Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Mr. Burhan, Assalamualaikum;

Hadith - Sahih Bukhari 4:464, Narrated `Imran bin Husain , see also Bukhari 7:124, 7:125

The Prophet said, "I looked at Paradise and found poor people forming the majority of its inhabitants; and I looked at Hell and saw that the majority of its inhabitants were women."

1) My Question : As I know, paradise and hell will be decided upon the judgement day by the Almighty but as per above hadith, are people already there in paradise and hell?

2) Please see the following three hadiths :-

a) Sahih Bukhari 2:463, Narrated Anas bin Malik , see also Bukhari 2:340

Allah`s apostle said, "Any Muslim in whose three children died before the age of puberty will be granted Paradise by Allah because of His mercy to them."

b) Transmitted by Tirmidhi, Narrated Umm Salamah

The Prophet said: If a woman dies while her husband was pleased with her, she will enter Paradise.

c) Sahih Bukhari 8.481, Narrated Sahl bin Sad

Allah`s Apostle said, "Whoever can guarantee (the chastity of) what is between his two jaw-bones and what is between his two legs (i.e. his tongue and his private parts), I guarantee Paradise for him."

As you know, like above three, there are many other hadiths which is not possible to quote. My question is If a wife or any person is not praying or fasting or not doing any other good deeds commanded by Allah SW but satisfy any of the above three hadiths will also go to paradise?

Regards,

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Answer:

Paradise and hell on day of judgement

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Q-1: As I know, paradise and hell will be decided upon the judgement day by the Almighty but as per above hadith, are people already there in paradise and hell?

The All-Powerful, All Mighty Lord is able to do all things; and many a times Allah Subhanah showed a portrayal of what will transpire in the future in Hell Fire and in Paradise to the Prophet (saws), who related what he saw to his people as a warning to the evil doers, and as a source of good news to the workers of righteousness.

Allah Subhanah is the Lord and Creator of the past, the present and the future; and He has the Power to do all things.

Even in the Glorious Quran, on several occasions Allah Subhanah portrays the future happenings, sayings and conversations of the people of Hell Fire and the people of Paradise! That does not mean that these people are already stationed at those places; but is only a portrayal of the future happenings of Truth, which is all known to the All-Knowing!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verses 43-47:

43 And We shall remove from their (the believer’s) hearts any lurking sense of injury; beneath them will be rivers flowing; and they shall say: "Praise be to Allah Who hath guided us to this (felicity): never could we have found guidance had it not been for the guidance of Allah: indeed it was the Truth that the Prophets of our Lord brought unto us." And they Shall hear the cry: "Behold! the Paradise before you! Ye have been made its inheritors for your deeds (of righteousness)."

44 The companions of Paradise will call out to the companions of the Fire: "We have indeed found the promises of our Lord to us true: have you also found your Lord's promises true?" They shall say "yes"; but a crier shall proclaim between them: "the curse of Allah is on the wrong- doers;

45 "Those who would hinder (men) from the path of Allah and would seek in it something crooked: they were those who denied the Hereafter."

46 Between them shall be a veil and on the heights will be men who would know everyone by his marks: they will call out to the companions of the Paradise "peace on you". They will not have entered but they will have an assurance (thereof.)

47 When their eyes shall be turned towards the companions of the Fire they will say: "Our Lord! Send us not to the company of the wrong- doers."

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verses 165-167: There are people who set up equals and rivals with Allah and adore them with the adoration due to Allah! Whereas the believers adore Allah most ardently. Would that these transgressors could realize now what they will realize when they see the chastisement before them: that power and authority wholly belong to Allah, and that Allah is severe in punishment! When He will inflict punishment, those very leaders and guides whom they followed in the world will disown them. But punishment they shall get and all their bonds shall be cut off. Then those who followed them will say, “Would that we were given another chance to return to the world. Then we will disown them just as they have disowned us today!” Thus Allah will bring before them the deeds they did in the world in such a manner as to make them wring their hands in regret, but they shall be unable to come out of the Fire.

The simplest explanation to your query is that Allah Subhanah is Able and Capable of doing whatever He Wills! If He Wills, He may declare the state and conversations in the future of people of Paradise and the people of Hell Fire in the Quran; or He may portray events in the future of Paradise and Hell Fire to His Prophets! Allah Subhanah does whatever He Wills.

Q-2: As you know, like above three, there are many other hadiths which is not possible to quote. My question is If a wife or any person is not praying or fasting or not doing any other good deeds commanded by Allah SW but satisfy any of the above three hadiths will also go to paradise?

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 72: Whoever commits ‘shirk’ (invoking anything with Allah), Allah shall forbid for him Paradise, and Hell shall be his abode. And for such wrong doers there will be no one to help.

Allah says in the Quran: Chapter 4 Surah An-Nisa Verse 48: Shirk (associating other deities with Allah) is the only sin that Allah does not forgive, and He forgives, whomsoever He pleases, sins other than this. For whosoever associates any other partner with Allah, does indeed forge a big lie and commits the most heinous sin

Dear and Beloved Brother in Islam, Allah Subhanah has made it absolutely and abundantly clear in several places in the Quran that if one was to die in the state of committing ‘shirk’ or associating other gods or deities with Allah Subhanah; that person would never ever enter Paradise!

Thus the three hadiths quoted by you, and several other similar authentic hadiths, where the Messenger of Allah (saws) gave the glad tidings of Paradise to the doers of some specific good righteous deeds only mean to emphasize the importance and weight of those deeds in the sight of Allah Subhanah. Under no circumstances do they imply that the people doing these good deeds would enter Paradise if they did not fulfill the other requirements of ‘emaan’ or faith.

The Glorious Quran is absolutely clear in declaring the two main criterias that would enable one to enter Paradise:

‘Emaan’: faith or belief, and,

Righteous good deeds in accordance with the Divine Guidance of Allah and His Messenger (saws).

Thus only if the hadiths of the specific good deeds as described by the Messenger of Allah (saws) are read in context with the guidance of the Holy Quran, one would be able to derive the proper picture. These hadiths are conditional, and only mean to emphasize the importance and weight these deeds carry in the sight of Allah Subhanah; whereby He would raise the degrees of these fortunate people in Paradise beyond comprehension.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan