🔹 Allah Almighty’s Mercy, Intercession, and the Eternal Punishment of Hell
Question:
A religious scholar says:
Allah Almighty’s mercy is vast.
On the Day of Judgment, intercession (shafa’at) will definitely occur.
Eventually, Allah Almighty will empty Hell and fill Paradise.
Even drunkards, adulterers, non-prayers, etc., will enter Paradise through intercession.
Is this statement correct?
🔹 Answer:
Disagreement regarding the eternity of Hell
Among the scholars, there is a difference of opinion on this issue:
Whether Hell will remain forever or
After a long period, it will be ended and everyone will enter Paradise.
The author’s inclination:
In the light of the evidence from the Quran and Sunnah, it seems more correct that:
Hell will remain forever.
However, it should also be clear that:
Allah Almighty is the Owner of all; if He wills, He can forgive even a disbeliever.
But we servants have no right to question Him about this.
He is the Most Knowledgeable and Wise.
🔹 The Eternal Abode of the Hellfire Inhabitants in Hell
Some people argue:
﴿فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ شَقُوا۟ فَفِى ٱلنَّارِ ۖ لَهُمْ فِيهَا زَفِيرٌۭ وَشَهِيقٌ ﴿١٠٦﴾ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا مَا دَامَتِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتُ وَٱلْأَرْضُ إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ رَبُّكَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ فَعَّالٌ لِّمَا يُرِيدُ ﴿١٠٧﴾
Translation:
So those who are unfortunate will be in the Fire, they will hear its roaring as it blazes.
They will abide therein forever, as long as the heavens and the earth endure, except as your Lord wills. Indeed, your Lord is ever doing what He intends.
These people say:
The heavens and the earth are perishable
Therefore, Hell will also be perishable, because the inhabitants of Hell will remain for as long as the heavens and the earth endure.
But this reasoning is incorrect, because:
🔹 There will be new heavens and earth after the Day of Judgment
﴿يَوْمَ تُبَدَّلُ ٱلْأَرْضُ غَيْرَ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتُ﴾
Translation:
The Day the earth will be replaced by another earth, and the heavens [as well] will be replaced.
Meaning:
On the Day of Judgment, this worldly heaven and earth will be destroyed
And in their place, new heavens and earth will be created, which will remain forever
Therefore:
The “heavens and earth” mentioned in Surah Hud refer to the hereafter, not the worldly ones
🔹 The Meaning of “Except as Your Lord Wills”
Some people think that “but whatever your Lord wills” means:
Allah Almighty will end Hellfire at some point
But this is not correct
The correct meaning is:
Allah Almighty has only stated that:
If He wills, He can also cause it to perish, because He is capable of everything
But His will has decided that:
Hellfire will also remain
Paradise will also remain
🔹 The same words about the people of Paradise
﴿وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ سُعِدُوا۟ فَفِى ٱلْجَنَّةِ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا مَا دَامَتِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتُ وَٱلْأَرْضُ إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ رَبُّكَ ۖ عَطَآءً غَيْرَ مَجْذُوذٍ﴾
Translation:
And those who are fortunate will be in Paradise, abiding therein forever, as long as the heavens and the earth endure, except what your Lord wills. That is the supreme favor.
Conclusion:
The eternal existence of Paradise and Hellfire is the firm will of Allah Almighty
“Except what your Lord wills” only means that Allah can do whatever He wills, but He has willed that all this remains forever
🔹 Verse from Surah Al-An’am
﴿قَالَ ٱلنَّارُ مَثْوَىٰكُمْ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌ﴾
Translation:
(Allah will say) Hell is your abode, wherein you will abide eternally, except as your Lord wills. Indeed, your Lord is Wise and Knowing.
Commentary:
This verse also does not serve as evidence for the end of Hell.
The overall evidence from the Quran and Sunnah indicates that:
Disbelievers will remain in Hell forever.
