The People of the Interregnum and Their Ruling
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The questioner also asks and says: We know that whoever was among the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, meaning before the sending of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), is among the people of the interregnum. My question regarding the people of the interregnum is: What is their ruling? Because I heard a hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): Is this hadith authentic? Please inform us, may Allah reward you.
Answer: The correct opinion among the scholars is that the people of the interregnum will be tested on the Day of Resurrection and commanded. If they respond and obey, they will enter Paradise, and if they disobey, they will enter the Fire. Several hadiths have come regarding this: from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) , and from al-Aswad ibn Sari' al-Tamimi, and from a group of others, all of which indicate that they will be tested on the Day of Resurrection, and a neck of the Fire will be brought out for them, and they will be commanded to enter it. Whoever responds will find it coolness and peace for him, and whoever refuses it will wrap around him and take him, and he will go to the Fire. We seek refuge in Allah from that.
The point is: They will be tested, so whoever responds and accepts what is asked of him and complies will enter Paradise, and whoever refuses will enter the Fire. This is the best that has been said regarding the people of the interregnum.
As for the hadith:Sahih Muslim 203 it is an authentic hadith narrated by Muslim in his Sahih: The scholars used this as evidence that the father of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was among those to whom the call reached and the proof was established against him. Therefore, he said: And if he had been among the people of the interregnum, this would not have been said to him. Likewise, when he wanted to seek forgiveness for his mother, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, he was prohibited from doing so; he was prohibited from seeking forgiveness for her, but he was permitted to visit her grave, and he was not permitted to seek forgiveness for her.
This indicates that the call reached both of them, and that they died upon the religion of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, upon the religion of disbelief. And this is the principle regarding disbelievers: that they are in the Fire, except for whoever it is established—and Allah knows their conditions—that the command did not reach him as the call of the messengers reached others. This is the one of the interregnum. Whoever it is in the knowledge of Allah that the call did not reach him, Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, is the most just of judges, He is the just Judge, so they will be tested on the Day of Resurrection.
As for whoever the call of the messengers reached in his lifetime, such as the call of Ibrahim, Musa, and Isa, and he knew the truth but remained upon associating partners with Allah, then he is among those to whom the call reached, and he will be among the people of the Fire because he disobeyed and was arrogant about following the truth. And Allah, Exalted and Majestic is He, knows best. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
That a man came to him and said: Where is my father? He said: In the Fire. So the man went away weeping, so he called out to him and said to him: My father and your father are in the Fire.
أنه جاءه رجل فقال: أين أبي؟ فقال: في النار، فذهب الرجل يبكي، فناداه فقال له: أبي وأبيك في النارAnswer: The correct opinion among the scholars is that the people of the interregnum will be tested on the Day of Resurrection and commanded. If they respond and obey, they will enter Paradise, and if they disobey, they will enter the Fire. Several hadiths have come regarding this: from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) , and from al-Aswad ibn Sari' al-Tamimi, and from a group of others, all of which indicate that they will be tested on the Day of Resurrection, and a neck of the Fire will be brought out for them, and they will be commanded to enter it. Whoever responds will find it coolness and peace for him, and whoever refuses it will wrap around him and take him, and he will go to the Fire. We seek refuge in Allah from that.
The point is: They will be tested, so whoever responds and accepts what is asked of him and complies will enter Paradise, and whoever refuses will enter the Fire. This is the best that has been said regarding the people of the interregnum.
As for the hadith:
Verily my father and your father are in the Fire.
إن أبي وأباك في النارThat a man said: O Messenger of Allah! Where is my father? He said: In the Fire. So when he turned away, he called him and said: Indeed, my father and your father are in the Fire.
أن رجلاً قال: يا رسول الله! أين أبي؟ قال: في النار، فلما ولى دعاه، فقال: إن أبي وأباك في النارin the Fire
في النارThis indicates that the call reached both of them, and that they died upon the religion of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, upon the religion of disbelief. And this is the principle regarding disbelievers: that they are in the Fire, except for whoever it is established—and Allah knows their conditions—that the command did not reach him as the call of the messengers reached others. This is the one of the interregnum. Whoever it is in the knowledge of Allah that the call did not reach him, Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, is the most just of judges, He is the just Judge, so they will be tested on the Day of Resurrection.
As for whoever the call of the messengers reached in his lifetime, such as the call of Ibrahim, Musa, and Isa, and he knew the truth but remained upon associating partners with Allah, then he is among those to whom the call reached, and he will be among the people of the Fire because he disobeyed and was arrogant about following the truth. And Allah, Exalted and Majestic is He, knows best. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.