Do we testify that specific disbelievers are eternal in the Fire?
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The questioner : ... he died upon disbelief, that he never said on any day: "There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." You said regarding this, meaning we know he is a disbeliever, but we do not testify that he is eternal in the Fire, and this is what confuses us?
The Shaykh : It does not confuse you, may Allah bless you! Aisha asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about Abdullah ibn Jad'an, who used to feed people, honor guests, and do such and such of good deeds. Would that benefit him in the Hereafter? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: It will not benefit him.
Likewise, the two men who came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and informed him that their mother used to maintain family ties, honor guests, and do such and such. Would that benefit her? He said: No.
So, doing good does not benefit the disbeliever in the Hereafter. Rather, if Allah (Mighty and Majestic) wills to benefit him with his good deeds, He gives him his reward in this world. As for the Hereafter, the disbelievers have no share in it. Did you understand?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : A minute, a minute.
As for testifying to disbelief, in this world we testify that this disbeliever who declares disbelief and takes pride in it is a disbeliever, and we testify that he died upon disbelief, unless it becomes apparent to us that he repented. But we do not testify that he is in the Fire, because this is a matter of the unseen. He may have believed in the last moment, we do not know. But if we do not testify to it, does that benefit him and prevent him from the Fire? I ask you, it does not benefit him. If he is in the Fire, he is in the Fire, whether we testify or not. So there is no benefit in saying: he is in the Fire or he is not in the Fire.
The Shaykh : It does not confuse you, may Allah bless you! Aisha asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about Abdullah ibn Jad'an, who used to feed people, honor guests, and do such and such of good deeds. Would that benefit him in the Hereafter? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: It will not benefit him.
Likewise, the two men who came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and informed him that their mother used to maintain family ties, honor guests, and do such and such. Would that benefit her? He said: No.
So, doing good does not benefit the disbeliever in the Hereafter. Rather, if Allah (Mighty and Majestic) wills to benefit him with his good deeds, He gives him his reward in this world. As for the Hereafter, the disbelievers have no share in it. Did you understand?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : A minute, a minute.
As for testifying to disbelief, in this world we testify that this disbeliever who declares disbelief and takes pride in it is a disbeliever, and we testify that he died upon disbelief, unless it becomes apparent to us that he repented. But we do not testify that he is in the Fire, because this is a matter of the unseen. He may have believed in the last moment, we do not know. But if we do not testify to it, does that benefit him and prevent him from the Fire? I ask you, it does not benefit him. If he is in the Fire, he is in the Fire, whether we testify or not. So there is no benefit in saying: he is in the Fire or he is not in the Fire.