🔹 The meaning of intercession on the Day of Judgment
Is intercession necessarily going to occur on the Day of Judgment?
If by intercession it is meant that some individuals will intercede on behalf of others on the Day of Judgment,
then this is correct, because the Quran states:
﴿مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ﴾
Translation:
Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission?
Meaning:
Intercession is not possible without the permission of Allah Almighty.
And this intercession will not be for disbelievers and polytheists.
If it is meant that intercession is “obligatory upon Allah”?
If someone thinks that:
It is obligatory upon Allah that whoever intercedes, Allah must accept their intercession,
then this concept is completely false and a deviation in belief,
because:
Allah Almighty is absolutely free in His will and sovereign.
Nothing is obligatory on him
No one can force him
He does whatever he wishes
🔹 Intercession of Believers Who Are Drunkards, Fornicators, and Major Sinners
Will believers who commit major sins come out of Hell?
Yes, there are detailed ahadith on this
((ولا يزني الزاني حين يزني وهو مؤمن، ولا يشرب الخمر حين يشربها وهو مؤمن))
Translation:
A fornicator is not a believer while committing fornication, and a drunkard is not a believer while drinking alcohol.
Explanation:
The meaning of this hadith is:
Such a person’s faith is not complete
But he does not go outside the fold of Islam
Despite sinning, the believer will eventually enter Paradise
Hadith:
((وَإِنْ زَنَى وَإِنْ سَرَقَ))
(Although he commits fornication or theft)
When Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (RA) asked three times, the Prophet ﷺ replied each time:
“Although he commits fornication or theft”
Meaning:
If a believer commits a major sin:
He will not remain in Hell forever
Either Allah will forgive him
Or after punishment, He will admit him to Paradise
🔹 Reconciliation (Consistency) Between Ahadith
Some ahadith describe sinful believers as destined for Paradise, while others state they are outside faith
The hadith scholars have applied the rulings in both types of hadith:
First type:
In the hadiths where it is stated:
“The one who commits adultery or drinks alcohol is not a believer.”
Second type:
In the hadiths where it is said:
“He will eventually enter Paradise.”
Summary of the application:
Adulterers, drinkers, thieves, etc., are deprived of perfect faith
But they are not disbelievers
If they are not punished, they will be forgiven by Allah’s mercy
If they are punished, they will later be admitted to Paradise
🔹 Application of punishment (Hudood) in this world and forgiveness in the Hereafter
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ubada bin Samit (RA):
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said while taking the pledge:
“Do not associate partners with Allah, do not commit adultery, do not steal…”
If the person who took the pledge remains steadfast on it:
Then his reward is with Allah
And if a sin occurs:
And the punishment is carried out in this world (for example, for adultery or theft)
Then that serves as expiation for him
But if the sin remains hidden and the punishment is not applied:
Then the matter is left to Allah
If He wills, He forgives
And if He wills, He punishes
Conclusion:
Adulterers or thieves are not disbelievers
Because if they were disbelievers:
Then there would be no hope of forgiveness for them
🔹 Application of “Disbelief” to Major Sins – Explanation and Clarification
Are major sins disbelief or not?
In some ahadith, the word “disbelief” has been used for major sins, such as:
((سبابُ المسلمِ فسوقٌ، وقتالُه كفرٌ))
Translation:
Insulting a Muslim is wickedness, and fighting him is disbelief.
But in the Quran, Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَإِن طَآئِفَتَانِ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ٱقْتَتَلُوا۟ فَأَصْلِحُوا۟ بَيْنَهُمَا﴾
Translation:
And if two groups of believers fight each other, then make peace between them.
Application:
This means that:
Despite fighting, they are still called believers
Therefore, the “disbelief” mentioned in the hadith means “disbelief without disbelief”
That is, the disbelief which does not take one out of the fold of Islam
🔹 Use of the word “Disbelief” in Ahadith
Example: Ungratefulness of women
In a hadith, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
((تَكْفُرْنَ))
Translation:
You (women) are ungrateful.
