Is it permissible to cite the saying of Allah the Exalted: [And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell, to dwell therein] as evidence for the disbelief of the one who commits a major sin, and how is this reconciled with the forgiveness of every sin except shirk?
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Your Eminence, it is known that only the people of shirk (associating partners with Allah) will remain in the Fire forever. But in the saying of Allah the Exalted:[An-Nisa 4:93], how do we reconcile this verse, especially since the Khawarij (an early sect that declared sinners disbelievers) cite it as evidence for the disbelief of the one who commits a major sin?
The Shaykh : Yes, this verse is among the ambiguous verses, as is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the one who kills himself with something:. These are among the ambiguous texts, and the principle among the people of faith is: "that the ambiguous texts are interpreted in light of the clear texts". The clear texts indicate that killing oneself does not take a person out of faith, including what I mentioned earlier: [Al-Baqarah 2:178], until He said: [Al-Baqarah 2:178]. If that is the case, then it is obligatory to interpret this verse, as well as the hadith, in a meaning that does not conflict with the other texts. We say: the intentional killing of a believer and the intentional killing of oneself are causes for eternal abode in the Fire, and a cause may be opposed by a barrier that prevents the effect from occurring.
Have you seen an example in the chapter of inheritance? Kinship is a cause of what?
It is a cause of inheritance, but a barrier may exist that invalidates this cause. If the father is a disbeliever and the son is a believer, and the son dies, the father does not inherit from him. And if the father dies, the son does not inherit from him due to the difference in religion. So it is with these verses and hadiths that contain threats. We say: these actions to which this threat, which is eternal abode in the Fire, is attached, are among the causes. And if it is a cause, then the implication is that a person should be cautious of it, because this cause may have no barrier, as came in the hadith:Sahih al-Bukhari 6862, meaning: that whoever sheds forbidden blood is likely to deviate and die upon disbelief. So we say: this action, namely the intentional killing of a believing soul, is a cause for eternal abode in the Fire, and this cause may have a barrier that prevents it, which is faith. Indeed, whoever has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of faith will not remain in the Fire forever. Do you understand? This is one perspective.
The second perspective is that this applies to the one who considers killing permissible, for he will remain in the Fire forever. But this perspective, when it was mentioned to Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) that so-and-so said: "he who kills a believer intentionally while considering it permissible will remain in the Fire forever," he laughed and said: "If he considers the killing of a believer permissible, then he is a disbeliever, whether he kills him or not". This answer is of no value.
And some scholars said in another answer:[An-Nisa 4:93]: if Allah punishes him. They made the verse conditional, meaning: if He punishes him, then this is his recompense. And if He does not punish him but forgives him, then this punishment will not befall him. They said: because Allah the Exalted says: [An-Nisa 4:48].
And some scholars of knowledge said: that this was stated as a deterrent and to instill aversion. And what is stated as a deterrent and to instill aversion is not intended to mean this specific ruling, but rather to instill aversion in people from it. Just as you say to your son: "By Allah, if you do that, I will kill you." And if he did it, would you kill him?
The questioner : I may hit him, or I may not hit him.
The Shaykh : Yes, you may not hit him, even though you said: "I will kill you." You threatened him with death, but you did not kill him. But out of the intensity of the aversion, you expressed it that way. So they said: Allah expressed eternal abode in the Fire for the one who kills a believer intentionally as a deterrent and to instill aversion, and the intention is not to bring about the reality of that.
And some scholars said, and this is the fifth perspective: that "eternal abode" does not imply perpetuity, because "eternal abode" in the Arabic language means a long stay, not a permanent one. This perspective can be used to answer regarding the noble verse, because Allah did not mention perpetuity in it. But it cannot be used to answer regarding the hadith that the one who kills himself with something will be punished with it in Hell, remaining in it, eternally, forever.
In any case, in my view, the best of the answers is the first perspective: that the intentional killing of a believer is a cause for eternal abode in the Fire, but this cause may have something that prevents it. Thus, it serves as a severe warning against a person doing this action, because it is a cause for eternal abode in the Fire. If he does it, the cause is present and realized, and the barrier is not realized; a barrier may not occur.
Your Eminence, it is known that only the people of shirk (associating partners with Allah) will remain in the Fire forever. But in the saying of Allah the Exalted:
But whoever kills a believer intentionally - his recompense is Hell, wherein he will abide eternally
وَمَنْ يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِناً مُتَعَمِّداً فَجَزَاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خَالِداً فِيهَاThe Shaykh : Yes, this verse is among the ambiguous verses, as is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the one who kills himself with something:
that he will be punished with it in Hell, remaining in it, eternally, forever
أنه يعذب به في جنهم خالداً مخلداً فيها أبداًO you who have believed, prescribed for you is legal retribution for those murdered
يا أيها الذين ءامنوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِصَاصُ فِي الْقَتْلَىBut whoever overlooks from his brother anything
فَمَنْ عُفِيَ لَهُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ شَيْءٌHave you seen an example in the chapter of inheritance? Kinship is a cause of what?
It is a cause of inheritance, but a barrier may exist that invalidates this cause. If the father is a disbeliever and the son is a believer, and the son dies, the father does not inherit from him. And if the father dies, the son does not inherit from him due to the difference in religion. So it is with these verses and hadiths that contain threats. We say: these actions to which this threat, which is eternal abode in the Fire, is attached, are among the causes. And if it is a cause, then the implication is that a person should be cautious of it, because this cause may have no barrier, as came in the hadith:
remains at liberty regarding his religion unless he kills somebody unlawfully
لا يزال الرجل في فسحة من دينه ما لم يصب دماً حراماًThe second perspective is that this applies to the one who considers killing permissible, for he will remain in the Fire forever. But this perspective, when it was mentioned to Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) that so-and-so said: "he who kills a believer intentionally while considering it permissible will remain in the Fire forever," he laughed and said: "If he considers the killing of a believer permissible, then he is a disbeliever, whether he kills him or not". This answer is of no value.
And some scholars said in another answer:
his recompense is Hell, wherein he will abide eternally
فَجَزَاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خَالِداً فِيهَاIndeed, 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 يَشَاءُAnd some scholars of knowledge said: that this was stated as a deterrent and to instill aversion. And what is stated as a deterrent and to instill aversion is not intended to mean this specific ruling, but rather to instill aversion in people from it. Just as you say to your son: "By Allah, if you do that, I will kill you." And if he did it, would you kill him?
The questioner : I may hit him, or I may not hit him.
The Shaykh : Yes, you may not hit him, even though you said: "I will kill you." You threatened him with death, but you did not kill him. But out of the intensity of the aversion, you expressed it that way. So they said: Allah expressed eternal abode in the Fire for the one who kills a believer intentionally as a deterrent and to instill aversion, and the intention is not to bring about the reality of that.
And some scholars said, and this is the fifth perspective: that "eternal abode" does not imply perpetuity, because "eternal abode" in the Arabic language means a long stay, not a permanent one. This perspective can be used to answer regarding the noble verse, because Allah did not mention perpetuity in it. But it cannot be used to answer regarding the hadith that the one who kills himself with something will be punished with it in Hell, remaining in it, eternally, forever.
In any case, in my view, the best of the answers is the first perspective: that the intentional killing of a believer is a cause for eternal abode in the Fire, but this cause may have something that prevents it. Thus, it serves as a severe warning against a person doing this action, because it is a cause for eternal abode in the Fire. If he does it, the cause is present and realized, and the barrier is not realized; a barrier may not occur.