A person whose parents passed away while angry with him for his undutifulness to them was told that one who is undutiful to his parents will not smell the scent of Paradise, and as a result, he lost hope of entering Paradise.
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The questioner : A person whose parents passed away while angry with him because he was undutiful to them was told: One who is undutiful to his parents will not smell the scent of Paradise, and as a result, he lost hope of entering Paradise. To prevent him from falling into despair regarding the mercy of Allah, another person told him: You can please them after their death by making supplication for them, seeking forgiveness for them, and giving charity on their behalf. And Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) will bring you together on the Day of Resurrection and inform your parents that you did such and such for their sake. If they are pleased with you, then Allah will pardon you. The question is: Is there a basis for what this person said? May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : This matter is a lesson for those who take heed. It shows that a sane person should seize the opportunity to do what Allah has made obligatory upon him, lest the opportunity be lost. This questioner could have been dutiful to his parents before their death, but he procrastinated, neglected the matter, and let it slip until it was too late and he moved from this world to the Hereafter.
But I tell him: The door of repentance is open. If Allah knows from His servant that he has regretted what he did and sought forgiveness from his Lord, then Allah the Exalted will forgive him. Nothing will result from his previous action that would have resulted from his neglect and waste of the opportunity; there is no sin upon him and no punishment. I hope the brother questioner will listen to this noble verse:[Al-Furqan 25:68-70].
These are the great crimes: shirk (associating partners with Allah), which is the greatest of sins; killing the soul, which is the greatest aggression against the body; and zina (unlawful sexual intercourse), which is the greatest aggression against honor. If a person repents from them, believes, and does a righteous deed, then Allah will replace his evil deeds with good ones and forgive him.
It is well known that Allah does not forgive shirk (associating partners with Allah), as He the Exalted said:[An-Nisa 4:48]. Nevertheless, if a person repents from it, Allah will forgive him and have mercy on him. If he possesses the three attributes: he believes, repents, and does a righteous deed, Allah will replace his evil deeds with good ones. So let this questioner be glad if he has repented to Allah and regretted his negligence regarding the rights of his parents. Let him be glad of Allah's forgiveness for him, and let him ask Allah for steadfastness. Let him increase in what his brother advised him of: seeking forgiveness for his parents, making supplication for them, honoring their friends, and maintaining family ties that can only be maintained through them. If he does that, Allah will pardon him and forgive him.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge, and benefit the Muslims through you.
The Shaykh : This matter is a lesson for those who take heed. It shows that a sane person should seize the opportunity to do what Allah has made obligatory upon him, lest the opportunity be lost. This questioner could have been dutiful to his parents before their death, but he procrastinated, neglected the matter, and let it slip until it was too late and he moved from this world to the Hereafter.
But I tell him: The door of repentance is open. If Allah knows from His servant that he has regretted what he did and sought forgiveness from his Lord, then Allah the Exalted will forgive him. Nothing will result from his previous action that would have resulted from his neglect and waste of the opportunity; there is no sin upon him and no punishment. I hope the brother questioner will listen to this noble verse:
(68) And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed], except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever should do that will meet a penalty. (69) Multiplied for him is the punishment on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein humiliated - (70) Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.
وَالَّذِينَ لا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ وَلا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلا يَزْنُونَ وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَامًا * يُضَاعَفْ لَهُ الْعَذَابُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَيَخْلُدْ فِيهِ مُهَانًا * إِلَّا مَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُوْلَئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًاThese are the great crimes: shirk (associating partners with Allah), which is the greatest of sins; killing the soul, which is the greatest aggression against the body; and zina (unlawful sexual intercourse), which is the greatest aggression against honor. If a person repents from them, believes, and does a righteous deed, then Allah will replace his evil deeds with good ones and forgive him.
It is well known that Allah does not forgive shirk (associating partners with Allah), as He the Exalted said:
Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَمَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ افْتَرَى إِثْمًا عَظِيمًاThe questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge, and benefit the Muslims through you.