The female companions asked:
Are we ungrateful to Allah?
He ﷺ replied:
You are ungrateful to your husbands.
Meaning:
Here, the meaning of “disbelief” is not denial of Allah, but ingratitude towards the husband.
Example: A slave running away
It is mentioned in an authentic hadith that:
The term “disbeliever” was also applied to a runaway slave
It is clear that:
A slave running away is not disbelief in Allah
It is only practical disobedience
🔹 Caution in issuing fatwas
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
((أيّما امرئٍ قال لأخيه: يا كافرُ، فقد باء بها أحدُهما، إن كان كما قال، وإلا رجعتْ عليه))
Translation:
Whoever calls his brother a “disbeliever,” then surely one of them is a disbeliever.
If he truly is a disbeliever, then fine; otherwise, the one who says it will himself become a disbeliever.
A very sensitive issue
If a person calls a Muslim a “disbeliever” because of committing a sin:
Then there is a severe danger on him
If he is not a disbeliever, then the accuser himself will fall into disbelief
Words of the hadith:
“لأخیه” → meaning “his brother”
This implies that he is apparently a Muslim
🔹 Difference between apparent and inner reality
In this world, judgment is based on the “apparent”
It may be that a person commits a sin and we consider him a disbeliever
But Allah Almighty knows the state of his heart
For example:
If a sinful Muslim is forcibly included among the disbelievers,
We consider him a disbeliever and kill him,
But Allah Almighty knows the faith in his heart and will grant him Paradise.
Example from Hadith: An army sinking into the ground
The Prophet ﷺ said:
An army will attack the Kaaba, and it will be swallowed by the earth.
Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyida Aisha (RA) said:
Some of them will be forcibly included.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
All of them will be swallowed by the earth,
but on the Day of Judgment, every person will be raised according to his intention.
🔹 Abandoning Prayer, Disbelief, and the Hereafter Consequence
The application of disbelief to abandoning prayer — apparent ruling
Many authentic hadiths contain severe warnings about abandoning prayer.
In some hadiths, abandoning prayer is also called disbelief.
But it should be clear:
This disbelief is in worldly terms, meaning:
We consider that person outside the Islamic community.
However, this is not a definitive ruling that he is also a disbeliever in the sight of Allah.
🔹 Only Allah Knows the State of the Heart
There can be two possibilities for a person who abandons prayer:
1. He considers prayer obligatory but is lazy about it
Then he is a sinful Muslim
If Allah wills, He may forgive him or punish him and then take him out of Hell
2. He denies the obligation of prayer
Then he is undoubtedly a disbeliever
And for him is eternal Hell
🔹 Our command is only according to the apparent
Because we cannot know the condition of hearts
Nor do we have any means to ascertain the inner state
﴿نَحْنُ نَعْلَمُهُمْ﴾
Translation:
We (Allah Almighty) know them.
In the case of abandoning prayer, the worldly ruling:
If a person does not pray:
We will not consider him a Muslim
His funeral prayer will not be offered
And he will not be buried in the Muslim cemetery
But:
If there is even a particle of faith in his heart:
Then Allah Almighty may punish him or forgive him without punishment
🔹 The practice of the Messenger ﷺ
When the Prophet ﷺ intended to attack a town,
he first listened to the call to prayer there
If the call to prayer is heard → the attack would be canceled
If the call to prayer is not heard → the attack would continue
Meaning:
The call to prayer (Salah) has been made the outward symbol of Islam
🔹 The account of inner faith will be in the Hereafter
﴿لَا يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْأَلُونَ﴾
Translation:
He (Allah) will not be questioned about His deeds, but they will be questioned.
