Friday 6 May 2011

Testing in the Hereafter of those who lived in the interval between two Prophets

Testing in the Hereafter of those who lived in the interval between two Prophets
My question is about the Hadeeth of the prophet (PBUH): 


Imam Ahmed Ben Hanbal narrated in his “Musnad” and Al-bayhaqi in his book “Al- I’tiqaad”, and classed as Saheeh by Al-Aswad Ben Saree’ that the prophet (PBUH) said:


“Four types of people will be tested on the day of judgement: a deaf man who cannot hear anything, a mad man, an old aged man and a man who died during fatrah (a period of time when no messenger was sent to people). The deaf man will say: “Oh Allah, Islam came while I cannot hear anything!”. The mad man will say: “Oh Allah, Islam came while the boys throw animals’ excrement on me!”. The old aged man will say: “Oh Allah, Islam came while I can understand nothing”. And the man who died during a fatrah will say: “Oh Allah, I witnessed no messenger from You”. Then Allah takes a promise from them to obey Him. Then He will command them to enter hell, and who enters it will find it peace and cool, and who disobeys will be dragged to hell” 


My question is:  


Will there be a test on the day of judgement? What I know is it is a day for bringing humans to account only, without testing. 


Another note:


This test to enter hell is very difficult, and it is not logical. As our minds know that fire is dangerous and it is natural that a human will fear getting into it. This is not like the tests we are exposed to in life, which we are obliged to by our straight forward Islamic teachings.

 

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

The scholars (may Allaah have mercy on them) differed
concerning the people of the fatrah – who are those lived  in the time when
no Messenger came to them and were in a place where the call did not reach
them – and those who come under the same rulings as them, such as the
children of the mushrikeen. There are several points of view, the most
correct of which is that they will be tested on the Day of Resurrection.
Whoever obeys the command of Allaah will be saved and whoever disobeys Him
will be doomed. There are many ahaadeeth from the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) which support this view, such as that which
was mentioned by the brother in his question, and which was quoted in full
by Imam Ibn Katheer in his commentary on the verse (interpretation of the
meaning): “And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give
warning)” [al-Isra’ 17:15]. The one who wants to know more may refer to
the Tafseer of Ibn Katheer on this verse. These ahaadeeth strengthen
one another, and show that this view is supported by the Sunnah. This is
what was stated by Abu’l-Hasan al-Ash’ari who is a scholar of Ahl al-Sunnah
wa’l-Jamaa’ah. 

Imam Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

Among the ahaadeeth on this topic, some are saheeh, as was
stated by more than one of the leading scholars, and some are hasan, and
some are da’eef but are supported by the saheeh and hasan reports. When the
ahaadeeth on any particular topic support one another in such a fashion, it
provides strong evidence to prove the point.  

Tafseer Ibn Katheer (5/58). 

Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said,
discussing the different points of view on this topic: 

… They will be tested in the Hereafter by having a fire
caused to appear before them. Whoever enters it will find it cool and safe,
and whoever refuses will be punished. This was narrated by al-Bazzaar from
the hadeeth of Anas and Abu Sa’eed, and it was narrated by al-Tabaraani from
the hadeeth of Mu’aadh ibn Jabal. The issue of being tested has been proven
in the case of one who is insane and the one who died during the fatrah
(interval between two Prophets) via saheeh isnaads. Al-Bayhaqi stated in
Kitaab al-I’tiqaad that it is the correct view. 

Secondly: 

This view was rejected by some scholars – such as Imam Ibn
‘Abd al-Barr – who said that the Hereafter is the place of recompense, not
the place of testing; there will be no commands or prohibitions in the
Hereafter. This objection has been refuted and dealt with in general terms
and in detail. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, Imam Ibn Katheer and others
refuted it in general terms, and Imam Ibn al-Qayyim refuted it in detail,
covering nineteen points. 

A – As for the refutation in general terms, it may be summed
up as follows: There is testing in the grave, and on the Day of
Resurrection. As for the idea that the Hereafter is not a place of testing,
this is true, but only after the people of Paradise settle in Paradise and
the people of Hell settle in Hell. 

