QUESTION
I have a friend who was killed in a fight. I have heard the hadeeth "The killer and the one who is killed, both of them will be in the Fire! How does this apply to my friend? Is it permissible for me to ask Allaah in my supplications to forgive him?
ANSWER
Aboo Bakrah (RA) relates that the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "If two Muslims engage each other in a sword fight and one of them kills the other, then the killer and the one who is killed, both of them will be in the Fire." They asked: "O Messenger of Allaah, we understand about the killer, but what is the matter with the one who was killed?" He replied: He had been intent on killing the other." (Bukhari). This hadeeth is one of the hadeeth that threatens punishment. Scholars have determined that threats of punishment should be accepted as they are. On Threats of Punishment, Shaykh Ibn Taymiyah (RAH) wrote: "The first major questions of belief that Muslims disputed about were those relating to the threat of punishment. He also wrote: "The hadeeth that threatens punishment mention the cause for that punishment. That which makes the punishment imperative might be obstructed by preventative factors that negate its effectiveness. This might be by way of repentance that is accepted, good deeds that expunge it, tribulations that expiate for it, intercession from one who is granted intercession, or purely by A1laah's grace, mercy, and forgiveness. For indeed, Allaah does not forgive that anything should be associated with him in worship, but He forgives what is less than that, for whomsoever He pleases. What a believer experiences in this world, in the grave, and on the Day of Resurrection of sufferings which is punishment, expiate for his mistakes." [Majmual-Fatawaa (24/375)].
The Correct Position Ibn al-Qayyim (RAH) enumerates the opinions of various sects regarding the threat of punishment, then wrote: "The correct position is that these actions are set forth as the causes for the threat that is associated with them. A cause may fail to realize its effect due to the absence of a condition or the presence of a preventative factor. Preventative factors are numerous, some of them are agreed upon by all Muslims, like sincere repentance, good deeds that expunge the bad, tribulations that act as expiation, what a servant experiences after death of the blessings that he had caused to bring about, the supplications, prayers for forgiveness, and charity offered by others, intercession by Allaah's permission as well as the mercy that he receives from the Most Merciful, who waives His right regarding him and pardons him". [al-Sawaiq al-Mursalah (3/691)]. Scholarly meanings of the Hadeeth with specific reference to the meaning of the hadeeth: "The killer and the one who is killed, both of them will be in the Fire"; Several scholars have explained its meaning thus:
Al-Khattabi (RAH) wrote: "This is a threat of punishment for one who fights for some worldly enmity or, for instance, out of ambition for power. Those who die in the process of fighting against violent criminals or in repelling an unmitigated attack do not come under this threat, since they are legally permitted to fight in such cases." [Fath al-Bari (12/197)].
AI-Qurtubi (RAH). wrote: "This hadeeth makes it clear that fighting if conducted out of ignorant motives like seeking some worldly gain or pursuing personal lusts then this is whatis meant by the killer and the one killed both being consigned to the fire." [Fath al-Bari(13/34)] AI-Nawawi (RAH) wrote: "It is that if two Muslims confront each other with swords for some unlawful combat like tribal fighting, then both the killer and the one killed will be in the Fire." [Sharh Sahih Muslim (11/174)].
lbn Hajar (RAH), in his commentary on this hadeeth, made the following observation: "Scholars maintain that the meaning of both of them being in the Fire is that they are both deserving of it. Nonetheless, their affair is with Allaah. If He wishes, He may punish them and then take them out of the Fire, as is the case with all monotheists; and if He wishes, He may pardon them and not punish them at all. It has also been said that it refers to those who believe that their conduct is Islamically permissible. There is no proof in this hadeeth for the Kharijites and for those Mutazili scholars who had maintained that sinners will be consigned to the Fire for eternity, since it does not follow from the idea that "both of them will be in the Fire" that they will remain therein forever". [Fath al-Bari (13/32)].
Eternal Hell Fire?
It isthe belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamaa'ah that that no one from the people of tawheed (monotheism) will be consigned eternally to the Fire. There is ample evidence for this belief, like Allaah's saying: "Allaah does not forgive that anything should be associated with him in worship, but He forgives what is less than that for whomsoever He pleases. And whosoever associates anything with Allaah in worship has indeed concocted a heinous sin. "(Q4[al-Nisaa]: 48). It is permissible for you to beseech Allaah in your supplications to forgive your friend. We have proof of this in the hadeeth where lbn Umar said: "We used to refrain from asking forgiveness for those who perpetrated major sins until we heard our Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) say: Allaah does not forgive that anything should be associated with him in worship, but He forgives what is less than that for whomsoever He pleases and then say: I have saved my supplication so as to intercede with it on the day of Resurrection on behalf of the perpetrators of major sins. So we put an end to a lot of what had been in our hearts and expressed it in words and permitted doing so." (Awsat al-Tabarani) And Allaah knows best.
This article was culled from the publications of Deen Communication Limited