The ruling on whether the parents of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, will be in Hell permanently

25-1-2016 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalaamu alaykum. In an authentic hadith, it is said that the parents of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, are in hell. My question is: will they be in hell for eternity or will they be saved from hell after reckoning? Is there any proof to say that they will be in hell for eternity? An argument can be related with this issue, which is that we know that the least punishment in hell will be for the uncle of the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. However, if we assume that the parents of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, will be in hell for eternity, then, rationally, they should also receive the least punishment for a number of reasons. Firstly, they died in the time of ignorance (no messenger). Secondly, they are the parents of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, and Allaah created him from their fluid. Please kindly answer, respected scholars.
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger. 

This matter is a matter of the unseen that should only be based on religious texts from the Quran or the Sunnah of the Messenger sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ). Allaah says (what means): {And in anything over which you disagree - its ruling is [to be referred] to Allaah. [Say:] That is Allaah, my Lord; upon Him I have relied, and to Him I turn back.} [Quran 42:10]

We have already stated some Islamic texts in regard to the fate of the parents of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention )  in fataawa 1041 and 10467.

However, we are not aware of any evidence that confirms or denies that they will be eternally in Hellfire.

There is a prophetic hadeeth in regard to alleviating the punishment of Abu Taalib, the uncle of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) but analogy (inference) in such matters is not acceptable.

A Muslim should not get involved in such matters; it is more appropriate for him to be preoccupied with matters that involve rewardable actions.

Allaah knows best.

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