1 – Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on
him) said: 

Accountability ends when one enters the abode of recompense,
be it Paradise or Hell, or but when people are resurrected they may be
tested as they are tested in al-barzakh. It will be said to one of them: Who
is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is your Prophet? Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning): “(Remember) the Day when the Shin
shall be laid bare (i.e. the Day of Resurrection) and they shall
be called to prostrate themselves (to Allaah), but they (hypocrites) shall
not be able to do so” [al-Qalam 68:42].  And it is proven in the books
of Saheeh in more than one hadeeth that Allaah will appear to His
slaves in the place of standing when it is said: “‘Let every people follow
that which they used to worship.’ So the mushrikeen will follow their gods
and the believers will be left. Then the Lord will appear to them in a form
other than that which they know, and they will not recognize Him, then He
will appear to them in the form that they know, and the believers will
prostrate to Him but the backs of the hypocrites will remain like the horns
of cattle; they will want to prostrate but they will not be able to. Then he
quoted the verse (interpretation of the meaning): “(Remember) the Day
when the Shin shall be laid bare (i.e. the Day of
Resurrection) and they shall be called to prostrate themselves (to Allaah),
but they (hypocrites) shall not be able to do so” [al-Qalam 68:42].   

Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (4/303,
304). 

2 – Imam Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

Shaykh Abu ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-Barr al-Namari mentioned some of
the ahaadeeth about testing that have been quoted above, then he said: The
ahaadeeth on this topic are not strong, and cannot be taken as evidence. The
scholars reject them because the Hereafter is the abode of recompense, not
the abode of striving or testing, so how can they be commanded to enter the
fire when that is not possible for created beings and Allaah does not burden
any soul beyond its scope? 

He answered that by explaining that the ahaadeeth on this
topic are strong, as we have quoted from him above, then he said: 

As for his saying that the Hereafter is the abode of
recompense, there is no doubt that it is the abode of recompense but that
does not mean that there will be no accountability in when people are
resurrected, before they are admitted to either Paradise or Hell, as Shaykh
Abu’l-Hasan al-Ash’ari narrated was the view of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jama’ah
with regard to the testing of children. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): “(Remember) the Day when the Shin shall be
laid bare (i.e. the Day of Resurrection) and they shall be called to
prostrate themselves (to Allaah), but they (hypocrites) shall not be able to
do so” [al-Qalam 68:42].   And the Sunnah, in the books of Saheeh and
elsewhere, proves that the believers will prostrate to Allaah on the Day of
Resurrection, but as for the hypocrite, he will not be able to do that; his
back will remain straight. Every time he wants to prostrate he will fall
over backwards. In al-Saheehayn it is narrated concerning the man who
will be the last of the people of Hell to be brought out therefrom that
Allaah will take his pledge and covenant that he will not ask for anything
more than he has, and he will repeat that several times, and Allaah will
say: “O son of Adam, how treacherous you are,” then He will give him
permission to enter Paradise. 

As for saying: How can they be commanded to enter the fire
when they are not able to do that? This does not mean that the hadeeth is
not valid, for Allaah will command the people on the Day of Resurrection to
cross over the siraat, which is a bridge over Hell that is sharper than the
edge of a sword and thinner than a hair. The believers will pass over it
according to their deeds, like lightning, or like the wind, or like the
swiftest horses and mounts; some will run, some will walk, and some will
crawl, and some will fall on their faces in Hell. What has been narrated
concerning them is no less than this, rather it is greater.  

Moreover, the Sunnah proves that the Dajjaal will have with
him a paradise and a hell (or a garden and a fire) and the Lawgiver has
commanded the believers who see him to drink from that which he thinks is
fire, for it will be cool and safe for him. This is akin to that. 

And Allaah commanded the Children of Israel to kill
themselves, so they killed one another until seventy thousand were killed in
a single day; a man killed his father and his brother. That was a punishment
to them for worshipping the calf. This is also to difficult for anyone to
do, and is no less than what is mentioned in the hadeeth quoted. And Allaah
knows best. 

