Question
I have heard that the belief of the parents of the Prophet ﷺ was not correct, and it has been said, on the basis of a hadith, that the Prophet ﷺ said about his father that he is in Hell. Is this hadith authentic? And was his mother actually brought back to life so that she could believe? Kindly provide guidance.
Answer
Al-hamdu lillah! On such delicate questions, it is better to refrain from discussion, as they have no particular benefit. It is not appropriate for any Muslim to speak negatively about his parents, and when speaking about the parents of the Prophet ﷺ, it is necessary to observe courtesy and respect. However, since your question has been asked, an attempt is being made to answer it.
➊ Reference of the hadith
The hadith you have mentioned is present in Sahih Muslim. The words of the hadith are:
عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّ رَجُلًا قَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، أَيْنَ أَبِي؟ قَالَ: «فِي النَّارِ» ، فَلَمَّا قَفَّى دَعَاهُ، فَقَالَ: «إِنَّ أَبِي وَأَبَاكَ فِي النَّارِ»
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Translation: Sayyidina Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a man came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked: “O Messenger of Allah! Where is my father?” The Prophet ﷺ said: “He is in the Fire.” When he began to leave, the Prophet ﷺ said: “My father and your father are both in the Fire.”
➋ Asking forgiveness for the mother
Similarly, another hadith in Sahih Muslim narrates that the Prophet ﷺ visited the grave of his mother and sought permission to ask forgiveness for her, but Allah did not grant permission:
زار النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قبر أمه فبكى وأبكى من حوله ثم قال: ” استأذنت ربي في زيارة قبر أمي فأذن لي، واستأذنته في الاستغفار لها فلم يأذن لي”
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➌ The faith of the parents of the Prophet ﷺ
In the light of these narrations, it becomes clear that it was not possible for the parents of the Prophet ﷺ to believe, and he was not permitted to ask forgiveness for them.
➍ Narrations about bringing the parents back to life
The narrations presented about the parents of the Prophet ﷺ being brought back to life and embracing Islam are weak (da’if) and fabricated (mawdu’, made-up). Shams al-Haq Azimabadi and other muhaddithun have clarified that all such narrations which mention the parents of the Prophet ﷺ being brought back to life and made Muslims are either weak or fabricated, and it is not correct to derive evidence from them. There is consensus among the people of knowledge on this.
➎ Important point
Kinship with a prophet does not become a guarantee of salvation for someone, as the case of the father of Sayyidina Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and the son of Sayyidina Nuh (peace be upon him) are clear examples of this. The Prophet ﷺ himself, addressing the members of his family, said:
يا معشر قريش اشتروا أنفسكم لا أغني عنكم من الله شيئا…
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➏ Summary
◄ According to authentic hadiths, it was not possible for the parents of the Prophet ﷺ to believe, and he was not permitted to ask forgiveness for them.
◄ The narrations about the parents of the Prophet ﷺ being brought back to life and believing are weak or fabricated, and they cannot be relied upon.
◄ Kinship with a prophet is not sufficient for salvation; faith and good deeds are necessary for it.
