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:

Assalamu Alaykum!

I have a question. I converted to Islam recently, and I often get very worried about Judgement Day. I feel that even though i recently converted and, as the imam put it "are purer than all of us right now" , I feel as though I will still get punished for the things I do. I am not perfect, and sometimes things get the better of me. Like talking to friends that are boys(muslims), I mean, I know it is wrong but its difficult, expecially when you are friends. And also, since I converted, my parents dont know, and If they knew I`d be kicked out of my house. So I cannot wear the clothing of an Islamic woman nor can I wear the hijab. So i feel like I will go to hell over these things. And even if I ask for forgiviness, I seem to go back into these problems.

If i get married, Inshallah, I will definitly wear the proper dress of an islamic woman including the hijab, BUT what if I die before then? How am i supposed to face Allah with what Im doing? Am i going to go to hell for a certain time being? and then heaven? Does it say anything about this in the quran? Do all muslims, even if they`ve done bad, eventually get to heaven, but go to hell first? Please help me with this question, thank you!

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Answer:

Revert forgiven all sins

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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: I have a question. I converted to Islam recently, and I often get very worried about Judgement Day.

Dear and beloved Sister in Islam, the constant and persistent awe, fear, worry, concern and anxiety of the standing in the Lord Most Majestic’s Tribunal to give a full accounting of one’s deeds on that Inevitable and Tumultuous Day of Judgment is not only a manifest and avid extension, but an obligatory requirement of one’s true belief and faith in Allah Subhanah!

Allah is our witness sister, the shoulders of a believer should not bear a burden or fear heavier than the burden of the fear of that Inevitable and Tumultuous Day! Blessed and indeed fortunate are those who develop this constant fear and worry of their Lord’s Tribunal; for the promised and guaranteed reward of their this constant fear are the Magnificent and Everlasting Gardens of Paradise!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 79 Surah Naziat verses 34-41:

34 Therefore when there comes the Great Overwhelming (Event – The Day of Judgment)

35 The Day when Man shall remember (all) that he strove for

36 And Hell-Fire shall be placed in full view for (all) to see

37 Then for such as had transgressed all bounds

38 And had preferred the life of this world

39 Their Abode will be Hell-Fire;

40 And for such as had entertained the fear of standing before their Lord's (Tribunal), and had (thus) restrained (their) soul from lower desires

41 Their abode will be the Garden.

Your Statement: I feel that even though i recently converted and, as the imam put it "are purer than all of us right now" , I feel as though I will still get punished for the things I do.

Amr ibn al-'As said: "When Allah guided me to Islam, I went to the Prophet (saws) and said to him: 'O Prophet of Allah (saws)! Stretch out your hand so that I may pledge my allegiance to you.' The Prophet (saws) stretched out his hand to me, but I withdrew my hand. The Prophet (saws) asked: 'O 'Amr! What is the matter with you?' I said: 'I would like to stipulate a condition! ' The Prophet (saws) asked: 'What is it?' I said: 'That all my past sins be forgiven!' The Prophet (saws) said: 'O 'Amr! Do you not know that (the acceptance of) Islam wipes off all past sins, and hijrah (leaving one’s home and hearth for Allah's cause) wipes off all sins, and (similarly) Hajj wipes off all past sins!"'

Related by Muslim.

Dear and beloved sister in Islam, the bonus of sincerely accepting or reverting to the Truth of Al-Islam is that the Lord Most Merciful wipes out every single evil one might have done in one’s past; for the Lord is indeed the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy.

From that day forward, that fortunate being will be accountable only for what one did thereafter; the Lord Most Gracious will never ever question them or hold them accountable for whatever they did prior to their reversion to Al-Islam. One can only be but envious (in a good way, of course) of the invaluable gift or ‘signing-bonus’ their revert brother/sister has received from their Lord Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 16 Surah Nahl verses 48-49:

48 Do they not look at Allah's creation (even) among (inanimate) things: how their (very) shadows turn round from the right and the left prostrating themselves to Allah, and that in the humblest manner?

49 And to Allah doth obeisance all that is in the heavens and on earth whether moving (living) creatures or the Angels: for none are arrogant (before their Lord).

50 They all revere their Lord high above them and they do all that they are commanded.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 42 Surah Ash-Shura verses 4-5:

4 To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth: and He is Most High Most Great.

5 The heavens are almost rent asunder from above them (by His Glory): and the Angels celebrate the Praises of their Lord and pray for forgiveness for (all) beings on earth: Behold! Verily Allah is He, The Oft-Forgiving, The Most Merciful.

The truth my beloved sister, is that man is created weak and prone to commit sin!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 28:

28 …. for man (by his very inherent and bestowed nature) was created weak.

Sahih Muslim Hadith 6622 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘By Him in Whose Hand is my life, if you were not to commit sin, Allah would sweep you out of existence and He would replace (you by) those people who would commit sin and seek forgiveness from Allah, and He would have pardoned them.

