also considered among the people of the period of ignorance?
The Shaykh : Yes, as long as the correct Islam has not reached them, they are so, like the Europeans and Americans and others, who are deceived by some calls, such as the extremist Sufis and the Qadiyyan group, and the like.
The questioner : And they believe that this is Islam.
The Shaykh : It is Islam.
The questioner : Therefore, we cannot declare them disbelievers?
The Shaykh : No, we have their outward appearance; they testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. As for their reckoning, that is with Allah.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.