Continuation of the discussion on: Do we testify that specific disbelievers are eternal in the Fire?
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The Shaykh : That her mother used to maintain family ties, honor guests, and do this and that, does that benefit her? He said: No.
Excellence in worship does not benefit the disbeliever in the Hereafter. Rather, if Allah (Mighty and Majestic) wills to benefit him with his excellence, He gives him its reward in this world. As for the Hereafter, the disbelievers have no share in it. Do you understand?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Precisely, precisely.
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, as long as it does not appear 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 for him, 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. Rather, we judge according to the rulings of this world that he is a disbeliever, even if it is said that he is kind and that he does this and that. This does not benefit him, especially if he does it in the name of a religion other than Islam. You will find, for example, that he is kind to people while the cross is hanging on his chest. What does this mean? Is he being kind in order to call people to Christianity and say: this is the action of the Christians, or is he being kind for the sake of Allah? The apparent situation is the former, and that in this excellence he intends to exalt the Christians. So praise be to Allah, when we say that he died upon disbelief, we do not send mercy upon him, nor do we ask Allah for his forgiveness. That is sufficient. As for saying that he is in the Fire or not in the Fire, no. For this reason, the way of the people of the Sunnah and the community is that they do not testify for a specific person with Paradise or the Fire, except for those for whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) testified.
Now, for example: we testify that every believer is in Paradise, is that not so? But is it possible for us to testify for so-and-so who died upon Islam—we know that he died, perhaps while praying—do we say: he is in Paradise? No, but we hope that he is among the people of Paradise.
The questioner : His EminenceThe Shaykh : Many Muslims are confused.
The Shaykh : Do you understand the difference now? Do you understand the difference?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : What contradicts [the truth], we say we testify that he is a disbeliever, but we do not testify that he is in the Fire. And what does our testimony or lack of testimony for him benefit? If he is in the Fire, he is in the Fire, whether we testify or not.
The questioner : If the testimony to Allah for this man who died upon disbelief has preceded, does that mean that he should repent to Allah and seek forgiveness...?
The Shaykh : Perhaps in the last moment, we do not know, we do not know. In any case: what is the benefit now, I mean: why do we insist on saying: this man is in the Fire, we do not know about him.
Excellence in worship does not benefit the disbeliever in the Hereafter. Rather, if Allah (Mighty and Majestic) wills to benefit him with his excellence, He gives him its reward in this world. As for the Hereafter, the disbelievers have no share in it. Do you understand?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Precisely, precisely.
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, as long as it does not appear 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 for him, 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. Rather, we judge according to the rulings of this world that he is a disbeliever, even if it is said that he is kind and that he does this and that. This does not benefit him, especially if he does it in the name of a religion other than Islam. You will find, for example, that he is kind to people while the cross is hanging on his chest. What does this mean? Is he being kind in order to call people to Christianity and say: this is the action of the Christians, or is he being kind for the sake of Allah? The apparent situation is the former, and that in this excellence he intends to exalt the Christians. So praise be to Allah, when we say that he died upon disbelief, we do not send mercy upon him, nor do we ask Allah for his forgiveness. That is sufficient. As for saying that he is in the Fire or not in the Fire, no. For this reason, the way of the people of the Sunnah and the community is that they do not testify for a specific person with Paradise or the Fire, except for those for whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) testified.
Now, for example: we testify that every believer is in Paradise, is that not so? But is it possible for us to testify for so-and-so who died upon Islam—we know that he died, perhaps while praying—do we say: he is in Paradise? No, but we hope that he is among the people of Paradise.
The questioner : His EminenceThe Shaykh : Many Muslims are confused.
The Shaykh : Do you understand the difference now? Do you understand the difference?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : What contradicts [the truth], we say we testify that he is a disbeliever, but we do not testify that he is in the Fire. And what does our testimony or lack of testimony for him benefit? If he is in the Fire, he is in the Fire, whether we testify or not.
The questioner : If the testimony to Allah for this man who died upon disbelief has preceded, does that mean that he should repent to Allah and seek forgiveness...?
The Shaykh : Perhaps in the last moment, we do not know, we do not know. In any case: what is the benefit now, I mean: why do we insist on saying: this man is in the Fire, we do not know about him.