Did Ibn Taymiyyah Believe that the Sahaba Committed Major Sins Without Repenting?
Answered by Shaykh Abdullah Anik Misra
Question
Did Ibn Taymiyyah believe that the sahaba committed major sins without repentance ever? I am not asking if this was the norm. I am asking if it ever happened. Is this an issue of scholarly dispute?
Answer
I am not an expert on the vast writings of Hafiz Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) such that I can verify your question. We are not generally aware of any statement to the effect you mentioned. You would better ask someone focused on his scholarship if you feel there is benefit in pursuing this question. I do not know if any other scholars explored this issue.
Did Any Companion Ever Die Without Repenting for a Major Sin?
As for whether the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) committed major sins without repentance, it is true that they were not infallible. Still, it is essential to remember that repentance is an act of the heart between the servant and Allah. It does not need a public announcement to prove it has been done, nor is it something that the speculation of observers can determine. Who are we to assume anything about the Companions?
Therefore, we cannot say that any Companion died without repentance in the absence of clear (unobtainable) evidence. Rather, we only say the best about them and refrain from entering into debates about their mistakes or what they went through with each other. We hold that they are all morally upright in that, despite being fallible, they at least did not ever lie about the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace). [Ghazali, al-Mustasfa]
Finally, consider that we only know about repentance because the Companions faithfully conveyed and taught us what they learned from revelation as it was coming down. Would they not know the importance of repentance for any sins better than us?
Therefore, it is best not to delve into these questions and ignore any claims that some voices may have said anything untoward regarding this issue because there is no benefit in chasing these matters.
Wassalam,
[Shaykh] Abdullah Anik Misra
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Shaykh Abdullah Misra was born in Toronto, Canada, in 1983. His family hails from India, and he was raised in the Hindu tradition. He embraced Islam in 2001 while at the University of Toronto, from where he completed a Bachelor of Business Administration. He then traveled overseas in 2005 to study the Arabic language and Islamic sciences in Tarim, Yemen, for some time, as well as Darul Uloom in Trinidad, West Indies. He spent 12 years in Amman, Jordan, where he focused on Islamic Law, Theology, Hadith Sciences, Prophetic Biography, and Islamic Spirituality while also working at the Qasid Arabic Institute as Director of Programs. He holds a BA in Islamic Studies (Alimiyya, Darul Uloom) and authorization in the six authentic books of Hadith and is currently pursuing specialized training in issuing Islamic legal verdicts (ifta’). He holds a certificate in Counselling and often works with new Muslims and those struggling with religious OCD. He is an instructor and researcher in Sacred Law and Theology with the SeekersGuidance The Global Islamic Seminary. Currently, He resides in the Greater Toronto Area with his wife and children. His personal interests include Indian history, comparative religion, English singing, and poetry.
