Q. Are the Prophet Muhammad’s parents going to hell? Were they Muslims in
any sense?
A: There are several considerations that must be taken here before
embarking on answering the question. The first is that only God can answer
that. That being said, however, hell is warranted when one knows the truth and
refuses to accept it. Unlike the Euro-American legal systems, ignorance of the
law DOES become an excuse, since it is God's duty to make the divine known. The
other consideration is that speculating on who will enter heaven or hell is
beyond our area of expertise, and we studiously shun it since we believe that
such judgments are often accompanied by bigotry and inane prejudice, ignoring
special circumstances, intention, etc.
Were they Muslims in any sense? We do not know enough about
them from reliable sources. From a Shi'ite
theological viewpoint, they would have to be "pure" since a Prophet
would have to come from such a line. However, that is creedal. Allah knows
best.
Posted February 28,
1010