The Fate of the Parents of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the Hereafter

Question:
We then move on to a letter sent by the questioner, Rida Mutawalli, an Egyptian residing in Riyadh. He says: We have heard that the father and mother of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) died while they were upon the religion of Quraysh. He mentioned: “That the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) sought permission from Allah to seek forgiveness for them, but He did not grant him permission, so he wept and caused those around him to weep.” Please guide us in light of this question?

Answer:
Yes, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sought permission to seek forgiveness for his uncle Abu Talib, but it was not granted to him. He sought permission to seek forgiveness for his mother, but it was not granted to him. And when he was asked about a man who died in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, he said: When he saw what was on the man’s face, he said: This is understood by the scholars to mean that the call had reached them; the call of Ibrahim had reached them. So those who died in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, and to whom the call of Ibrahim had reached, the argument has been established against them if they died upon disbelief in Allah, so they are among the people of the Fire. As for those to whom the call did not reach, and who did not know anything, their affair is left to Allah. They are considered among the people of the period of ignorance (al-fatra), and their affair is left to Allah. They will be tested on the Day of Resurrection, so whoever succeeds will enter Paradise, and whoever disobeys will enter the Fire. As for the one to whom the call reached in his lifetime—the call of Ibrahim—before the sending of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the argument has been established against him.
And upon this is based what occurred regarding his mother and his father, in that he sought permission to seek forgiveness for his mother, but it was not granted to him. And he said regarding his father: This is understood to mean that the call had reached them.
As for Abu Talib, the call had reached him, and his nephew Muhammad (may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him) called him and exerted effort, and called him during his illness, but he refused and persisted in disbelief—we seek refuge in Allah from that. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said at that time: So Allah revealed regarding that His saying—(Exalted and Majestic is He): [At-Tawbah: 113] This indicates that whoever dies upon disbelief in Allah, he is among the companions of the Blazing Fire. We seek refuge in Allah.

The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh.