Imam Muslim reported that Yazid al-Faqir said:

“I was obsessed with the view of the Khawarij [1], and we set out in a large group intending to perform Hajj and then going out to the people [for the propagation of the views of the Khawarij]. We happened to pass by Madinah and found Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah [in al-Masjid al-Nabawi] there, resting his back on a pillar, narrating the ahadith of the Prophet (ﷺ) to the people. When he mentioned the Jahannamiyyun (the sinful Muslims who are punished in Hell then released from it and enter Jannah). I said: ‘O companion of the Messenger of Allah, what is this that you narrate whereas Allah says:

إِنَّكَ مَنْ تُدْخِلِ النَّارَ فَقَدْ أَخْزَيْتَهُ

“Our Lord! Indeed, whoever You admit to the Fire — You have disgraced him.” (Ali-Imran 3:192)

And He says:

كُلَّمَا أَرَادُوا أَنْ يَخْرُجُوا مِنْهَا أُعِيدُوا فِيهَا

“Every time they wish to get away from it, they will be returned to it.” (al-Sajdah 32:20) [2]

So what is it that you say?’

Jabir (radiyallahu ‘anhu) said: ‘Do you read the Quran?’ I said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘Have you heard about the praised station (al-Maqam al-Mahmud) of Muhammad ﷺ, i.e. to which Allah will raise him?’ I said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘It is the praised station of Muhammad ﷺ by which Allah will bring out whomsoever He wishes to bring out.’ He then described the Bridge (Sirat) and the passing of the people over it.

Yazid continued: I am afraid I may not remember the details but this much is still in my memory that people would come out of Hell after having gone into it, and he said: ‘They will come out of it as if they were the wood of the ebony tree.’ He said: ‘They will enter one of the rivers of Paradise, bathe in it, and then come out as if they were like paper.’ [Yazid said] We then left and said: ‘Woe be upon you! Do you think this Shaykh is lying against the Messenger of Allah?’ [3] We turned back [from the views of the Khawarij] [4], and by Allah, none of us revolted except one man.”

(Sahih Muslim: Book of Faith, no. 191)

Notes from the Explanation of Sahih Muslim by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Adam al-Ityubi entitled ‘al-Bahr al-Muhit al-Thajjaj’:

[1] Yazid al-Faqir was affected by the way and doubts of the Khawarij. They were called this (Khawarij) because of their rebellion (khuruj) against people, their rebellion against the obedience of the Imam, or their deviation from the belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah. Their opinion is that those who commit major sins will remain eternally in Hell, and no one who enters it will ever come out. This belief is false, contradicting the texts of the Quran and Sunnah, and opposing the belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah.

[2] He intends that the two verses prove that whoever is admitted to Hell will never come out of it. Yazid intended to use this as proof against Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) in denying the concept of intercession (shafa‘ah).

[3] “Do you think the Shaykh is lying about the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?” The Shaykh referred to is Jabir ibn Abdullah (radiyallahu ‘anhu). This is a rhetorical question expressing denial and rejection, meaning it is certainly not believed that he would lie.

[4] Al-Nawawi said: “Its meaning is that we returned from our pilgrimage and did not engage in the opinion of the Khawarij, but rather abstained from it and repented from it, except for one man among us who did not agree with us in refraining from it.”

Shaykh al-Ityubi: It is possible that the meaning is that we repented from the belief of the Khawarij and our determination to call people to it. And Allah knows best.

Something similar happened to Jabir (radiyallahu ‘anhu) with Talq ibn Habib. Imam Ahmad reported in his Musnad with his chain of transmission to Talq ibn Habib who said: “I was one of the people who most strongly denied the concept of intercession up until I met Jabir ibn Abdullah (radiyallahu ‘anhu). I recited to him every verse that Allah mentioned regarding the eternal stay of the people of the Hellfire. He said: ‘O Talq, do you think you are more knowledgeable about the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ than I am?’ I humbled myself before him and said: ‘No, by Allah, you are more knowledgeable about the Book of Allah and his Sunnah than I am.’ He said: “The people mentioned in what you recited are the polytheists, but there are people who committed sins and were punished for them, then they were taken out. May my ears be deaf if I did not hear the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: ‘They will come out of the fire.’ And we recite what you recite.”