Tafseer Ibn Katheer (5/28). 

B – Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) discussed
the answer to this question in detail, as we indicated, and he added other
points such as the following: 

·       
The implication of these
ahaadeeth is in accordance with the Qur’aan and the basic principles of
sharee’ah. It gives details of what is stated in the Qur'aan, that no one
will be punished until proof is established against him. Proof was not
established against these people in this world, and proof must be
established against them. The most appropriate situation where proof must be
established is the Day when witnesses are brought (on the Day of
Resurrection) and cases are heard and proof is established, people dispute
before the Lord and each one gives his proof and excuses; the excuses of the
wrongdoers will not benefit them but they will benefit others. 

·       
This view was narrated in
saheeh reports from a number of the Sahaabah, and no other view was
mentioned in saheeh reports from them. The view that they will be the
servants of the people of Paradise was narrated in a saheeh report from
Salmaan, and there is also a marfoo’ hadeeth concerning that, which has been
quoted above, but the ahaadeeth which say that they will be tested are more
numerous, sounder and more well known.

·       
The command to enter the fire
will not be a punishment for them; how can they be punished if they did not
sin? Rather it is a test and a trial for them to see whether they will obey
or disobey. If they obey and enter it, it will not harm them and it will be
cool and safe for them. But if they disobey and refuse to enter it, they
will deserve to be punished for going against the command. Kings may test
those who show outward obedience to them to see whether they are sincere in
their obedience or not. So they may command them to do something that seems
to be very difficult to see whether they are willing to do it or not; if
they decide to go ahead and do it, they may let them off, but if they refuse
and disobey, they may force them to do it or punish them with something more
severe.  

Allaah commanded al-Khaleel (Ibraaheem) to sacrifice his son,
but His only aim was to train him to obey and submit, and to give love for
Allaah precedence over his love for his son. When he did that, He waived the
command to sacrifice him. 

As for the idea that this is not something that people can
do, this has been answered by Ibn al-Qayyim from two standpoints:  

1 – That they are able to do that, even if it is difficult
for them. You can see the worshippers of fire rushing to throw themselves
into it in obedience to the shaytaan. They do not say “we are not able to do
it” even though they feel such pain. The slaves of the Most Merciful, if
they are commanded by the Most Merciful of those who show mercy to obey Him
by jumping into the fire, how can they not be able to do that, when He is
only commanding them to do that for their own benefit? 

2 – If they force themselves to obey Him and seek His
pleasure, that will bring them joy and will not harm them in the slightest. 

He (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:  

The Sunnah, the views of the Sahaabah, and the basic
principles of sharee’ah cannot be refuted on such grounds. And Allaah knows
best. 

See: Ahkaam Ahl al-Dhimmah (2/1148-1158). 

This is a strong argument which explains the issue clearly.
We ask Allaah to bless us with beneficial knowledge and enable us to do good
deeds, and to cause us to die with strong faith.  

And Allaah knows best.

 

Following note from Muslim Quran online Blog 

The first lesson to be learned by all Muslims is the importance of the Reading Quran Online. All Muslim should learn holy Quran online  is the Book of Allah All mighty. Every word which the quran reciter recites or he read quran is the word of Allah it is mentioned in Quran in Arabic that it is the guidance which has come from Allah. That is why we as Muslim say it is the Holy Book. We should  learn quran and focus on quran teaching thought by the quran tutor to the students and the tutor should arrange the kids quran lessons in such an easy manner so they can understand it easily and make there quran recitation online as beautiful as he could and teach them that the words of Koran were sent by Allah to our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAWW) through the angel Jibraeel. And further more elaborate wile reading quran with teaching them the quran tafseer and the tajweed quran with its rules let then do quran memorization in the proper manner We as Muslim should respect the teachings of Quran and in every other manner when we are reading it or when we listen to Quran  wake up Muslims and spread the word of Islam to

End of the note by quran education

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