It is reported in an authentic narration that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: ‘All of the Children of Adam are sinners, and the best of the sinners are those who are constant in seeking (Allah’s) forgiveness.’

Your Question (again): I am not perfect, and sometimes things get the better of me.

Dear and beloved Sister in Islam, it is the inherent nature of man that he is prone to and will commit sin…..but the thing or act that differentiates those who believe and fear their Lord and those who don’t is that when a believer commits a sin, he does not establish himself in his sin, but instead immediately turns back to His Lord Most Merciful and seeks sincere forgiveness from Him for his temporary lapse and transgression.

Allah Commanded the Devil Iblees to bow down to Adam, and Iblees disobeyed the Lord; Adam and Eve ate off the forbidden tree and thus they too disobeyed their Lord. Both disobeyed the Command of their Lord, but the act that differentiates Prophet Adam (a.s.) and Iblees was that after committing the sin, Prophet Adam (and Eve) immediately turned to their Lord and sought His forgiveness, and the Lord Most Gracious forgave them….but after his disobedience, Iblees became all the more arrogant and established himself in sin, thus he brought on himself the curse and the Wrath of the Lord Most High, Most Majestic.

Thus my beloved sister, in reality, no off-spring of Adam is free from temptation and sin….and man, through his inherent nature will err and will commit sin….but what is expected is one who sincerely believes will realize, regret, and admit his transgression of the prescribed boundaries of his Lord, immediately turn back to their Lord Most Merciful, and in all sincerity and humility and awe and fear sincerely seek the forgiveness of their Lord, Who has time and time again promised to forgive the sins of those who turn back to him in repentance.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumur verses 53-54:

(O Prophet) say: “O My servants who have wronged their own souls….Do not despair of Allah’s Mercy! Surely, Allah forgives all sins. He indeed is the All Forgiving, All Merciful. Return to your Lord and submit to Him before the scourge overtakes you; for then you may get no help from anywhere.”

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imraan verse 135-136:

Allah likes such good people very much, who, if ever they commit a base deed or wrong their own soul by the commission of a sin, remember Allah instantly, and ask for forgiveness from Him for their shortcomings. For who, but Allah, can forgive sins? (And Allah loves those) who do not knowingly persist in the wrongs they did. These will be rewarded with forgiveness from Allah, and with Gardens beneath which canals flow, and they will reside therein forever! How excellent is the reward of those who do good deeds!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam verse 54:

When those come to you who believe in Our Signs, say: "Peace be on you! Your Lord had inscribed for Himself (the rule of) Mercy. Verily if any of you did evil in ignorance, and thereafter repented and amended (his conduct), Lo! He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

Hadith Qudsi 34

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said that Allah Subhanah, High and Exalted He is, says: ‘O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great at it.’

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2339 Narrated by Abu Sa'id

Allah's Messenger (saws) said that the Shaytaan said, "By Thy Might, my Lord, I shall continue to lead Thy servants astray as long as their spirits are in their bodies." The Lord, Who is Great and Glorious, replied, "By My Might, Glory and Exalted Station, I shall continue to pardon them as long as they ask My forgiveness."

Ahmad transmitted it.

Sahih Muslim Hadith 6499 Narrated by Abu Dharr

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, stated: 'He who comes with goodness, there are in store for him ten like those and even more than those; And he who comes with vice, it is only for that that he is called to account. I even forgive him as I like, and he who draws close to Me by the span of a palm I draw close to him by a cubit, and he who draws close to Me by a cubit I draw close to him by the space (covered) by two hands, and he who walks towards Me I rush towards him, and he who meets Me in the state that his sins fill the earth, but not associating anything with Me, I would meet Him with the same (vastness) of pardon (on My behalf)."

Your Question: Like talking to friends that are boys(muslims), I mean, I know it is wrong but its difficult, expecially when you are friends.

Beloved Sister, contrary to the popularly held false belief, the guidance of Islam declares in Truth that there is no such thing as a platonic relationship between non-mehram members of the opposite sex.

Beloved Sister, when Islam declares something (‘zina’ in this case) haraam, all the roads that lead to ‘zina’ are also considered haraam. The casual and vain talking and meeting of non-mehram members of the opposite sex should be scrupulously avoided by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, lest one falls into temptation and puts there Hereafter at risk.

Your Question: And also, since I converted, my parents dont know, and If they knew I`d be kicked out of my house. So I cannot wear the clothing of an Islamic woman nor can I wear the hijab. So i feel like I will go to hell over these things. And even if I ask for forgiviness, I seem to go back into these problems. If i get married, Inshallah, I will definitly wear the proper dress of an islamic woman including the hijab, BUT what if I die before then? How am i supposed to face Allah with what Im doing?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 64 Surah Taghabun verse 16:

16 So fear Allah as much as ye can.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 23 Surah Muminoon verse 62:

62 On no soul do We place a burden greater than it can bear: before Us is a Record which clearly shows the truth: they will never be wronged.

