Will a Mushrik Who Recites the Kalimah Before Death Enter Paradise?
Source: Fatāwā ʿUlamāʾ Ahl al-Ḥadīth
❖ Question
A man commits shirk throughout his life, and at the time of death he recites the Kalimah Ṭayyibah. Will he also enter Paradise?
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā Baʿd!
It is true that:
“Whoever’s last words are: Lā ilāha illallāh, will enter Paradise.”
But this ḥadīth applies only to the believers. If a disbeliever or a mushrik recites the Kalimah Ṭayyibah at the time of death, he does not fall under the scope of this ḥadīth.
✿ Evidence from the Qur’an
Allah ﷻ says in Sūrat al-Nisāʾ:
﴿وَلَيْسَتِ التَّوْبَةُ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَهُمُ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ إِنِّي تُبْتُ الْآنَ وَلَا الَّذِينَ يَمُوتُونَ وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌ ۚ (١٨)﴾
“But repentance is not accepted from those who continue to do evil deeds up until when death comes to one of them, he says, ‘Indeed, I now repent.’ Nor from those who die while they are disbelievers.”
✿ Example of Pharaoh
Allah ﷻ says regarding Pharaoh:
﴿حَتَّىٰ إِذَا أَدْرَكَهُ الْغَرَقُ قَالَ آمَنتُ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا الَّذِي آمَنَتْ بِهِ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ وَأَنَا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ (٩٠) آلْآنَ وَقَدْ عَصَيْتَ قَبْلُ وَكُنتَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ (٩١)﴾ (Sūrat Yūnus)
“Until when drowning overtook him, he said: ‘I believe that there is no god but the One in whom the Children of Israel have believed, and I am of the Muslims.’ (It was said): ‘Now? While you had disobeyed before and were among the corrupters?’”
◈ Conclusion
Therefore, a person who lived his life upon shirk and only recited the Kalimah at the time of death does not come under the ḥadīth:
“Whoever’s last words are Lā ilāha illallāh will enter Paradise.”
Because uttering the Kalimah or repenting at the moment of death, without true faith in the heart, is not accepted. This is why Allah ﷻ rejected the repentance and claim of faith of Pharaoh.
