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Topic: The Purpose in Life of Ahlul Fatrah
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 Hamza-L-F
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Hamza ibn Shaukat ibn Muhammad
(London, UK)
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Member
Posts: 96
Joined: Nov 2003
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Asalaamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaathuhu
I had a question that has been niggling me for a while now, only because I have not come across the answer, neither it seems do I have the means nor the capability. Hence, I was hoping that insha'Allaah someone could provide it with some proofs.
It's concerning the purpose of life of Ahlul Fatra (People between Prophetic intervals), i.e. those to whom the Truth did not reach. What do we say concerning their purpose in life?
We know that our purpose is, "I have not created Jinn nor mankind except that they worship Me" (Al-Quran). We also know that Ahlul Fatra will be tested on Yawmul Qiyyaamah by Allaah who will bring forth the fire and order these people to enter it. Those who were destined to enter Jannah had the Truth reached them will obey without hesitation, whilst those who were destined for Jahannam will question.
What answer do we give to those who say:
If the purpose in life is to worship Allaah alone upon the Truth, and the Truth has not reached so-and-so, resulting in a test in the hereafter, then effectively, they have no purpose in life since the Truth did not reach them?
How do we respond to this question?
Do we acknowledge that they indeed have not fulfilled their purpose up until that time when they will be tested justly or do they have a purpose?
If so, what is it?
Is it related to their Fitrah?
If a student of knowledge could kindly please explain what the 'ulema have said concerning this issue it would really help since there are those who are forwarding this doubt, barakAllaahu feekum.
Wa salaam
Subhaanakallaah humma wa bi Hamdika Ashadu allaa ilaha illa ant, astaghfiruka wa atooba ilayk
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| abdul-moqueet.murad
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Murad ibn Nasima Murad bin Muhammad Abdul-
(Dhaka, Bangladesh)
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Member
Posts: 30
Joined: Nov 2003
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Assalaam-u-alaikum,
Dear brother,
Allaah has sent a prophet to every nation so that on the day of judgment, no nation will have an excuse with regards to the truth. This is at a general level. As for specific cases, then Allaah will judge with equity and fairness as He is al-Adl and al-Hakam. There is no intermediate place between paradise and jahannam. It is also a part of our creed that the people are divided in to two groups- the party of Allaah and the party of Shaitaan. And Allaah is the best to judge. Allaah knows whether a person will believe or not if the Truth reaches him or her. These are all based on clear texts in the Quran. You can even check the Muslim's Creed at troid.org (AqeedatuTahawiyyah).
Assalaam-u-alikum.
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| Moosaa
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Abul-'Abbaas Moosaa ibn John Richardson
(Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
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Member
Posts: 1280
Joined: Sep 2002
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In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful...
From Allaah's Wisdom, He created Mankind to worship Him, their lives being a test to see who will submit to Him and who will not. And from His Wisdom, He has excluded some people from this and He will test them in the Aakhirah. They are people who could not understand the message of the prophets when it came to them, like deaf people, mentally disabled people, children who died before the age of discern. Others could understand, but no message reached them, like those who died in the fatrahs (periods in between prophets), so they will also be tested.
Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:
أَرْبَعَةٌ يَحْتَجُّونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ: رَجُلٌ أَصَمُّ لاَ يَسْمَعُ شَيْئًا،
وَرَجُلٌ أَحْمَقُ وَرَجُلٌ هَرَمٌ وَرَجُلٌ مَاتَ فِي فَتْرَةٍ،
فَأَمَّا الأَصَمُّ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّ لَقَدْ جَاءَ الإِسْلامُ وَمَا أَسْمَعُ شَيْئًا،
وَأَمَّا الأَحْمَقُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّ لَقَدْ جَاءَ الإِسْلامُ وَالصِّبْيَانُ يَحْذِفُونِي بِالْبَعْرِ،
وَأَمَّا الْهَرَمُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي لَقَدْ جَاءَ الإِسْلامُ وَمَا أَعْقِلُ شَيْئًا،
وَأَمَّا الَّذِي مَاتَ فِي الْفَتْرَةِ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّ مَا أَتَانِي لَكَ رَسُولٌ،
فَيَأْخُذُ مَوَاثِيقَهُمْ لَيُطِيعُنَّهُ فَيُرْسِلُ إِلَيْهِمْ أَنْ ادْخُلُوا النَّارَ،
فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ لَوْ دَخَلُوهَا لَكَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ بَرْدًا وَسَلامًا،
"Four will have proofs (in their favor) on the Day of Standing: (1) A deaf man who could not hear anything; (2) a fool (who could not understand anything); (3) a feebly old man; and (4) a man who died in the fatrah (the period between prophets). As for the deaf man, then he will say: 'My Lord, Islaam came and I did not hear anything.' And as for the fool, then he will say, 'My Lord, Islaam came and the children were throwing dung at me.' And as for the feebly old man, then he will say, 'My Lord, Islaam came and I did not understand anything.' And as for the one who died in the fatrah (period between prophets), then he will say, 'My Lord, no messenger from you came to me.' So He (Allaah) will take oaths from them that they will obey Him (in what He is about to request from them), so it (an order) will be sent to them: 'Enter the Fire!' And verily by Him in whose Hand is my soul, if they entered it, it will be cool and soothing."
This wording is from Imaam Ahmad in his Musnad (16301), and the hadeeth has a number of routes and different wordings. Shaykh Al-Albaanee discussed them in Silsilatul-Ahaadeethis-Saheehah (1424) and came to the conclusion that the hadeeth is authentic, may Allaah have Mercy on him.
The hadeeth shows that the person who dies in the fatrah has not had the proof established upon him. And if it is asked: What about the fitrah? Isn't that sufficient?
[Make sure to note the difference between the word "fitrah" (the innate inclination towards tawheed that mankind has been created upon) and "fatrah" (the interval between prophets).]
Then the answer would be: No, the fitrah is not sufficient as a proof against people. The proof for this is (1) this hadeeth, (2) and the fact that Allaah had created each and every person upon the fitrah yet He still sent messengers to guide the people, and their message reaching the people is the proof against someone. Allaah says:
رُسُلاً مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنْذِرِينَ
لِئَلاَ يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى اللَّهِ حُجَّةٌ بَعْدَ الرُّسُلِ
"Messengers, bringers of glad tidings and warners, so that the people will have no proof against Allaah after the Messengers"
And Allaah knows best... I know this post did not answer your questions but I hope some benefit is found in it.
Moosaa ibn John Richardson
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سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك
أشهد أن لا إله إلا أنت
أستغفرك وأتوب إليك
This message was edited by Moosaa on 12-23-04 @ 10:50 AM
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| Moosaa
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Abul-'Abbaas Moosaa ibn John Richardson
(Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
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Member
Posts: 1280
Joined: Sep 2002
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| Hamza-L-F
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Hamza ibn Shaukat ibn Muhammad
(London, UK)
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Member
Posts: 96
Joined: Nov 2003
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Asalaamu 'alaykum
Jazakumullaah khair for the response and for clarifying the fact that Fitrah cannot be taken as a means of establishing the proof against an individual. Although I believe it was a shortcoming on my part for the way in which I structured my question. What I meant was whether the Fitrah of an individual from the Ahlul Fatrah could be associated or linked to some type of a purpose for their life in this world.
BarakAllahu feekum for your response.
Wa salaam
Subhaanakallaah humma wa bi Hamdika Ashadu allaa ilaha illa ant, astaghfiruka wa atooba ilayk
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05-12-2004 @ 9:13 AM
