In the name of Allah The Most Merciful The Most Gracious:
We oftentimes wonder about the good non-Muslims, where we think about their state of being after they pass away. What is the fate of these types of people? If a non-Muslim is donating to charity, helping the poor, and ensuring justice then will they too go to Hell? What about the Muslims who are bad will they go to Heaven? Isn’t this unjust?
Now, these questions have a lot of layers that we need to unpack. The first rule that we have to tell ourselves is that it is not our right to judge who goes to heaven or hell, only Allah SWT can do that. We have to divide people into different categories to really get a feel for this question, and it goes as below.
The first category:
People who learned and understood the message of Islam but choose to reject it.
People who worship more than one God
People who claim previous Prophets or saints to be God or their Gods
The second category:
People who did not learn or understand the True message of Islam and died as Non-Muslims
People who are totally clueless
People who have a corrupted understanding of Islam
People who lack mental understanding or have minimal understanding of religion.
The ones who clearly deny the message of the Quran after its purest form has been made clear to them and those who associate partners with Allah SWT in worship are those who Allah SWT will not forgive.
When it comes to worshiping more than one God, Allah SWT strictly says in the Quran to worship him alone and to not associate any partners with him. It is not wise to take the Prophet and messengers before as Lords, or any of their family members. We as Muslims must show respect for everyone’s beliefs. If we take the time to understand why we need to worship Allah SWT alone then it will all make sense.
Here’s a way to see it. Don’t you hate doing all the work in a group project for someone else to take the same amount of credit? It’s unfair, right? Now wouldn’t it be aggravating if your group members then made false stories about you while you did all the work? Imagine if you were the most knowledgeable person in your group about this specific project, and then you had a group member who challenged your credibility. That member did nothing for the project and had no knowledge of it whatsoever but claimed to say that he knew better. Let’s say if all the work you did was correct and verified then how would that make you feel? Would you even take the time to listen to that group member or would you disregard them completely?
Allah SWT is one, and He created the universe and the heavens alone. He said for it to be and it was. Think of it, He made everything by himself and created so much around you, and supported you with more than you could ask. Where then the people made their narratives of Him and attributed partners to him that they have no authority over. Some even challenged Him by attributing things they have no knowledge of. Where they added partners to Him within their own worship and continued to live a life of transgression till the very end.
We don’t even want partners to be attributed to us when we put everything out on the line for a group project then isn’t it unjust to attribute partners to Allah SWT when he created the heavens and the earth and everything in between? He did all the work, created man, created his spouse, provided for him, looked after him, and brought him up under His watchful eyes. Where some of his servants then turned their back on their Creator and started to follow their own desires for worship. Isn’t this unjust? Allah SWT created everything known to man and upped his rank over much of his creation. Now that same creation goes about to worship other deities and goes on to challenge Allah SWT about the entirety of the universe.
Also, a point that needs to be made is that the above example isn’t used to compare Allah SWT to man but it helps us understand the situation that is present. Allah SWT is far above what we can even perceive him to be and He is the Master of mankind.
We all know the story of Prophet Musa PBUH and how he challenged Pharaoh (Firaun) who committed the worst of sins. Where in the Quran he was remembered as a wrongdoer and even claimed himself to be God. Imagine meeting a man like this, wouldn’t we be quick to send him to Hell if we had the power to do so? However, Allah SWT works in ways we don’t understand.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: When Allah drowned Pharaoh, he said: I believe in the one in whom the children of Israel believe. Gabriel said: ‘O Muhammad! If you could only have seen me, while I was taking (the mud) from the sea, and filling his mouth out of fear that the mercy would reach him.’” (At-Tirmidhi)
Had Pharaoh repented Allah SWT would have accepted his repentance but he only did so out of the fear of death. He didn’t do it sincerely, but the point is that Allah SWT is Especially Merciful and He cares for His servants more than we actually take into account. However as much as He is Merciful He is also Just, and Pharaoh will pay for his crimes in the hereafter due to the innocent lives he took wrongfully and for claiming divinity.
