Will Sunnis enter Paradise? | Sayyid Kamal al-Haydari
The Islamic scholar and thinker
Ayatollah Sayyid Kamal al-Haydari
Lesson Title | The Purity of Man (1)
Third Question: Is there a necessary connection between a person being a non-Shia Muslim and God throwing him face down into Hellfire after you ascend the pulpits and some of these common people go on satellite channels and say that he basically does not have the authority of God Almighty directly, where do they lead him? To Hellfire, of course. Between me and God are some narrations whose content is this, otherwise, the categories of narrations regarding the issue of Wilayah (guardianship/authority) were mentioned in their proper place. There are five categories, and these are different Sunnahs. But unfortunately, now most of the Husayniyas—I don't want to say entirely—most of the satellite channels are in the hands of non-specialists. When you look at their history, you find that they haven't actually studied Kalam (Islamic theology), nor Aqidah (Islamic creed), nor Tafsir (Quranic exegesis). So they just read a narration in Bihar al-Anwar, a narration in a book—perhaps that book has no basis or connection. The proof of this is that I will mention only two sources:
The first source: In Tafsir al-Qummi—I am only bringing from these sources that are accepted by everyone—the first narration in Tafsir al-Qummi, Volume 1, page 332, the narration is on the authority of Abu Ja'far al-Baqir: I said to him, "May I be sacrificed for you, what is the state of the monotheists who acknowledge the prophethood of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, from among the sinful Muslims who die without an Imam and do not know your Wilayah?" There are now a billion or so Muslims in the world who do not know. It is not that they do not hear, meaning they do not believe in your Imamate. It is not that they do not hear, no, they have heard, but it is not established. He has an "either" and so on. He said, "As for these (meaning those who professed the two testimonies of faith but not the third), they will remain in their graves and will not leave them." The question is: In the end, will they go to Paradise or to Hell in the intermediate realm (Barzakh)? He said, "If he had good deeds and did not show any enmity (meaning he did not hate the Ahlul-Bayt), then a path will be made for him to Paradise." So, is there a necessary connection between not accepting the authority of the Imams of the Ahlul-Bayt and entering Hell, or is there no such connection? There is no necessary connection. So, what is the benefit of the authority of the Ahlul-Bayt? It has a benefit, God willing. In theological discussions, we will explain what its benefit is. He said, "And he did not show it, so the spirit enters him in his grave until the Day of Resurrection, until he meets God, who will judge him for his good and bad deeds. So, in the intermediate realm, he will either go to Paradise or to Hell. This is his fate. And in the Hereafter, he will either go to Paradise or to Hell until he meets God. So, these are those whose fate is deferred to God's command, or those whose fate is postponed to God's command." And there are many narrations on this subject.