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 Alaikum,

If someone murder somebody and he's is been punished by the government (executed) will he still be questioned on the day of resurrection or he will enter heaven please I want clarification with reference.

Jazaku mulla khair.

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Answer:

Punishment in this world hereafter

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.

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 25 Surah Furqaan verses 63-71:

The (true) servants of the Merciful are those who walk humbly on the earth. When the ignorant people behave insolently towards them, they say, “Peace to you”; (And those) who pass their nights in prostrating themselves and standing before their Lord and pray, “O our Lord, save us from the torment of Hell, for its torment is killing! It is an evil abode, and an evil resting place”. (And those) who, when they spend are neither extravagant, nor miserly, but keep the golden mean between the two extremes. (And those) who do not invoke any god but Allah Alone, nor kill a soul unjustly, which Allah has forbidden, nor commit adultery… He who does this shall be punished for his sin, and his torment shall be doubled on the Day of Resurrection, and he shall abide in a state of ignominy; EXCEPT THE ONE WHO MAY HAVE REPENTED (AFTER THOSE SINS), AND HAVE BELIEVED AND DONE RIGHTEOUS DEEDS. For then, Allah will change his evil deeds into good deeds, and He is very Forgiving and Merciful. In fact, one who repents and does righteous deeds, returns to Allah as one rightly should!

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."

The one and only act or deed which actually and truly obliterates and eradicates the grave sins of man from one’s ‘book of records’ is the noble act or deed of sincere ‘taubah’ and repentance. The punishments prescribed in the Shariah Law for those convicted of a grave sin is but a retribution that the Lord Most Majestic has Commanded unto a righteous believing society to extract from the evil doers in the life of this world.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2357 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas'ud

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "He who repents of a sin is like him who has committed no sin."

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2338 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "Allah accepts a servant's repentance (taubah) till he gives up his spirit in death."

Thus say one is proven guilty of the abomination of murder in a Shariah Court of Law, and in accordance with Shariah Law, the Judge prescribes and extracts the punishment of death from the murderer….the fulfillment of the punishment by itself will not obliterate or eradicate the grave sin of the person from his ‘book of records’, nor will it excuse him from the Wrath of Allah in the Hereafter, unless and until the person himself turns in ‘taubah’ unto his Lord Creator and seek sincere repentance for his abomination before he tastes the element of death.

Thus in conclusion, the worldly punishments prescribed in the Shariah by itself do not obliterate or eradicate the grave sins of man from their ‘book of records’, nor their accountability in the Presence of their Lord on that Tumultuous Day of Judgment! If one convicted (for example) of murder is prescribed execution in accordance with Shariah Law……… if such a person seeks sincere forgiveness from his Lord before his death; it is safe to assume such a person will not be asked about his crime of murder in the Tribunal of the Lord in the Hereafter. But if the person, even though he was executed in accordance with Shariah Law for his abomination of murder, does not turn in ‘taubah’ and seek sincere forgiveness from his Lord Creator before he meets with his appointment of death, he will have a much more severe accounting and a much more lasting punishment in the Presence of his Lord in the Hereafter.

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