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:

I would like to knw if a person is handicapped and she or he cannot pray and fast i sthere ne sin or punishment on them? will they go to paradise? if he or she is a non muslim? wil they  go to paradise?

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Handicap to paradise

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.

Hadrat Aishah (r.a.) related that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said, "The pen is raised for three (meaning: there is no obligation or accountability upon them): one who is sleeping until he wakens, the child until he becomes an adult, and one who is insane until he becomes sane."

Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, and al-Hakim.

If one is handicapped or mentally challenged to the extent of being insane, then such a person would obviously not be held accountable at all for the deeds or misdeed they did in the state of insanity in the Presence of the Lord All-Just on the Day of Judgment.

But if by ‘handicapped’ one means to imply that an organ or faculty of a person’s body is inactive or challenged (hands, legs, eyes, ears, etc.), but one is mentally stable….then such a person will have to account for his deeds (and misdeeds) in the All-Just Court of the Lord All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Thus if one is physically handicapped but mentally stable, then such a person can obviously differentiate between right and wrong, guidance and misguidance, virtue and sin, etc. and thus they will be held accountable for whatever beliefs they held and whatever deeds or misdeeds they deed in the Presence of the Lord All-Wise on that Inevitable Day of Judgment. It is only those who are mentally ‘handicapped’ to the extent of being insane, those who cannot differentiate between right and wrong, guidance and misguidance, virtue and sin, etc. who will be absolutely excused for their deeds (or misdeeds) they did in their state of insanity in the Presence of their Lord All-Just on that Inevitable Day of Judgment.

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