Is it true that whoever dies in Ramadhaan will enter Jannah without account? Even non Muslims?

by Asma bint Shameem

It is true that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Whoever fasts one day seeking the Face of Allaah and that was his final action, will enter Jannah.” (Ahmad 22813; saheeh by al-Albaani)

So whoever believes in Allaah Alone, does good deeds and is a PRACTICING Muslim and he dies while he’s fasting, we hope that he will enter Jannah.

But to generalize this hadeeth and apply it to all, is NOT CORRECT.

And it certainly does NOT apply to non-Muslims.

QUESTION?

But what about the hadeeth of the Prophet ﷺ:

“When the month of Ramadhaan begins, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hellfire are closed and the devils are chained.” (al-Bukhaari 3035, Muslim 1793)

Doesn’t that mean that if a person dies in Ramadhaan, he will straight away enter Jannah because the doors of Jannah are open and doors of Hell are closed?

🌿ANSWER 🌿

That hadeeth is authentic.

But that is NOT the correct understanding of the hadeeth.

And it does NOT apply to those who were disobedient to Allaah.

The scholars explain that the gates of Jannah being opened means that Allaah is ENCOURAGING us to obey Him and strive in His Path.

And saying that the gates of Hell are closed, we’re hopeful of Allaah’s Mercy and Forgiveness and so we’ll push ourselves harder to stay away from SIN.

Allaah is ready to forgive anyone and everyone, whoever makes SINCERE Taubah ALL the time but especially so in the month of Ramadhaan.

And the scholars say that it ALSO means that Allaah makes it EASY for the believers to do good deeds and to stay away from bad ones, because the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.

🍃Ibn Taimiyyah said:

“That is only because in the month of Ramadhaan, people are motivated to do good and righteous deeds, through which, and because of which, the gates of Paradise are opened, and they are discouraged from doing evil, because of which the gates of Hell are opened.

The devils are chained up, so they are not able to do what they usually do when people are not fasting, for the one who is chained up is restricted, and they are only able to gain control over the sons of Adam because of whims and desires, so if people refrain from whims and desires, the devils are chained up.”

(Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa 14/167)

The hadeeth does NOT mean that just because someone died in Ramadhaan, will enter Jannah right away, without account, even if they commit major sins or live a life of evil or disobedience.

The ones who will enter Jannah are those that believed in Allaah Alone, without associating partners with Him and believed and FOLLOWED the Prophet ﷺ and his teachings.

So LIVING and PRACTICING Islaam is the KEY.

As for the Muslims who committed major sins, they will EVENTUALLY enter Jannah AFTER being PURIFIED in HellFire, for as long as Allaah seems fit for the person, to purify him.

But that’s as long as the person DID NOT commit SHIRK.

🍃The Prophet ﷺ said:

“it will be said to me: ‘O Muhammad, raise your head. Speak, you will be heard; ask, it will be given to you; intercede and your intercession will be accepted.’

I will say: ‘O Lord, my ummah, my ummah.’

It will be said to me: ‘Go, and whoever has in his heart faith the weight of a grain of mustard-seed, bring him out therefrom.’

So I will go and do that, then I will come back to my Lord and I will praise Him with those words of praise, then I will fall down prostrating to Him, and it will be said to me: ‘O Muhammad, raise your head.

Speak, you will be heard; ask, it will be given to you; intercede and your intercession will be accepted.’

I will say: ‘O Lord, my ummah, my ummah.’ It will be said to me: ‘Go, and whoever has in his heart faith that is smaller, smaller, smaller than a grain of mustard-seed, bring him out of the Fire.’ And I will go and do that.” (al-Bukhaari 4476, Muslim 193)

🍃Someone asked Shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen about a person who dies in Ramadhaan entering Jannah right away.

He said:

“That is not the case.

Rather what this means is that the gates of Paradise are opened to encourage people to strive hard, so that they can enter it, and that the gates of Hell are closed, so as to encourage the believers to refrain from sin, so that they will not go through these gates.

That does NOT mean that the one who dies in Ramadhaan will enter Paradise without being brought to account;

rather those who will enter Paradise without being brought to account are those whom the Messenger ﷺ described when he said:

“They are the ones who do not ask others to perform ruqyah for them, or believe in omens, or use cautery, and they put their trust in their Lord”, in addition to their doing the righteous deeds that are enjoined upon them.”

Those who did NOT believe in Allaah or committed Shirk, will NEVER enter Jannah even if they died in Ramadhaan.

🍃Allaah says:

“And whoever seeks a religion OTHER than ISLAAM, it will NEVER be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers” (Aal ‘Imraan 3:85)

🍃And Shaykh ibn Al-‘Uthaymeen also said:

“I don't know anything about this. The Ahaadeeth which have come regarding death on Friday are all inauthentic.

Similarly, for the one who dies during Ramadhaan, I don't know anything about this which would indicate a specific virtue.

However, it is hoped for him that if he dies fasting and upright, then great good is hoped for him.

But I don't know of anything specific regarding dying in Ramadhaan.

As for dying on Friday night or during the day on Friday, some reports have been narrated regarding that which are not authentic.”

(Fataawaa Noor ‘Alaa Ad-Darb 13/477)

And Allaah knows best