Conclusion:
We have no right to question His decisions
He forgives whom He wills, punishes whom He wills
🔹 The ruling on the one who does not pray: disbeliever in this world, in the Hereafter? Allah knows best
If a person claims:
“I consider prayer obligatory, but I do not perform it due to laziness”
Even then:
We have no knowledge of his inner state
He might be lying
He might be a hypocrite
Therefore:
We will judge only by the outward
One who prays → Muslim
One who abandons prayer → excluded from the Islamic community
🔹 In the Hereafter, judgments will be based not on outward but on reality
Difference between the rulings of this world and the Hereafter
In this world:
Judgment is only based on outward signs (e.g., prayer)
In the Hereafter:
The judgment will be based on the inner self and true intention and faith
Example:
Hypocrites:
Considered Muslims in this world
Islamic rulings were applied to them
But in the Hereafter, their end will be in the lowest level of Hell
﴿إِنَّ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ فِى ٱلدَّرْكِ ٱلْأَسْفَلِ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ وَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُمْ نَصِيرًا﴾
Translation:
Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire, and you will find no helper for them.
🔹 Evidence of abandoning prayer and forgiveness in the Hereafter
Allah Almighty’s forgiveness and will
﴿إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ﴾
Translation:
Indeed, Allah does not forgive associating others with Him, but He forgives anything else for whom He wills.
Hadith Qudsi:
((يا ابن آدم، إنك لو أتيتني بقراب الأرض خطايا، ثم لقيتني لا تشرك بي شيئا، لأتيتك بقرابها مغفرة))
Translation:
O son of Adam! If you come to Me with sins filling the earth but without associating partners with Me, I will come to you with forgiveness filling the earth.
Clear message:
If one remains firm on monotheism
Then other sins (including abandoning prayer) can be forgiven by Allah’s will
🔹 The exit of the non-prayer performers and other sinners from Hell
According to authentic hadiths:
There will be some people who:
Will enter Hell
But if there is a grain of mustard seed, a grain of barley, or even the smallest particle of faith in their hearts,
Allah Almighty will say:
“Take them out of Hell.”
And there will be some people who have:
“Not done any good deeds”
(but they will have faith)
Allah Almighty will also take them out of Hell by His mercy and will.
🔹 The Meaning of Disbelief in Abandoning Prayer
When you ﷺ said:
﴿فَمَا تَنفَعُهُمْ شَفَـٰعَةُ ٱلشَّـٰفِعِينَ﴾
Translation:
So no intercession of intercessors will benefit them.
And it was said earlier:
﴿قَالُوا لَمْ نَكُ مِنَ ٱلْمُصَلِّينَ﴾
Translation:
(They will say) We were not among those who prayed.
But at the same time it was said:
﴿وَكُنَّا نُكَذِّبُ بِيَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ﴾
Translation:
And we used to deny the Day of Resurrection.
Commentary:
Denial of the Day of Resurrection is itself disbelief.
Therefore, intercession will not benefit them.
From this it becomes clear:
Abandoning prayer can be a cause of going to Hell.
But it will always be a cause of remaining in Hell only:
When accompanied by disbelief or polytheism.
🔹 Prayer is a Sign of Faith
﴿وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَـٰنَكُمْ﴾
Translation:
And Allah will not waste your faith (prayer).
Meaning:
Prayer is declared a symbol of faith.
Therefore, the application of disbelief in this world for abandoning prayer is based only on an apparent sign.
🔹 Final Conclusion:
A person who does not pray will be considered outside the Islamic community in this world.
But if there is even the slightest faith in his heart:
Then Allah Almighty may punish or forgive without punishment.
﴿لَا يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْأَلُونَ﴾
Translation:
He (Allah) does whatever He wills; He is not questioned about His actions, but they will be questioned.
✅ Complete Summary:
In this world, prayer is the symbol of Islam.
Whoever does not pray, we will not consider him a Muslim.
But in the Hereafter, the real judgment will be made by Allah Almighty.
He knows the condition of hearts, and if there is faith in someone’s heart, He can grant salvation.
ھٰذا ما عندی واللہ أعلم بالصواب
