Question
Are the parents of the Prophet in Hell? Please answer with decisive evidence.
Fatwa
All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger.
A Hadeeth (narration) on the authority of 'Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, indicated that the father of the Prophet is in Hell. A man came to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam, and asked him about the fate of his father. The Prophet told him that he is in Hell. When the man left, the Prophet called him again and told him that his own father is also in Hell. He did so to relieve the man’s sorrow. [Muslim]
The mother of the Prophet is mentioned in another Hadeeth narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, which states that when the Prophet visited his mother's grave, he wept and those around him also wept. Then he said that he asked permission of His Lord to visit his mother's grave and he was given permission, but He did not grant him permission when he asked Him to plead for her forgiveness. [Muslim]
The Prophet was only forbidden from asking for forgiveness for the people of Hell. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {It is not for the Prophet and those who have believed to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are companions of Hell.} [Quran 9:113]
Ibn Katheer cited many reports narrated by Al-Bayhaqi about the Prophet's visit to his mother's grave. Then he explained that informing the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam, that his father, mother and grandfather, ‘Abd Al-Muttallib are in Hell does not contradict the Hadeeth which states that the people of the Period, meaning the time when no messengers were sent between ‘Eesaa (Jesus), may Allah exalt his mention, and the revelation of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam, the children, the insane and the deaf, will all be tested on the Day of Resurrection. Ibn Katheer mentioned this in detail in his interpretation of the saying of Allah The Almighty (what means): {And never would We punish until We sent a messenger.} [Quran 17:15] This is because some of those people who are to be tested will succeed and thus, enter Paradise, while others will not respond and so will enter Hell.
Those whom the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam, mentioned will be among the latter group. Therefore, we see that there is no contradiction.
And Allah knows best.