Author: Imaam Muhammad bin Saalih Al ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy upon him)
Source: Liqa’at al-Baab al Maftoo.
As Shaikh Al Allaamah Al Imaam Muhammad bin Saalih Al ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy upon him) was asked,
“In the hadeeth, “My Ummah will divide into 73 groups all of them will be in the fire except one.” will they (the 72) groups be in the fire forever or are they from the astray groups from amongst the Muslims?”
The Shaikh (may Allah have mercy upon him) answered, the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) statement, “My Ummah will divide into 73 groups; all of them will be in the fire except one.”
[Collected by Abu Dawud (4597), Ahmad (4/102), and Ad Daarimee (2518).]
This does not mean that they all will be in the fire forever. Rather, some (of them) commit bid’ah which warrants their staying in the fire, while (others commit) bid’ah which will make the servant deserving of entering the fire but he will not stay therein for eternity. So the situation will all depend on the (type of) bid’ah which is committed and the extent of the differing from that which the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) and his companions were upon.”
It was then asked, “One of them will be in Jannah” (i.e. Firqatun Naajiyyah (the saved sect); does this mean that a man from Firqatun Naajiyyah will never enter the fire?”
The Shaikh (may Allah have mercy upon him) then answered,
“(Either) he would not enter the fire or, he would enter the fire but not remain therein forever.”
It was then asked, “How do we understand this?” The Sheikh (may Allah have mercy upon him) said, “We say for example, people (Muslims) are of four categories (with regards to this issue),
The First: An innovator who commits a bid’ah that is mukaffirah (which takes one outside of Islaam). And he has absolutely no Sunnah with him. So this one will remain in the fire, and there is no difficulty in this (i.e. with regards to his ruling because he is in fact a disbeliever).
The Second: An innovator who commits a bid’ah that is mufassiqah (which does not take one outside of Islaam). So this one deserves to enter the fire but he will not stay therein forever.
The Third: A pure Sunni (Salafy), this one will enter into Jannah and does not deserve to enter the fire. And if he were to enter it (the fire) due to some other sin, then he would not stay therein forever.
The Fourth: A Sunni (Salafy), who has mixed both good and bad deeds. This one deserves to enter the fire but would not stay therein forever.
Taken from:www.SalafyInk.com and translated by Abu 'Abdis Salaam Siddiq Al Juyaanee
