The ruling on the phrase: (May Allah forgive so-and-so)
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Question:
From Jeddah, Al-Nuzhah district, a message sent by one of the female listeners, who indicated her name with the letters: (A. A. S). She asks Your Eminence about some phrases, for example: the phrase "May Allah forgive so-and-so." Is it permissible or not?
Answer:
The apparent evidence from the Shari'ah indicates that it is not permissible. One should not be categorical, for Allah is the One who knows the realities, . The people of the Sunnah and the community say: We do not testify for a specific person that he is in Paradise or in the Fire, nor that he has been forgiven, except for those for whom Allah or His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) has testified. However, we hope for the doer of good and fear for the doer of evil. It is said: "The believers are forgiven," "The believers are in Paradise," "The disbelievers are in the Fire." But to say: "So-and-so, son of so-and-so, is forgiven," or "is in Paradise," is not allowed, except for those for whom the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) testified, such as the ten: Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, 'Umar, 'Uthman, 'Ali, 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf, al-Zubayr ibn al-'Awwam, Talhah ibn 'Ubayd Allah, Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, Abu 'Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah, and Sa'id ibn Zayd. These ten, for whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) testified to Paradise, and a group of others.
So the point is: for those for whom the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) testified to Paradise, we testify for them. And likewise, for those for whom Allah or His Messenger testified to the Fire, we testify for them regarding the Fire, such as Abu Lahab.
As for us, we do not testify for a specific person, saying: "So-and-so, son of so-and-so, is in Paradise" or "is in the Fire." But we say: If he was a believer and died upon this, then he is among the people of Paradise. And if he was a disbeliever and died upon his disbelief, then he is among the people of the Fire. We testify in general terms. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
From Jeddah, Al-Nuzhah district, a message sent by one of the female listeners, who indicated her name with the letters: (A. A. S). She asks Your Eminence about some phrases, for example: the phrase "May Allah forgive so-and-so." Is it permissible or not?
Answer:
The apparent evidence from the Shari'ah indicates that it is not permissible. One should not be categorical, for Allah is the One who knows the realities, . The people of the Sunnah and the community say: We do not testify for a specific person that he is in Paradise or in the Fire, nor that he has been forgiven, except for those for whom Allah or His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) has testified. However, we hope for the doer of good and fear for the doer of evil. It is said: "The believers are forgiven," "The believers are in Paradise," "The disbelievers are in the Fire." But to say: "So-and-so, son of so-and-so, is forgiven," or "is in Paradise," is not allowed, except for those for whom the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) testified, such as the ten: Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, 'Umar, 'Uthman, 'Ali, 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf, al-Zubayr ibn al-'Awwam, Talhah ibn 'Ubayd Allah, Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, Abu 'Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah, and Sa'id ibn Zayd. These ten, for whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) testified to Paradise, and a group of others.
So the point is: for those for whom the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) testified to Paradise, we testify for them. And likewise, for those for whom Allah or His Messenger testified to the Fire, we testify for them regarding the Fire, such as Abu Lahab.
As for us, we do not testify for a specific person, saying: "So-and-so, son of so-and-so, is in Paradise" or "is in the Fire." But we say: If he was a believer and died upon this, then he is among the people of Paradise. And if he was a disbeliever and died upon his disbelief, then he is among the people of the Fire. We testify in general terms. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.