The Muslim belief concerning
the destiny of non-Muslim monotheists in the Hereafter
What do Muslims believe happens in the
hereafter to Non-Muslims that believe in one God?
Praise be to Allaah.
Your interest in studying Islam is something great, which we appreciate.
Everyone should seek the truth wherever it may be, and follow it even if it
differs from the way of their forefathers or the religion of the country or
society in which they live, because salvation from the Fire of Hell on the Day
of Judgement is more important than anything else.
One of the most important things that the would-be student of Islam should do
is to consult authentic Islamic references, in order to understand the reality
of this religion. For example, one should consult translations of the meanings
of the Qur’an and the ahaadeeth (sayings) of the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad
(peace be upon him), ensuring that the translations are sound. But reading
books written by non-Muslims, or by Muslims who do not really understand or
practice their religion, is not a scholarly approach or a sound method of
finding out the truth.
Returning to your question, what do Muslims believe will happen to atheists?
Or for that matter, what about monotheists who are not Muslim? Will their fate
be Hell in the Hereafter? The answer is that Allaah has clearly created
everything, sent His blessings on His creation, and sent Messengers and
Revealed Books to tell them that whoever believes in and worships Him alone,
not associating any partner with Him, will enter Paradise, and whoever denies
Him, or worships something else besides Him, or takes other gods instead of
Him, or says that He has a wife or son, or that the angels are His daughters,
or follows a law other than that which He revealed to judge between people in
truth, or turns away from His religion, will be doomed in the Hereafter to the
eternal punishment of Hell. This is exact justice, and this will be the fate
deserved by the one who did not give his Creator His due.
Worshipping Allaah, obeying His commands and adhering to His prohibitions are
basic matters, but they form the essence of the relationship between the
Creator and His creation. Allah says:
"And I (Allaah) created not the jinns and men except they should worship
Me (alone)." [al-Dhaariyaat 51:56]
Messengers were sent with one message: to tell their people "Worship Allaah,
for you have no god besides Him."
Hence we may understand just how far short the person falls who believes that
Allaah is one and does not associate anything with Him, but does not worship
or obey Him, but rebels against Him and fails to follow His religion or Law,
or the Revelation and Messengers which He sent for him and people like him.
Does such a person deserve to enter Paradise or Hell?
This is the person who says: "I believe that there is One God Who created the
universe, but I am going to stop there; I will not pray to Him or fast or
perform Hajj or pay zakaat as He commanded. I am not going to carry out any
duties towards Him; I will follow my own desires and do whatever I want,
whether He permitted it or forbade it." Can such a person attain salvation on
the Day of Judgement?
Allaah sent Messengers to every nation, that they might worship Him and shun
false deities. The last nation is this ummah, and the last Messenger is
Muhammad
(peace be upon him). Allaah sent him for the whole of mankind, the entire
world, and thus abrogated the previous laws and made this religion the best
and most perfect and complete. Hence it is obligatory for everyone to enter
this religion, for Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And whoever seeks a religion other than Islaam, it will never be accepted
of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers." [Aal ‘Imraan
3:85]
On this basis, the fate of one who says "I believe in the idea of One God, but
I do not want to be a Muslim, or I do not want to follow the last Revelation
or the last Prophet," is clear.
Furthermore, the fate of an atheist, who rejects even the belief in God, is
even clearer and more evident.
Finally, I hope that the matter is now clearer to you. I ask Allaah to guide
us all to the truth and help us to follow it, for He is the best Supporter and
Helper.
One who dies
believing in Islaam without converting
Non-muslim dies, and I know him/her. As
far as I know this person beleived and accepted Islam, but died before they
could convert. What does Islam say about such a person, is he/she forgiven
by Allah or still considered as one of the "kaffar"?
Praise be to Allaah.
If a person does not pronounce the Shahaadatayn and enter Islaam, we cannot
say that he is a Muslim, even if he admired Islaam and recognized that it
the best religion, a great religion, and so on. Abu Taalib, the uncle of the
Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) died a kaafir, and Allaah
forbade His Prophet to pray for forgiveness for him, even though he used to
defend the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said in his poems:
"I do know that the religion of Muhammad is better than all other religions
of mankind;
were it not for fear of blame or slander, you would find me accepting it
completely."
If a person accepts Islaam out of conviction, and begins to practise it,
then he is a Muslim, even if he does not register his Islaam officially, or
go to a court or Islaamic centre to obtain documentation, or announce it to
others. If such a person dies, then we hope for Paradise for him and pray
for mercy for him.
And Allaah is the One Who sees all that His slaves do.