The Explanation of the Creed of the Salaf,  by Imaam Abee Uthmaan Ismaa’eel bin Abdir-Rahmaan As-Saaboonee,rahimahullaah, as explained by our noble sheikh al-Allaamah Rabee’ bin Haadee Al-Madkhalee, hafidhahullaah.

Audio Lecture by: Abu Muhammad al Maghribee (hafidhahullaah)

Chapter 14: We Do Not Call a Muslim An Unbeliever Due To His Sins

[100] Ahl us-Sunnab believe that if a Believer commits sins, however small or large they may be, he does not become an unbeliever. If he leaves this world without making any repentance from them and he dies upon Tawheed and Ikhlaas, then his affair is entirely up to Allaah, The Most Mighty and The Most Majestic. If He wills, He may forgive him and enter him into Paradise on the Day of judgement, safe and sound without being afflicted by the fire and without being punished for his perpetration of the sins.

He will be brought on the Day of judgement with his sins and misdeeds. If Allaah wills, He will punish him for a period in the Fire. If He punishes him, he will not however remain in the Fire forever, but he will eventually be freed and taken out from it, to the place of tranquility and content.

[101] Our Shaykh, the Imaam Aboo Tayyeb Sahl ibn Muhammad as- Sa’lookee, raheemahullaah, said:

“The sinning believer, even if he is punished by the fire, he will not be thrown in there the same way as the unbeliever is thrown in the fire. He will not remain there the same way as the unbeliever will remain there nor will he be wretched and miserable the same way the unbeliever is wretched and miserable.”

[102] This means that the unbeliever will be dragged to the Fire on his face, he will be thrown in there chained, and then hung upside down, shackled by having his hands tied to his neck with strong and heavy chains. However, the sinning believer, if he is afflicted by the Fire, he will enter it like a criminal enters a prison in this world on his feet, not upside down nor thrown in. The meaning of his statement:

“…he will not, be thrown in there the same way as the unbeliever is thrown in the fire…,” means that the unbeliever will have all his body burned and every time his skin is roasted through it will be replaced with another, so that he may taste the punishment again, as Allaah informs us in His Book:

“Indeed, those who have disbelieved in our signs, we shall burn them in a fire. We shall change their skins for other skins, so that they may taste the punishment again.” [Soorah an-Nisaa 4;56]

As for the believers they will not have their faces scorched by the Fire, and their limbs which they used for sujood will not be burned. For Allaah has forbidden the Fire from burning them. “ [113]

[103] His saying: “…he will not stay in the Fire like the unbeliever would…”, means that the unbeliever will remain in it forever and never come out of it. Allaah will never leave any sinning believer in the Fire forever.

His saying: “…he will not be afflicted like the unbeliever”, means that the unbeliever has no hope of the Mercy of Allah and no opportunity for reprieve from the punishment. As for the believer he will never be cut off from the hope of the Mercy of Allaah.

The final outcome for all the believers is Paradise, as they were created for it and it was created for them, as a Mercy and a Blessing from Allaah.

Footnotes:
[113] The prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Allaah has forbidden the fire to eat up the traces of Sujood”
Related by al-Bukhaaree [806] and Muslim [182]

We do not Call a Muslim an Unbeliever Due to his Sins 01 - Abu Muhamamd al Maghribee

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