The sinner does not remain in the Fire forever
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Q: He the Exalted says: [Al-Nisa: 116] And He also says: [Ta-Ha: 82] Is there a contradiction between these two verses? And what is the meaning of His saying: [Al-Nisa: 116]?
'A - 'A - Z - Jeddah
A: There is no contradiction between them. The first verse concerns one who dies upon shirk (associating partners with Allah) without repenting; he is not forgiven, and his abode is the Fire. As Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: [Al-Ma'idah: 72], and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [Al-An'am: 88]. There are many verses in this meaning.
As for the second verse, which is His saying the Sublime:[Taha 20:82], it concerns the repentant. So too is His saying the Sublime: [Al-Zumar: 53]. The scholars have agreed that this verse concerns the repentant. As for His saying the Sublime: [Al-Nisa: 116], it concerns the one who dies upon sins less than shirk without repenting. His case is left to Allah: if He wills, He forgives him, and if He wills, He punishes him. If He punishes him, he will not remain in the Fire forever as the disbelievers do, as the Khawarij and the Mu'tazilah and those who follow their path say. Rather, he must come out of the Fire after purification and testing, as indicated by the mutawatir (mass-transmitted) hadiths from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and the Salaf (earliest generations) of the Ummah (Muslim community) have agreed upon this. And success is from Allah.
Indeed, 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 يَشَاءُBut indeed, I am the Perpetual Forgiver of whoever repents and believes and does righteousness and then continues in guidance.
وَإِنِّي لَغَفَّارٌ لِمَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا ثُمَّ اهْتَدَىWhat is less than that, He forgives for whom He wills
مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ'A - 'A - Z - Jeddah
A: There is no contradiction between them. The first verse concerns one who dies upon shirk (associating partners with Allah) without repenting; he is not forgiven, and his abode is the Fire. As Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said:
Indeed, he who associates others with Allah - Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers.
إِنَّهُ مَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ النَّارُ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنْصَارٍBut if they had associated others with Allah, then worthless for them would be whatever they were doing.
وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُوا لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَAs for the second verse, which is His saying the Sublime:
But indeed, I am the Perpetual Forgiver of whoever repents and believes and does righteousness and then continues in guidance.
وَإِنِّي لَغَفَّارٌ لِمَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا ثُمَّ اهْتَدَىSay, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful."
قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُAnd He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills.
وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.