This excerpt is taken from the book by Fazilat-ul-Sheikh Abdul Salam Rustami From Denial of Hadith to Denial of Quran.
Hadith 26: Major sins, such as adultery and theft, do not prevent entry into Paradise
Many hadiths have been narrated on this subject, but the early Muslims, as an objection, have narrated from Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "When Gabriel (peace be upon him) came to me from my Lord, he gave me the glad tidings that whoever among my Ummah dies in a state that he has not associated anyone with Allah, he will enter Paradise." I (Abu Dharr) asked, even if he committed adultery or theft? He said: "(Yes) even if he committed adultery or theft."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Al-Jana'iz, Chapter: And whoever's last words are, Hadith: 1237, and Hadith location, p:331
Before responding to Parvez Sahib, I present two points as a prelude:
➊ Since ancient times, this issue has been disputed. The Mu'tazila say: Whoever commits a major sin after embracing faith (and does not sincerely repent) is a perpetual denizen of Hell, although in worldly rulings he is not called a disbeliever.
The Kharijites say: Whoever commits a major sin is a disbeliever, both in this world and in the Hereafter. The Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah say: Such a person is not a disbeliever nor a perpetual denizen of Hell; in this world he is called a sinful believer, and in the Hereafter, if Allah wills, He may forgive all his sins and admit him to Paradise, saving him from Hell, or if Allah wills, He may punish him in Hell for some time due to those sins and then admit him to Paradise forever.
➋ The hadith that says whoever does not associate partners with Allah or who acknowledges لا إلٰه إلا الله will enter Paradise means believing in all the fundamentals of faith and abstaining from all kinds of disbelief and polytheism.
After this prelude, the detailed answer is as follows: The Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah argue for their belief from the following noble verses:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ
"Indeed, Allah does not forgive associating others with Him, but He forgives anything else of whoever He wills."
Reference: (4-An-Nisa:48)
Also He said:
قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا
"Say: O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins."
Reference: (39-Az-Zumar:53)
The first verse clearly states that Allah forgives all sins except shirk and kufr, meaning the implication of the verse is that Allah, by His will, forgives all sins of a believing servant, including both major and minor sins, even if he has not repented, because repentance makes the disbelief of a disbeliever and the shirk of a polytheist a forgivable offense. The second verse addresses يعبادي "O My servants!" which is directed to the believers, and it says, "Indeed, Allah forgives all sins." Here too, repentance is not mentioned.
Yes! Some commentators have generalized this verse, meaning it also includes polytheists, in which case the meaning of the verse is that Allah forgives all sins upon repentance.
Also He said:
سَابِقُوا إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا كَعَرْضِ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ أُعِدَّتْ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ ﴿٢١﴾
"Hasten to the forgiveness of your Lord and a Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the righteous who believe in Allah and His Messenger. That is the bounty of Allah; He gives it to whom He wills, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty."
Reference: (57-Al-Hadid:21)
Question :
Allah Almighty has often mentioned righteous deeds after faith in verses of glad tidings, which indicates that along with faith, righteous deeds are a condition for attaining Paradise. So, if there are no righteous deeds and a person commits major and minor sins, then is Paradise not for him?
Answer :
There are two levels of faith: perfect faith, which is accompanied by righteous deeds, and imperfect faith, which is without righteous deeds. Similarly, there are two levels of attaining Paradise: the perfect level, which is to directly enter Paradise from the beginning and be saved from Hell, and the second level, where one does not enter Paradise initially but attains it after spending some time being punished in Hell. Where there is the first perfect level of faith, i.e., with righteous deeds, there is also the first level of attaining Paradise. And where there is the second level of faith, i.e., imperfect faith without righteous deeds, there is also the second level of attaining Paradise. In this second level, there is the glad tidings of entering Paradise, but not the mention of the first level. This hadith also aligns with the meaning of its verses, in which the promise of Paradise is mentioned only for faith, so no objection can be raised against it.
