Killer in Paradise (Ahadith 2474 – 2475)

Bismillah.

Hadith no. 2473 (below) is a repeat. Read it here.

Volume 4, Book 52, Number 79 :
Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas (radiallaahu `anhu)
On the day of the Conquest (of Mecca) the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “There is no emigration after the Conquest but Jihad and intentions. When you are called (by the Muslim ruler) for fighting, go forth immediately.”

Today’s Hadith:

Volume 4, Book 52, Number 80 :
Narrated by Abu Huraira (radiallaahu `anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “Allah welcomes two men with a smile; one of whom kills the other and both of them enter Paradise. One fights in Allah’s Cause and gets killed. Later on Allah forgives the killer who also gets martyred (in Allah’s Cause).”

Volume 4, Book 52, Number 80 :
Narrated by Abu Huraira (radiallaahu `anhu)
I went to Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) while he was at Khaibar after it had fallen in the Muslims’ hands. I said, “O Allah’s Apostle! Give me a share (from the land of Khaibar).” One of the sons of Sa’id bin Al-‘As said, “O Allah’s Apostle! Do not give him a share.” I said, “This is the murderer of Ibn Qauqal.” The son of Said bin Al-As said, “Strange! A Wabr (i.e. guinea pig) who has come down to us from the mountain of Qaduim (i.e. grazing place of sheep) blames me for killing a Muslim who was given superiority by Allah because of me, and Allah did not disgrace me at his hands (i.e. was not killed as an infidel).” (The sub-narrator said “I do not know whether the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) gave him a share or not.”)

The scenario is somewhat similar to what we discussed about a companion named Hartha (radiallaahu `anhu). The one who gets killed in Allah’s Cause is a martyr, no doubt. But what’s this about the killer going to Jannah (after getting martyred)?

Well, it’s about repentance. The killer seeks forgiveness for killing the first guy, Allah forgives him (maybe he was a non-Muslim before and now he has accepted Islam, or maybe he was a robber before and now he has repented). Once he’s forgiven, he participates in Jihad and gets martyred. Bingo!

All these narrations that talk about ‘unlikely’ people entering Jannah make me think more and more about how we can’t judge anyone’s fate. We can’t know for sure about anyone. The most pious person in the world can end up in Hell due to a bad end and the worst of all men can be blessed with gardens of Paradise. There’s just no saying.

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Don’t Abuse the Dead (Hadith No. 1175)

Bismillah.

Volume 2, Book 23, Number 476:

Narrated ‘Aisha :

The Prophet (p.b.u.h) said, “Don’t abuse the dead, because they have reached the result of what they forwarded.”

Abusing here refers to verbal abuse, using harsh words against a person.

Most scholars say that this is for the believers, i.e. don’t abuse the dead believers. But anyhow, taking the hukm (commandment) of the Prophet (SAW), one must be careful as to not talk bad about any dead person, especially the believers.
This also implies not judging them, i.e. not deciding where they ended up. Because. We. Don’t. Know.

No matter how pious you knew the person to be, you are not allowed to say (even about a martyr) that he/she definitely went to Jannah, or in the case of a wicked one, that he/she definitely went to Hell.

Prophet (SAW) said:

والله ما أدرى وأنا رسول الله ما يفعل بى

[roughly translated:] By Allah, I do not know what will be done with me, even though I’m the Messenger of Allah.

If Prophet (SAW) wasn’t so sure, how can we claim to know about a person’s fate? Do we have angels coming to us as reporters? :)

Side question: is it okay to organize a gathering to remember the deceased? Find the answer here.

Destiny and Fate (Hadith No. 1143)

Bismillah.

Volume 2, Book 23, Number 444:

Narrated ‘Ali:

“We were accompanying a funeral procession in Baqi-al-Gharqad. The Prophet came to us and sat and we sat around him. He had a small stick in his hand then he bent his head and started scraping the ground with it. He then said, “There is none among you, and not a created soul, but has place either in Paradise or in Hell assigned for him and it is also determined for him whether he will be among the blessed or wretched.” A man said, “O Allah’s Apostle! Should we not depend on what has been written for us and leave the deeds as whoever amongst us is blessed will do the deeds of a blessed person and whoever amongst us will be wretched, will do the deeds of a wretched person?” The Prophet said, “The good deeds are made easy for the blessed, and bad deeds are made easy for the wretched.” Then he recited the Verses:- “As for him who gives (in charity) and is Allah-fearing And believes in the Best reward from Allah.” (92.5-6)

There’s evidence here regarding sitting down near graves and admonishing people. [#YouthClub]

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid:

Belief in destiny and fate is one of the basic beliefs of Islam. It means that Allaah is the Knower of all things and the Creator of all things; nothing exists outside of His will and decree. He wrote down all things with Him in al-Lawh al-Mahfooz (the Preserved Tablet), and this was fifty thousand years before He created the universe. Everything in the universe, every creature and the things it does, is the creation of Allaah. Whatever He wills happens, and whatever He does not will does not happen. If something happens to a person, it could not have missed him, and if something does not happen to him, it could not have happened to him. A person is not forced to obey or disobey Allaah – he has free will as befits his state, but it is subject to the will of the Creator. And Allaah knows best.

More on this subject here.

Wassalam.