How do some people know that a certain person/group will go to hell?

Question

I often encounter Muslim people here or there who claim that atheists, Christians, Jews, tribal pagans, [insert a group of people], etc. and people who do this and that will go to hell.

Now, I want you to consider the following cases:

• You're born into atheists parents in Scandinavia. You've heard Islam by name. You died at the day after you hit the puberty (so, technically you're not a child at the time you die).
• You're born into a Christian family in the USA. You've always been told that Islam is devil's work and Prophet Muhammed(pbuh) was a pseudoprophet. Thus, you have always had that prejudice towards Islam during your life and this kept you from research Islam deeper.
• You're born into a Muslim family somewhere in the Africa. You've been a victim of female genital mutilation. Parents told you that they did this to you in the name of Allah and it was a part of the faith. Then you're forced to marry with an old creep who used to beat you and rape you often. Later, you're saved by Christian missionaries who brought you to somewhere in the Europe. You converted into Christianity and started to publicly speak against Islam. You never looked back into your old religion due to the traumas you experienced during the childhood.

My question(s) is as follows:

• Can anyone but Allah know who will go to Hell or Heaven ?
• If yes, what is the basis for it? What can be said about the people I mentioned ?
• If not, then doesn't people who easily pass judgement upon others like they have the knowledge of the Allah commit a major sin ? They claim that they are knowledgable on a subject of which only Allah is knowledgable. Moreover, if their judgement turns out to be wrong on the Judgment Day, then they are liars. They might also discourage people who are interested in Islam and thus possibly hinder their conversion.

Please do not take some special cases like Abu Lahab, Prophet Muhammed(pbuh) and some companions etc. into account when answering. We know the decision about them only because it was revealed by Allah.

Answer 1

1. No

2. The following Hadith from Sahih Bukhari is the basis.

...but by Allah, I do not know what Allah will do with me though I am Allah's Apostle.... (Source Bukhari Volume 2, Book 23, Number 334 )

What can be said about the people I mentioned ? Well, the people who haven't heard of Islam will be tested on the Final day (Full post here). But those who heard about Islam but denied it are arrogant that they don't even make efforts to do the basic research (Qur'an 67:9) and blindly follow what their parents tell them (Qur'an 2:170).

A possible explanation could be the following. In the Qur'an we can find many verses saying Allah guides not the people who are Fasiqoon / Zalimoon. (e.g. 3:86, 62:5 etc.). If Allah doesn't guide, how can you expect a person will find out about the right path?

We have certainly created man into hardship.... And have shown him the two ways? But he has not broken through the difficult pass. [Qur'an 90]

If they would've been righteous and made efforts to explore / follow at least their own religions perfectly, perhaps Allah would have guided them. But nevertheless, Allah guides people as he wishes. (Qur'an 6:39).

3. Yes.

For a better understanding, read the complete Qur'an.

Allah knows the best.

Answer 2

First:

1. No one except Allah, know if someone will be in hell or not.

2. Muslims you encounter saying that Jews and other people having different religions will you go to hell have their reason, in which Allah, in the Quran promises anyone who does polythesim or Shirk Intentionally , will go to hell.

3. Now, people or examples you mentioned are very logical examples, and there is an answer. Allah says in the Quran:

"مَّنِ اهْتَدَىٰ فَإِنَّمَا يَهْتَدِي لِنَفْسِهِ ۖ وَمَن ضَلَّ فَإِنَّمَا يَضِلُّ عَلَيْهَا ۚ وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ ۗ وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّىٰ نَبْعَثَ رَسُولًا"

In English :

"15) Who receiveth guidance, receiveth it for his own benefit: who goeth astray doth so to his own loss: No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another: nor would We visit with Our Wrath until We had sent an messenger (to give warning)."

So what would happen to the people who knew about Islam before their death by one hour or they knew that Islam is a bad religion that encourages people to be terrorists.

As the Verse says, Allah will never punish anyone, until he sends a profit.

How ? And these people are dead ?

In the Quran , Allah says that Judgment day is 50.000 years long:

{"يوم كان مقداره خمسين ألف سنة}"

"The angels and the spirit ascend unto him in a Day the measure whereof is (as) fifty thousand years"

These fifty thousands years are the answers. Muslim Scholars say that anyone who did not get to see or know what Islam religion really is, will have a prophet sent to them, and they either accept or refuse, like you now have the choice.

Regardless, When these fifty thousands years come, for Muslims, it will not be as horrible for us as for the others, from people who committed polythesim or any other reprehensible acts like Shirk.

Because prophet Muhammed was once asked about this thing he said:

"وروى الإمام أحمد، وأبو يعلى، وابن حبان في صحيحه، عن أبي سعيد الخدري - رضي الله عنه - عن رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - أنه قال: {يوم كان مقداره خمسين ألف سنة} [المعارج: 4] فقيل: ما أطول هذا اليوم؟ فقال النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم -: «والذي نفسي بيده إنه ليخفف على المؤمن حتى يكون عليه أخف من صلاة مكتوبة» ."

By which he means, for Muslims, these fifty thousands years will be easier and faster till the point it will be easier than the 5 prayers we do each day.

Hope this answers your questions.

Answer 3

My shortest answer is that God Almighty knows where you are going after you say goodbye to this life forever well not forever because you’ll be brought back on the day of resurrection. And if you heard someone saying that you are going to hell even though you committed a huge sin, you can tell him or her: what’s your proof? And of course you’ll find the answer where you’ll go on the day of judgement when God Almighty Has wipeout every living thing in the Universe and the Universe itself too. So not even you, neither others knows exactly only God Almighty knows exactly exactly. And whatever you hear a bad thing about Islam from others is because they don’t understand it and because ISIS made them to no longer want to become Muslims because they’ll think they have become “terrorists”.