Non-Muslims... Are They All in Hellfire?

Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.

Are all non-Muslims in Hell?

Are all those who are not Muslims in Hell? The direct answer: No. The details will follow as we shall see.

I think, my brothers, that these are important words that clarify the subject well, especially since there is a great deal of confusion. I will come to you with the words of three imams from two different schools: Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, and Abu Hamid al-Ghazali. You will see from their words that non-Muslims are divided into four categories, each with its own ruling.

Let us mention these categories first, then we will look at the words of the imams.

Categories of Non-Muslims and the Ruling for Each

First Category: Those who have not heard of the Messenger of Allah Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his message at all. These are not punished by Allah.

Second Category: Those who have heard of the Messenger of Allah and his attributes and miracles, and that he calls to the worship of Allah alone with no partner, but they disbelieved. These are of the people of Hell.

Third Category: Those who have heard of the Messenger of Allah but have heard incorrectly, meaning they have heard against his attributes, a hearing that does not establish the proof against them, and does not stir them to look into his matter. These are like the first category and are not punished by Allah.

Fourth Category: Those who have heard of the Messenger of Allah and his message, but in an insufficient amount. However, the amount that reached them should stir them to verify and seek and ask, but they turned away from that due to their lack of concern with the matter of religion and their preference for the life of this world. These are also punished by Allah, and their disbelief is called the disbelief of turning away, meaning turning away from the matter of religion entirely and not being concerned with it.

You may say: Okay, and the one who heard about the Prophet and learned about Islam and its proofs, but was not convinced by them? This is with the second category, the disbeliever by denial and rejection, and deserving of punishment. The proofs of Allah on the truth of Islam are convincing to every fair seeker of truth, and whoever disbelieves in them, it is due to the diseases of his heart and the blindness of his insight that he deserved due to his actions. Allah the Most High said: {And indeed, We have sent down to you clear verses, and none will believe in them except the wicked.} [Al-Baqarah: 99].

So, my brothers, once again:

• The one who has not heard of the Prophet and his message at all is not punished.
• The one who heard and rejected is a disbeliever by denial and is punished.
• The one who heard incorrectly, and the proof does not stand against him, is not punished.
• The one who heard an amount that should move him to verify if he were concerned with the matter of religion but turned away, is a disbeliever by turning away and is punished.

I know that this will raise many questions, and this is not the place to answer them, for the subject needs much detail.

Questions About Establishing the Proof

He challenged the people, and they did not bring anything like it, but he heard with that defamation of Islam. Defamation occurs in every era from the days of our Prophet (peace be upon him), but this hearing that he is a messenger calling to the worship of Allah alone stirs the innate nature that is attracted to monotheism, and it should drive him to verify. What is the amount that makes him of the third category, and what is the amount that makes him of the fourth category?

Then, those who are not punished, does the mercy of Allah encompass them as al-Ghazali said? Or does Allah test them on the Day of Judgment as Ibn Taymiyyah inclined?

Okay, so what do you think, most non-Muslims in our time, in our era, are they of the first category? Or the second, or the third, or the fourth? Many questions, but what matters to us here is to clarify that the question does not have a single answer that everyone who is not a Muslim is in Hell, the matter is not like that, people. It is not like that.

And what also matters to us is to clarify that there are those who deceive Muslims and scare them away from the statement that everyone who is not a Muslim is in Hell, then they give you a false alternative and say: No, suppose this non-Muslim learned about the truth of Islam and was not convinced. Suppose he learned but was scared of Islam due to the bad morals of Muslims. Do you expect everyone who claims prophecy to look at these people in the call and verify? These are not excuses.

We, my brothers, do not speak of a religion like false religions, but a religion that has a legacy in the innate nature that Allah created people upon. And we do not speak of a messenger like a claimant of prophecy, but the difference between them and them is like the difference between night and day.

And you see the one who makes the conditions of establishing the proof impossible, and says: If you want to establish the proof on a philosopher, you must be a philosopher like him. And he says to you: The only way to convince non-Muslims of Islam is to convince them that we are not Muslims due to our bad condition, and he draws for you a dark picture of Muslims, ignoring all the bright models in our time. And in the end, the proof does not stand against anyone, and there is no need to call to our religion in this way, and this is false speech.

The Role of the Muslim Towards Non-Muslims

I, my brothers, have only spoken about this matter to reassure the hearts of the justice and mercy of Allah the Most High, then after that, make your focus on one thing to answer the question: What is required of me towards non-Muslims? That I call them to the religion of Allah the Most High, and I adorn myself with good morals, and I strive to perfect my roles in the development of the earth so that I do not tempt them away from my religion, then leave their affair to Allah the Most High. Whoever the proof has been established upon and whoever it has not been established upon, we should not be preoccupied with this, but be preoccupied with being a tool of Allah the Most High in the mercy of His servants and the establishment of the proof upon them and their salvation from Hell. That's it, people.

Sayings of the Imams Regarding the Ruling on Non-Muslims

Now, let us come to the words of the imams.

Imam Ibn Taymiyyah

Ibn Taymiyyah said: "As for those who intentionally distort the book in its wording or meaning, and knew what was brought by the messenger - meaning the People of the Book - and knew what was brought by the messenger - meaning Muhammad, peace be upon him - and opposed him, then this one deserves punishment. And also, whoever exceeds in seeking the truth and following it, following his desires, preoccupied with that with the worldly life," which we have called the disbelief of turning away.

Until he said: "The third saying, and upon this are the Salaf and the imams," so, people, this saying that you will hear is the saying of the Salaf and the imams, not Ibn Taymiyyah alone. He said: "That none are punished except those to whom the message has reached, and none are punished except those who opposed the messengers, as indicated by the Book and the Sunnah. Allah the Most High said to Iblees: {I will surely fill Hell with you and those of them that follow you, all together.} [Sad: 85]."

Until Ibn Taymiyyah said: "And those upon whom the proof was not established in this world by the message, like children, the insane, and the people of the periods - meaning those who were not reached by the call - these have sayings, the most apparent of which - meaning the most likely to him - is what came in the reports that they are tested on the Day of Judgment, so Allah sends to them someone who commands them with His obedience. If they obey, they deserve the reward, and if they disobey, they deserve the punishment." That's it, people.

Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim

Now, Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, in his book "The Path of the Two Migrations," when discussing the ranks of those responsible for their actions, said: "It is necessary in this context to elaborate in a way that removes the confusion."

Until he said: "Punishment is deserved for two reasons: The first is turning away from the proof and not desiring to know it and its implications," which is the disbelief of turning away. "The second is obstinately rejecting it after it has been established and abandoning the desire for its cause," which is the disbelief of obstinate denial.

He said: "The first is the disbelief of turning away, and the second is the disbelief of obstinacy. As for the disbelief of ignorance along with the absence of the proof and the inability to know it, this is what Allah has negated punishment for until the proof of the messengers is established." A person who is ignorant and unable to know the proofs of Islam, this is what Allah has negated punishment for until the proof of the messengers is established.

Then he said: "The third principle is that the establishment of the proof varies with different times, places, and individuals. The proof of Allah may be established upon the disbelievers in one time and not in another, in one place and not in another, just as it may be established upon one person and not another." See, people, the precision of Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him. There are even more detailed points on this topic in this section of the book "The Path of the Two Migrations," but there is no space to elaborate, so we will summarize it for you.

Imam Al-Ghazali

I mean those who are at the far ends of Rome and Turkestan and to whom the call has not reached. They are of three types:

• A type to whom the name of Muhammad has not reached at all; they are excused.
• And a type to whom his name and description—meaning his attributes—and the miracles that appeared from him have reached. They are those adjacent to the lands of Islam and those who mix with them. They are the disbelieving atheists.
• And a third type between the two: to whom the name of Muhammad has reached but his description and attributes have not reached. They have also heard since childhood that a liar and impostor named Muhammad claimed prophethood—Allah forbid. These, in my view, are like the first type. For although they have heard his name, they have heard the opposite of his attributes, and this does not stir the call to investigate. It does not stir the call to investigate, meaning they have not heard anything about the Prophet, peace be upon him, that would arouse their curiosity to inquire about him and ponder his prophetic call.

Al-Ghazali, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "As for the rest of the nations, whoever denied him after the continuous transmission reached his ears about his emergence, his attributes, and his miraculous signs that defy nature, such as the splitting of the moon, the glorification of the pebbles, the gushing of water from between his fingers, and the miraculous Quran with which he challenged the eloquent people and they were unable to respond. So if this reaches his ears and he turns away from it, turns his back, does not look into it, does not ponder, and does not hasten to believe, then he is the denier, the liar, and the disbeliever. And this does not include most of the Romans and Turkestanis whose lands are far from the lands of Islam."

Until Al-Ghazali says: "But I say—meaning Al-Ghazali—that if this reaches his ears, there must be a call to seek to clarify the truth of the matter, whether he is of the people of faith or not, and whether he is not of those who preferred the life of this world over the Hereafter." A person who is concerned with the matter of religion, who is concerned with appearing to Allah, his Creator, Sustainer, and Provider: "O Lord, how should I worship You?" This is a person who is concerned with religion. So there must be a call to seek to clarify the truth of the matter, whether he is of the people of faith or not, and whether he is not of those who preferred the life of this world over the Hereafter. If this call does not arise within him—he is not concerned—then that is due to his attachment to this world and his indifference to the fear and danger of the matter of religion, and that is disbelief. And if the call arises but he is unable to seek, that is also disbelief.

Conclusion

And I think, my brothers, you have noticed a great similarity between the three imams. I also advise you to read an answer titled "The Ruling on Those Who Have Not Heard of Islam Among the Christians" on the Islam Question and Answer website by Sheikh Muhammad Al-Munajjid, may Allah forgive him.

And I ask Allah that this elaboration be beneficial and that He accept it from us and from you. Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.