Question:
Some scholars say that the parents of prophet Muhammad (pubh) will go to hell. Is it true?
Answer:
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
It is incorrect to state with certainty that the parents of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) will go to hell. It is stated that those who did not get the era of the prophethood of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and did not commit Shirk will not be punished. This is understood from the following verse of the Quran:
وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّىٰ نَبْعَثَ رَسُولًا (سورة الأسراء: 15)
Translation: “And never would We punish until We sent a messenger.” (Surah Al-Israa: 15)
In fact, there are narrations that indicate that the parents of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) followed the Deen of Ebrahim (Alaihisalam). There is yet another Hadith in which Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:
ذَهَبْتُ لِقَبْرِ أُمِّي فَسَأَلْتُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يُحْيِيَهَا فَأَحْيَاهَا فَآمَنَتْ بِي وَرَدَّهَا اللَّهُ» (الحاوى للفتاوى ج:2 ص:278)
Translation: “I went to the grave of my mother Aaminah and asked Allah to bring her back to life, so He brought her back to life, then she believed in me, then Allah sent her back.”[i]
Instead of focusing on the Iman and fate of the parents of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), we advise you to focus on your Iman and obligations in Shariah. Allah says:
تِلْكَ أُمَّةٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ ۖ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَلَكُم مَّا كَسَبْتُمْ ۖ وَلَا تُسْأَلُونَ عَمَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ (سورة البقرة: 134)
Translation: “That was a nation which has passed on. It will have [the consequence of] what it earned, and you will have what you have earned. And you will not be asked about what they used to do.”
(Surah Al-Baqarah: 134)
