Sharhu Sunnah : Lesson 27 : Point 32 (Part B)
Shaykh Fawzan | Dawud Burbank [Audio|English]
[Listen to 32 (Part A) Here]
And know, that there is to be no obedience to any human in disobedience to Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic. And whoever is from the people of Islaam then do not bear witness (of Paradise or the Fire) for him on account of his having done a deed, whether good or bad, since you do not know what his deeds will be concluded with at the point of death. You hope for Allaah’s Mercy for him and you fear for him (because of his sins). You do not know what is destined for him at the point of death with regard to his repenting to Allaah and what Allaah may bring about for him at that time if he dies upon Islaam. You hope for (Allaah’s) Mercy for him and you fear for him because of his sins. And there is no sin except that the servant may repent from it.
[only highlighted portion of the above point is covered in this post]
Transcribed Audio:
His saying, “And witness (meaning regarding Paradise or the Fire) may not be given against anyone nor for him based upon his having done a good or bad deed.”
This matter of bearing witness of Paradise or of the Fire for a specific individual, this is that matter. So witness is not given for a specific individual that he will be in Paradise nor is witness given that he will be in the Fire, except with a proof from the Book and the Sunnah. As for one who there is no proof to state that he is from the people of Paradise, even if he is a righteous person, a believer, we do not do so because we do not know what his concluding action will be. And likewise, a sinful person or a disbeliever, we do not state for certain that the individual that he is from the people of the Fire because he might repent and we do not know. He sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam said,
“One of you may perform the actions of the people of Paradise until there is not between him and it except a cubit (forearm); but then what was written overtakes him and he acts with the action of the people of the Fire and therefore he enters it. And one of you may act with the actions of the people of the Fire until there is not between him and it except a forearm (a cubit) and then what was written overtakes him and he acts with the action of the people of Paradise and therefore he enters it.” [05]
“Actions are in accordance with their conclusions.” [06 ]
And the concluding actions are not known except to Allaah, the Knower of all hidden things, He, the Perfect and Most High. But as for us, then we have fear for the people of sins and we have hope for the people of acts of obedience but we do not state with certainty. Rather, we have hope for those who are obedient but we do not state with certainty, and we have fear for the sinful ones but we do not state with certainty. This is with regard to specific individuals. As for in general, then we state with certainty that the people of eemaan (true belief) are the people of Paradise and we state with certainty that the disbelievers are the people of the Fire. Allaah, the Most High, said with regard to the Fire:
It has already been prepared for the disbelievers.
(Soorah-Aali `Imraan (3), aayah 131)
And He said with regard to Paradise:
It has already been prepared for those who have taqwaa (those who are fearful of Allaah and dutiful to Him). (Soorah Aali `Imraan (3), aayah 133)
This is with regard to in general. As for specific individuals and specific people, then this is entrusted to Allaah, the Perfect and Most High. However, we behave and deal with them on the basis of what is apparent. We deal with the people of obedience in accordance with what appears from them and we deal with the people of sins in accordance to what is apparent from them. We pass judgement in accordance with what is apparent only, not stating the final destination and the final outcome, for that lies in the Hand of Allaah, the Perfect and Most High. [07]
Footnotes:
[05] Reported by al-Bukhaariyy in his Saheeh (no. 6594) and Muslim in his Saheeh (no. 2643) from the hadeeth of `Abdullaah ibn Mas`ood radiyAllaahu `anhu
Translator’s side point: the famous hadeeth of as-Saadiq al-Masdooq, the fourth hadeeth in an-Nawawiyy’s Forty Hadeeth.
[06] Translator’s side point: the wording of a hadeeth
[07] Translator’s side point: Shaykh Ahmad an-Najmiyy rahimahullaah dealt with a point, which wasn’t dealt with here directly: “And there is no sin except that the servant can repent from it.”
Shaykh Ahmad an-Najmiyy rahimahullaah said in his explanation, “At-Towbah (repentance) is acceptable from every sin with regard to the rulings relating to the Hereafter.
[Translator’s note: meaning, in the Hereafter that would be wiped away from him. When `Amr ibn al-`Aas came to accept Islaam and the Prophet sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam told him to put out his hand to give his pledge – that’s when he withheld it for a moment. He said, “Because I want to make a condition.” So the Prophet sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam asked him what condition he wanted to make. He said, “What I did before should be forgiven.” So therefore the Prophet sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam said the hadeeth the shaykh quotes here.]
“And the Prophet sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam said to `Amr ibn al-`Aas radiyAllaahu `anhu,
‘Do you not know that Islaam demolishes what came before it and that performing Hijrah demolishes what came before it and that the Hajj demolishes what came before it.’
(Reported by Muslim (121) in the Book of Eemaan)
“And his saying with regard to the man who killed ninety-nine men, ‘And who can come between him and between repentance?’
(The hadeeth reported by Muslim)
“And the ahaadeeth in this regard are very clear. And the disagreement is with regard to a person who spoke with words of abuse against the Messenger sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam or against the Qur·aan – is his repentance accepted with regard to this world or is judgement passed that he is to be executed, even if he makes clear his repentance? Then this has been clarified by Shaykhul-Islaam ibn Taymiyyah in his book As-Saarimul-Maslool `alaa Shaatimir-Rasool sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam. And Allaah is the One who grants success.”
—
Transcribed by Saima Zaher. Download PDF of Lesson 27
Ithaaful-Qaaree bit-Ta`leeqaat `alaa Sharhis-Sunnah
(A Gift To The Reader In Annotation Of Sharh As-Sunnah)
by Shaykh Saalih ibn Fowzaan al-Fowzaan hafizahullaah
Translated by Aboo Talhah Daawood Burbank, rahimahullaah
Posted with kind permission from Dawud Burbank rahimahullaah
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Sharh-us-Sunnah – Shaykh Saalih Fawzaan – Dawood Burbank [Audio|En]
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