Were those who died in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance among the people of the period of ignorance?
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The Shaykh : There is no evidence with us that those who died in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance were among the people of the period of ignorance, except for the general verse [Al-Isra 17:15]. We are, without a doubt, in agreement with this verse, and we firmly believe that everyone to whom the call reaches is not held accountable for their disbelief. However, the fact that those to whom the call did not reach are not held accountable is a different matter, and that they were people at a certain time.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : That they are among the people of the period of ignorance is a separate issue. We have no text in the Qur'an, nor in the Sunnah, that the Arabs before the mission of the Messenger (peace be upon him) were among the people of the period of ignorance to whom the call did not reach. We have no evidence for this claim.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : On the contrary, it is known to us by mass transmission that Ibrahim and Isma'il were in the Arabian Peninsula.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : They called to the oneness of Allah, and they raised the foundations of the Ka'bah and worshipped Allah (Mighty and Majestic) therein, and they called people to circumambulate it in obedience to Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). The decisive evidence is that the Arabs inherited Hajj and 'Umrah from our father Ibrahim and Isma'il. How can it be said that the call did not reach them? In addition to this, there is this hadith, and the hadith after... the Dabbah from the grave, and many others, and very many indeed. Therefore, we say that what is built upon falsehood is itself false.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : ... This refutes this hadith and its like regarding the claim that the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance are among the people of the period of ignorance. This claim is false, and what is built upon falsehood is itself false. With this, the answer to this question ends, and we conclude that the hadith narrated by Muslim from Anas ibn Malik.
The questioner: Yes.
The ShaykhSahih Muslim 203 is an authentic hadith with no defect.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
And never would We punish until We sent a messenger.
وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّى نَبْعَثَ رَسُولًاThe questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : That they are among the people of the period of ignorance is a separate issue. We have no text in the Qur'an, nor in the Sunnah, that the Arabs before the mission of the Messenger (peace be upon him) were among the people of the period of ignorance to whom the call did not reach. We have no evidence for this claim.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : On the contrary, it is known to us by mass transmission that Ibrahim and Isma'il were in the Arabian Peninsula.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : They called to the oneness of Allah, and they raised the foundations of the Ka'bah and worshipped Allah (Mighty and Majestic) therein, and they called people to circumambulate it in obedience to Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). The decisive evidence is that the Arabs inherited Hajj and 'Umrah from our father Ibrahim and Isma'il. How can it be said that the call did not reach them? In addition to this, there is this hadith, and the hadith after... the Dabbah from the grave, and many others, and very many indeed. Therefore, we say that what is built upon falsehood is itself false.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : ... This refutes this hadith and its like regarding the claim that the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance are among the people of the period of ignorance. This claim is false, and what is built upon falsehood is itself false. With this, the answer to this question ends, and we conclude that the hadith narrated by Muslim from Anas ibn Malik.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh
Verily my father and your father are in the Fire.
إنَّ أبي وأباك في النارThe questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.