The receiver of sodomy may enter Paradise after truly repenting

18-5-2015 | IslamWeb

Question:

I found this passage on the Islam QA website and I want to know if what is said is of the correct view according to Islam (i.e. there is no hope of a person reforming after such a thing or entering Paradise etc.). Please be as specific as possible. Thank you.Ibn al-Qayyim said: Both of them – fornication and homosexuality – involve immorality that goes against the wisdom of Allaah’s creation and commandment. For homosexuality involves innumerable evil and harms, and the one to whom it is done would be better off being killed than having this done to him, because after that he will become so evil and so corrupt that there can be no hope of his being reformed, and all good is lost for him, and he will no longer feel any shame before Allaah or before His creation. The semen of the one who did that to him will act as a poison on his body and soul. The scholars differed as to whether the one to whom it is done will ever enter Paradise. There are two opinions which I heard Shaykh al-Islam (may Allaah have mercy on him) narrate.” (al-Jawaab al-Kaafi, p. 115).

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

If you had continued reading the words of Ibn Al-Qayyim  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him which seem awkward to you, you would have found the answer to your question. 

After quoting Ibn Taymiyyah as transmitting the two views regarding whether or not the receiver of the act enters Paradise, he said:

The fact of the matter is, it is to be said that if one afflicted with such an affliction repented and returned to Allaah, and was blessed with sincere repentance and righteous deeds, and he was better in his old age than his youth, and he replaced his bad deeds with good deeds, and he washed the shame of that sin from him with a variety of good deeds and acts of worship, and he lowered his gaze and protected his private parts from what is forbidden, and was sincere with Allaah in his interactions, then such a person would be forgiven and he would be among the people of Paradise, as Allaah forgives all kinds of sins. Since repentance does away with all kinds of sins, even idolatry, killing Allaah's Prophets and allies, magic, disbelief and so on, then Allaah's forgiveness will not fall short of forgiving for such a sin …. On the other hand, if the receiver of the act was more evil in his old age than in his youth, and he was not blessed with sincere repentance, or righteous work, or he did not rectify what he had done, or replace his evil deeds with good deeds, then such a person will most likely not be blessed with an ending just before death by which he will be allowed to enter Paradise, as a punishment for his deed, because Allaah punishes for a sin with another sin, and the punishment for sins gets doubled in the same manner that Allaah rewards for a good deed with another good deed. If you look at the case of many dying people, you will find that they are prevented from a good ending to their life as a punishment for them for their evil deeds.” [End of quote]

This statement from Ibn Al-Qayyim  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him shows that he favors the view that the receiver of the act will enter Paradise and his affairs will be set right if he is blessed with repentance. But if he does not repent, then such a person will not be allowed a good ending at the time of death by which he enters Paradise.

Also, these words of Ibn Al-Qayyim  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him do not suggest that one who does not repent from this sin will never enter Paradise, even after being punished if he was a Muslim; rather, such a person is under the Will of Allaah, as Ahl As- Sunnah agree upon. For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 5087 and 88067.

Allaah Knows best.

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