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:

According to a hadeeth a person with Imaan equal to the weight of an atom will eventually go to Jannah. So my question is that if a person was born in a Muslim society and does not pray regularly but has at least once in his life prayed Salah with conviction and if he believes in Allah and yet does not pray, will he go to Jannah? 

(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:

Can one who does not pray go 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.

The issue of who exactly will be awarded Paradise by the Mercy of the Lord Most Majestic is such a fundamental issue and goal that it cannot and should not be based on the basis of only one hadith; but rather one has to weigh all the relevant Aayahs of the Glorious Quran and the authentic and established hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (saws) to come to a proper and accurate understanding.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 32 Surah Sajdah verse 19:

19 For those who believe and do righteous deeds are Gardens as hospitable homes for their (good) deeds.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 42 Surah Shura verse 22:

22 Thou wilt see the wrongdoers in fear on account of what they have earned and (the burden of) that must (necessarily) fall on them. But those who believe and work righteous deeds will be in the luxuriant meads of the Gardens: they shall have before their Lord all that they wish for: that will indeed be the magnificent Bounty (of Allah).

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 31 Surah Luqmaan verses 8-9:

8 For those who believe and work righteous deeds there will be Gardens of Bliss.

9 To dwell therein. The promise of Allah is true: and He is Exalted in Power, Wise.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 47 Surah Muhammad verse 12:

12 Verily Allah will admit those who believe and do righteous deeds to Gardens beneath which rivers flow; while those who reject Allah will enjoy (this world) and eat as cattle eat; and the Fire will be their abode.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 18 Surah Kahf verse 107:

107 As to those who believe and work righteous deeds they have for their entertainment the Gardens of Paradise

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 85 Surah Buruj verse 11:

11 For those who believe and do righteous deeds will be Gardens Beneath which rivers flow: that is the Great Salvation

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 22 Surah Hajj verse 23:

23 Allah will admit those who believe and work righteous deeds to Gardens beneath which rivers flow: they shall be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and pearls; and their garments there will be of silk.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 22 Surah Hajj verse 56:

56 On that Day the Dominion will be that of Allah: He will judge between them: so those who believe and work righteous deeds will be in Gardens of Delight.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 22 Surah Mumin verse 40:

40 He that works evil will not be requited but by the like thereof: and he that works a righteous deed whether man or woman and is a believer such will enter the Garden (of Bliss): therein will they have abundance without measure.

Allah Subhanah has made it abundantly clear, time and time again, in His Glorious Quran that the two absolutely fundamental criteria for entry into Paradise in addition to His Mercy is the state of one’s belief and the doing of righteous good deeds in accordance with His revealed Guidance.

Even if the hadith which declares that anyone who died in the state of faith, even if it be equal to the weight of a mere atom, will be granted entry into Paradise, is taken to be accurate…..man simply does not possess a barometer which has the capability to measure the ‘weight’ of one’s faith! It is Allah Subhanah Alone who can and will determine with Absolute Knowledge and Justice on the Day of Judgment who amongst those who claimed belief indeed possessed faith and who amongst them were liars.

Entry of one into Paradise is at the Discretion of none save the Lord Most Majestic, Most Supreme Alone! If The Lord All-Knowing All-Just Determines that the one who spent all his life in prayers and fasting and giving charity and doing pilgrimage did it for any reason other than the Pleasure of Allah Subhanah, He may Decide with Justice to reject all the deeds of such a person and deny them into Paradise!

And if the Lord All-Merciful Determines that a person indeed died in the state of faith but was negligent in fulfilling his obligatory duties, it remains at His Discretion Alone whether or not He chooses to forgive every negligence of that believer and with His Mercy permit him/her entry to the Gardens of Paradise.

Hadith Qudsi 6

The first of people against whom judgment will be pronounced on the Day of Resurrection will be a man who died a martyr. He will be brought and Allah will make known to him His Favors and he will recognize them. [The Almighty] will Say: “And what did you do about them?” He will say: ‘I fought for you until I died a martyr.’ Allah will Declare: “You have lied - you did but fight that it might be said [of you]: He is courageous. And so it was said.” Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire! [Another] will be a man who has studied [religious] knowledge and has taught it and who used to recite the Quran. He will be brought and Allah will make known to him His Favors and he will recognize them. [The Almighty] will say: “And what did you do about them?” He will say: ‘I studied [religious] knowledge and I taught it and I recited the Quran for Your sake.” The Almighty will Declare: “You have lied - you did but study [religious] knowledge that it might be said [of you]: He is learned. And you recited the Quran that it might be said [of you]: He is a reciter. And so it was said.” Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire! [Another] will be a man whom Allah had made rich and to whom He had given all kinds of wealth. He will be brought and Allah will make known to him His Favors and he will recognize them. [The Almighty] will Say: “And what did you do about them?” He will say: ‘I left no path [untrodden] in which You like money to be spent without spending in it for Your sake.’ Allah will Say: “You have lied - you did but do so that it might be said [of you]: He is open-handed. And so it was said.” Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire!

There is just absolutely no way for man or anyone in creation to determine whether any person, living or dead, who claims to have faith, indeed has faith or not! That Decision will be made by The Lord All-Knowing All Just Alone on that Tumultuous Day of Judgment. For whomever The Lord Determines that Mercy should be granted will be shown Mercy; and whoever deserves the Wrath and the Anger of the Lord Most Majestic will have none to blame except themselves!

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