The reason why all of the above is mentioned is mainly to target the first bullet point of the ones who reject the message after guidance comes to them. They willingly deny it. Anyone who takes partners into worship is not following the message that Allah SWT sent for us within this earth. We respect their beliefs and we wish the best for everyone but we know that our Lord is one! He is far above what they attribute Him to be and if they can even imagine anything of Him, then He is greater than that!
Are two Gods better or the One prevailing think about it?
Now for the second part about the ones who are clueless, lack knowledge, were not present when the message of Islam was there, or did not receive the message in its correct form then Allah will judge them in a case-by-case situation if He wills. We don’t know what the endgame for these people will be and we dare not speak about their future. Only Allah SWT knows because He can see the true intentions of people’s hearts. Perhaps they may be closer to Allah SWT than you think.
Remember that Allah SWT sees all of mankind’s actions. He gives them time to make amends and is more merciful to them than they are to themselves. When it comes to people who lack knowledge and have a corrupted understanding of Him and choose to disregard learning Islam in its true context then they will be held accountable for their own actions.
Allah SWT is the most just! He will not punish a soul until the soul knows the evidence against it. Allah SWT is also forgiving and he forgives all. One thing Allah SWT will not forgive is associating partners in worship with him. Other than that he forgives all sins.
He who follows the Right Way shall do so to his own advantage, and he who strays shall incur his own loss. No one shall bear another’s burden. And never do We punish any people until We send a Messenger (to make the Truth distinct from falsehood). (Quran 17:15)
The Quran talks about the people of hellfire and their conversation with its keepers. It goes as follows.
“as though it will burst with rage. Every time a multitude is cast into it, its keepers will ask them: “Did no warner come to you?” (Quran 67:8)
Allah is the most just and he will not punish a servant if he hasn’t heard the message of Islam in its true state and form. The way Allah will deal with some servants is that He will give them a test on the day of judgment if He wills. A specific test for their individual case. This is proven in the following.
Al-Aswad ibn Saree’ reported: The Prophet, peace, and blessings be upon him, said, “There are four kinds of people on the Day of Resurrection: a deaf man who cannot hear anything, a mad man, a decrepit man, and a man who died in the period before Islam. The deaf man will say: O Lord, Islam came and I could not hear anything. The mad man will say: O Lord, Islam came and the children threw excrement on me. The decrepit man will say: O Lord, Islam came and I could not understand anything. The man who died before Islam will say: O Lord, there was no Messenger from You who came to me. So Allah will make them promise to obey Him; then, He will command them to enter the fire. By the one in whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, if they were to enter the fire it will become cool and peaceful.” (Musnad Ahmad, Number 15866, Sahih)
Allah SWT will not send anyone to the hell fire unjustly, He will ensure that evidence is made present against these people. He will have everything in a clear register. Where just because we are Muslim doesn’t mean we have an easy pass either. A Muslim is not just a declaration of faith, it’s more than just lip service. If you are a Muslim then it will show in your actions, and Allah SWT is aware of what you do. Allah SWT knows best who will enter His paradise and who will enter the hell fire. May Allah SWT protect us from the punishment of the fire. Ameen.
To sum it up if a person willingly denies Islam after knowing of its true nature then the evidence of that person has been made against them. It is not sufficient for us to judge people to go to hell when we don’t even know if we will go to heaven.
Allah SWT is the most just He will judge people on a case-by-case situation. Think about it the day of judgment is 50000 years long. Where mankind and jinn will both be judged. However, there is some good news for that day and it goes as follows.
Salman al-Farisi reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace, and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, on the day Allah created the heavens and the earth, He created one hundred parts of mercy. Each part can fill what is between the heavens and the earth. He made one part of mercy for the earth, from which a mother has compassion for her child, and animals and birds have compassion for each other. On the Day of Resurrection, He will perfect this mercy.” (Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2753)
Hence why we say Allah SWT is Especially Merciful the Entirely Merciful in our duas. He will show his mercy that day and We promise you it will be wonders for the eyes and ease for the hearts.
So don’t ever despair that He won’t forgive you or others. When it comes to specific cases then know Allah SWT has all of that in a clear account. He will judge accordingly and justly. No soul will be wronged and everyone will have a clear route ahead of them if He wills. Hope that helps.
Allah SWT knows best.