Family Members in Hell

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Question: How could a believer be happy in Paradise if he knows that one of his family members will be in hell forever?

Answer:

Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

Dear questioner,

Thank you for your important question.

Love and Concern for Everyone

As Muslims, we love all people and we want the best for everyone. We hate bad deeds and bad beliefs, but we love people and pray that all our friends and relatives die in faith.

However, once Allah has informed us that He hates someone, we no longer love them. This is because we love that which Allah loves and hate what He hates. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, ‘Whoever loves for Allah’s sake, hates for Allah’s sake, gives for Allah’s sake and withholds for Allah’s sake will have complete faith’ (Abu Dawud). Consequently, it is of our faith that we do not love the Devil, Pharaoh, Abu Jahl and any other person whom we know died in disbelief.

Intercession

While intercession is possible for the sinful relatives of believers, it is not possible for disbelievers.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Ibrahim will meet his father Azar on the Day of Rising, and his face will be covered in dust and soot.
‘Did I not tell you,’ Abraham will tell him, ‘to do what I said?’
‘Today,’ his father will say, ‘I will do as you say.’
Then Ibrahim will say, ‘O my Lord, indeed You did promise me that You would not forsake me on the day they would be raised, and what disgrace is worse than this lost father of mine?!
Allah will then say, ‘Truly I have made Paradise forbidden for the disbelievers” (Bukhari).

Please also see:
https://seekers.flywheelstaging.com/answers/islamic-belief/memorizing-quran-intercession/

The Final Word

Thus, on the Day of Judgment, when a Muslim, like Prophet Nuh or Prophet Ibrahim (upon whom be peace), will come to know that one of his family members is doomed to an eternity in Hell, he will not suffer grief and sorrow but will be content with Allah’s just decree.

Allah Most High says:

And those who disbelieved will be driven to Hell in groups until, when they reach it, its gates are opened and its keepers will say, ‘Did there not come to you messengers from yourselves, reciting to you the verses of your Lord and warning you of the meeting of this Day of yours?’ They will say, ‘Yes, but the word (decree) of punishment has come into effect upon the disbelievers.”

[To them] it will be said, ‘Enter the gates of Hell to abide eternally therein, and wretched is the residence of the arrogant.’

But those who feared their Lord will be driven to Paradise in groups until, when they reach it while its gates have been opened and its keepers say, ‘Peace be upon you; you have become pure; so enter it to abide eternally therein.’

And they will say, ‘Praise to Allah, who has fulfilled for us His promise and made us inherit the earth so we may settle in Paradise wherever we will. And excellent is the reward of [righteous] workers.”

And you will see the angels surrounding the Throne, exalting [Allah] with praise of their Lord. And it will be judged between them in truth, and it will be said, ‘All praise to Allah, Lord of the worlds’ (Qur’an, 39: 71-75).

On the Day of Judgment, there will be complete justice and everything will be completely fair, and everyone will see and appreciate that, even those in Hell. The sacred family ties of this world will be over and the realities of faith (iman) will bind the people of Paradise.

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Farid Dingle has completed extensive years of study in the sciences of the Arabic language and the various Islamic Sciences. During his studies, he also earned a CIFE Certificate in Islamic Finance. Over the years he has developed a masterful ability to craft lessons that help non-Arabic speakers gain a deep understanding of the language. He currently teaches courses in the Arabic Language

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