Dear and beloved Sister, make sincere intention that you intend to adorn yourself in a way which is pleasing to your Lord Most Gracious, and make every effort possible to do so; and when the fears of being persecuted for following the dictates of your Lord are no longer existent, fulfill your duties in full towards your Lord Most Gracious.

Your Lord is well aware of the exact situation and condition of each in His creation; and if you make sincere intentions and duely strive to follow His Guidance, He will find a way for you to overcome your fears of persecution.

Keep your full trust and belief in your Lord Most Gracious, and remain constant in seeking His Forgiveness and His Mercy; it is expected that you will find your Lord Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Your Question: Am i going to go to hell for a certain time being? and then heaven? Does it say anything about this in the quran? Do all muslims, even if they`ve done bad, eventually get to heaven, but go to hell first?

Beloved Sister in Islam, Allah Subhanah Declares in His Glorious Quran that whoever is condemned to the Hell Fire, will never ever get out of it, and will live therein for ever and ever! Some ignorant people have invented a false belief that the believers will stay for a limited time to pay for their evil deeds in the Fire of Hell, but will eventually be taken out of there and be given Paradise! This notion is absolutely against the guidance of the Holy Quran, and the Justice of Allah Subhanah. Allah Subhanah will Judge each individual according to his belief and his deeds, and if He Wills, He may forgive all the evil deeds of a person (except the sin of Shirk, which He has Himself declared that He will never forgive).

The people who have formed this false notion, are those, who like to continue doing their evil deeds; and have created a false hope that no matter what they do, just because they professed to be muslims, they will ultimately be given Paradise! Their inner souls have made their notions fair-seeming to them, and they have accepted that they will spend some time in the Fire of Hell, because ultimately Allah has to give them Paradise! These poor ignorant souls have just not realized the ferocity, the intensity, and the viciousness of the Fire of Hell! Had they realized the extremity of the conditions of the Hell Fire, they would never have wanted to get even close to it; leave alone spend a few hundred or thousand years in it!!!!!!!!

This same belief, that some ‘special’ people will get out of the Hell Fire because they are followers of a specific Prophet of Allah Subhanah, is severely condemned by Allah Subhanah in the Glorious Quran! The Jews and the Christians always declared themselves as the ‘chosen people’, and they held this false belief that the fire of Hell will not even touch them, and even if it did, they will eventually come out of there because of their association with their Prophet; a belief which Allah Subhanah has completely shattered from its very roots in His Glorious Quran!

It is indeed unfortunate and ignorance on the part of some of the believers, that today they have created the same set of beliefs for themselves, rather than sincerely turning to Allah Subhanah and seeking His Pardon and Forgiveness, and following the Straight Path of Islam.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verses 78-82:

78 And there are among them illiterates, who know not the Book but (see therein their own) desires, and they do nothing but conjecture.

79 Then woe to those, who write the Book with their own hands and then say: "This is from Allah"; to traffic with it for a miserable price! Woe to them for what their hands do write, and for the gain they make thereby.

80 And they say: "The fire shall not touch us but for a few numbered days"; Say: "Have ye taken a promise from Allah, for He never breaks His promise? Or is it that ye say of Allah what ye do not know?"

81 Nay!!! Those who seek gain in Evil, and are girt round by their sins, they are Companions of the Fire; therein shall they abide (for ever).

82 But those who have faith and work righteousness, they are Companions of the Garden, therein shall they abide (for ever).

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imraan verses 23-25:

23 Hast thou not turned thy vision to those who have been given a portion of the Book? They are invited to the Book of Allah to settle their dispute, but a party of them turn back and decline (the arbitration).

24 This because they say: "The fire shall not touch us but for a few numbered days"; for their forgeries deceive them as to their own religion.

25 But how (will they fare), when We gather them together against a Day about which there is no doubt, and each soul will be paid out just what it has earned without (favor or injustice)?

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 18:

(Both) the Jews and the Christians say: "We are sons of Allah and His beloved." Say: "Why then doth He punish you for your sins? Nay, ye are but men of the men He hath created: He forgiveth whom He pleaseth and He punisheth whom He pleaseth. And to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between: and unto Him is the final goal (of all)."

The criteria of who will deserve Paradise and who will deserve Hell Fire is clearly declared by Allah Subhanah in the Glorious Quran! The Decisions of Allah Subhanah are not based on some ‘special’ people’s whims, and fancies, and hopes, and conjectures; but they are based on His Perfect Knowledge and Wisdom!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 101 Surah Al-Qaaria verses 6-11:

6 Then he whose balance (of good deeds) will be (found) heavy

7 Will be in a life of good pleasure and satisfaction.

8 But he whose balance (of good deeds) will be (found) light

9 Will have his home in a (bottomless) pit.

10 And what will explain to thee what this is?

11 (It is) a Fire Blazing fiercely!

We seek the refuge in the Merciful from even being brought near this evil and horrible eternal home of the wicked, named ‘Jahannam’!

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.

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

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan