The Unseen Part of a Righteous Deed | Shaykh Muhammed ibn
Salih al-‘Uthaymin (may Allaah have mercy on him)
Originally published on January 23, 2019 by DaarusSunnah
Shaykh Muḥammed ibn Ṣāliḥ al-‘Uthaymīn: He ﷺ said: “By The One whom none is worthy
of worship except He, Indeed one of you may perform the deeds that the people
destined for Paradise do until nothing is between him and paradise except a
hand-span. Then, what is in the book of pre-decree comes to pass and so he
performs the deeds that the people destined for hellfire do.” But the good
news, O’ brothers, is that this Hadīth has a context. i.e. He performs the
deeds that the people destined for Paradise do, according to what is apparent
to people, and in reality he will be among the dwellers of Hellfire. As for he
who sincerely, from his heart, performs the deeds that the people destined for
Paradise do, Allah ﷻ will not forsake
him. Allah is more gracious than that. If you sincerely perform the deeds that
the people destined for Paradise do – may Allah make us from them – Allah will
certainly not forsake you, but [the issue is] what is apparent to the people.
The proof for this context is established in the authentic collection of
al-Bukhāri: A man was with The Prophet ﷺ in a battle. He was brave and daring;
he did not spare any one among the enemy except that he killed him. The people
were amazed at his bravery and daringness. The Prophet ﷺ then said on that
day: “Indeed he will be among the dwellers of the Hellfire”. – I ask Allah for
refuge – This brave man who is eradicating the enemy will be among the dwellers
of the Hellfire?! This was of major concern and worry for the Muslims, they
were frightened: How can this man end-up among the dwellers of Hellfire?!
A man
then said: By Allah, I’m going to shadow him! Meaning: I’m going to follow him
so as to see how he ends up. So he went with the man, and during the battle the
brave man was stuck by an arrow. He then lost hope, so he took his own sword, pointed
it at his own chest and thrust himself onto it such that it came out of his
back. – I ask Allah for refuge – He killed himself due to his despair.
The man
then came to The Prophet ﷺ and said: O’
Messenger of Allah, I bear witness that none is worthy of worship except Allah,
and you are the messenger of Allah. He ﷺ said: “Because of what? He replied:
“The man who you declared to be among the dwellers of Hellfire done
such-and-such.” The Prophet ﷺ then said: “Indeed
a man may perform the deeds that the people destined for Paradise do, according
to what is apparent to the people – all praise due to Allah for this context –
and in reality he will be among the dwellers of Hellfire”. The people think
that he is righteous, but in his heart is an impurity and therefore he will be
among the dwellers of Hellfire.
Video Courtesy of Dusunnah.com/
