What is the ruling on a person who dies in a state of Shirk without knowing that he is in a state of Shirk?
Question:
"What is the ruling on a person who dies in a state of Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) without knowing that he is in a state of Shirk?"
Answer:
"He who dies in Shirk is in great danger. Allah (Glorified be He) says:
{But if they had joined in worship others with Allâh, all that they used to do would have been of no benefit to them.} [Surah Al-Anam 6:88]
Allah (Glorified be He) also says:
{It is not for the Mushrikûn (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allâh), to maintain the Mosques of Allâh (i.e. to pray and worship Allâh therein, to look after their cleanliness and their building,), while they witness against their ownselves of disbelief. The works of such are in vain and in Fire shall they abide.} [Surah At-Tawbah 9:7]
Allah (Glorified be He) also says:
{And We shall turn to whatever deeds they (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners) did, and We shall make such deeds as scattered floating particles of dust.} [Surah Al-Furqan 25:23]
Allah (Glorified be He) also says:
{Verily, Allâh forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills} [Suran An-Nisa 4:48]
This is their punishment and fate like all those committing major Kufr (disbelief); their ruling in the worldly life is that when dying, they are not to be washed and no Funeral Prayer is made for them. They should not be buried in the tombs of Muslims. However, he whom the Da`wah (calling to Islam) i.e. the Ever-Glorious Qur'an and the Sunnah (whatever is reported from the Prophet) did not reach, his case will rest with Allah on the Day of Judgment like Ahl-ul-Fatrah (people having no access to Divine Messages). The correct view is that they will be tested on the Day of Judgment: if they respond and obey they will enter the Jannah (Paradise), and if they disobey they will enter the Hell-fire.
This issue was discussed in detail by Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allah be merciful to him) in his last book "Taryq Al-Hijratayn", in which he said: "(The eighth view) they will be tested on the Day of Resurrection. The Messenger of Allah will be sent there to them and whomever the Da`wah did not reach; he who obeys the Messenger will enter Jannah and he who disobeys him will enter Hell-fire. Thereupon, some of them will be admitted to Jannah and others to Hell-fire. Thus, all evidences could be reconciled."
However, if one is ignorant of the Shirk he commits, his case will rest with Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) and the ruling is based upon appearance; he who is apparently committing Shirk will take the ruling of Mushriks (those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) and his affair rests with Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) Who is All-Knowing of everything."
Shaykh 'Abdul-'Azeez bin 'Abdullah bin Baaz
Source: www.alifta.net - Fatwas of Ibn Baz, Volume 9, Advice of Allah's Book, Answering miscellaneous questions after a lecture, Question 2.
"What is the ruling on a person who dies in a state of Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) without knowing that he is in a state of Shirk?"
Answer:
"He who dies in Shirk is in great danger. Allah (Glorified be He) says:
{But if they had joined in worship others with Allâh, all that they used to do would have been of no benefit to them.} [Surah Al-Anam 6:88]
Allah (Glorified be He) also says:
{It is not for the Mushrikûn (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allâh), to maintain the Mosques of Allâh (i.e. to pray and worship Allâh therein, to look after their cleanliness and their building,), while they witness against their ownselves of disbelief. The works of such are in vain and in Fire shall they abide.} [Surah At-Tawbah 9:7]
Allah (Glorified be He) also says:
{And We shall turn to whatever deeds they (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners) did, and We shall make such deeds as scattered floating particles of dust.} [Surah Al-Furqan 25:23]
Allah (Glorified be He) also says:
{Verily, Allâh forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills} [Suran An-Nisa 4:48]
This is their punishment and fate like all those committing major Kufr (disbelief); their ruling in the worldly life is that when dying, they are not to be washed and no Funeral Prayer is made for them. They should not be buried in the tombs of Muslims. However, he whom the Da`wah (calling to Islam) i.e. the Ever-Glorious Qur'an and the Sunnah (whatever is reported from the Prophet) did not reach, his case will rest with Allah on the Day of Judgment like Ahl-ul-Fatrah (people having no access to Divine Messages). The correct view is that they will be tested on the Day of Judgment: if they respond and obey they will enter the Jannah (Paradise), and if they disobey they will enter the Hell-fire.
This issue was discussed in detail by Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allah be merciful to him) in his last book "Taryq Al-Hijratayn", in which he said: "(The eighth view) they will be tested on the Day of Resurrection. The Messenger of Allah will be sent there to them and whomever the Da`wah did not reach; he who obeys the Messenger will enter Jannah and he who disobeys him will enter Hell-fire. Thereupon, some of them will be admitted to Jannah and others to Hell-fire. Thus, all evidences could be reconciled."
However, if one is ignorant of the Shirk he commits, his case will rest with Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) and the ruling is based upon appearance; he who is apparently committing Shirk will take the ruling of Mushriks (those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) and his affair rests with Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) Who is All-Knowing of everything."
Shaykh 'Abdul-'Azeez bin 'Abdullah bin Baaz
Source: www.alifta.net - Fatwas of Ibn Baz, Volume 9, Advice of Allah's Book, Answering miscellaneous questions after a lecture, Question 2.