Ibn Hibban narrated in his Sahih with an authentic chain of transmission from Amr ibn Dinar, who said: I heard Jabir ibn Abdullah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) say: “I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say with my own ears, and he pointed with his hands to his ears, ‘Allah will bring out people from the Fire and admit them into Paradise.’” A man said to him in Amr’s narration: “But Allah says:

يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَخْرُجُوا مِنَ النَّارِ وَمَا هُم بِخَارِجِينَ مِنْهَا

‘They will want to leave the Fire, but never will they leave from it’ (al-Ma’idah: 37).”

Jabir ibn Abdullah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) replied: “You are making the specific general. This verse refers to the disbelievers. Read what comes before it”, then he recited:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْ أَنَّ لَهُمْ مَا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا وَمِثْلَهُ مَعَهُ لِيَفْتَدُوا بِهِ مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَا تُقُبِّلَ مِنْهُمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ٣٦ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَخْرُجُوا مِنَ النَّارِ  وَمَا هُمْ بِخَارِجِينَ مِنْهَا ٣٧

“Indeed, those who disbelieve, if they had all that is in the earth and the like of it with it to ransom themselves from the punishment of the Day of Resurrection, it would not be accepted from them, and for them is a painful punishment. They will want to leave the Fire, but never will they leave from it” (al-Ma’idah: 36-37).

This is for the disbelievers.”

The Benefits of the Hadith:

1. It indicates that a group of sinful believers will enter Hell.

2. It confirms that those who commit major sins [from the believers] will not remain eternally in Hell, but will eventually be released from it.

3. It establishes intercession for those who commit major sins. Ahmad, Tirmidhi, and Abu Dawud narrated from Anas (radiyallahu ‘anhu) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “My intercession is for those who commit major sins from my nation.” Tirmidhi said: “This Hadith is hasan sahih gharib.”

4. It refutes three groups of innovators:

· It refutes the Khawarij and the Mu’tazilah who assert that those who commit major sins will remain eternally in Hell and that whoever enters it will not come out. They differ in their ruling, as the Khawarij say such a person is a disbeliever, while the Mu’tazilah claim they are in a state between states. However, the result is the same: eternal punishment in Hell. This belief is false and contradicts the texts and the consensus of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah.

· It also refutes the Murji’ah who say that a monotheist will not enter Hell and that sins do not harm faith just as acts of obedience does not benefit disbelief. This is also clear misguidance.

· The truth indicated by the verses of the Quran and authentic Sunnah, and upheld by Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah, is a middle path between extremism and negligence. The one who commits a major sin is a believer due to his faith but a sinner due to his major sin. He is under the will of Allah: if He wills, He may forgive him and admit him to Paradise from the beginning; if He wills, He may enter him into Hell, then release him from it either by His mercy or through the intercession of the intercessors. No one from the people of monotheism will remain eternally in Hell. Allah knows best. To Him is the return, and He is sufficient for us and the best trustee.

Biography of Jabir ibn Abdillah

He is Jabir ibn Abdillah ibn Haram al-Ansari al-Sulami, a companion (sahabi) of the Prophet, and his father was also a companion. He is one of the famous companions and one of the prolific narrators of hadith from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he narrated 1540 hadiths. He narrated the description of Hajj from the Prophet and took great care in doing so.

It is authentically reported that he was among those who witnessed the Pledge of Aqabah and participated in all the battles with the Prophet ﷺ, except for the battles of Badr and Uhud, as his father prevented him from participating to stay with his sisters. Muslim reported from Abu al-Zubayr that he heard Jabir ibn Abdillah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) say: “I fought in nineteen battles with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” Jabir said: “I did not partake in Badr or Uhud because my father prevented me. When [my father] Abdullah was killed on the day of Uhud, I never missed a battle with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ thereafter”.

He had a circle in the mosque of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ wherein he taught hadith and knowledge. He lost his eyesight towards the end of his life and died in Madinah in the year 74 after the hijrah at the age of 94.

Biography of Yazid al-Faqir

He is Yazid Ibn Suhayb, Abu Uthman al-Kufi. He was nicknamed “al-Faqir” because he suffered an injury to his spine (fiqar al-dhahr), which caused him pain and made him walk with a hunch (not to be confused with the commonly used phrase “al-Faqir” which is in reference to the poor and needy).

He narrated from the companions Jabir, Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri, and Ibn Umar. Those who narrated from him include Sayyar Abu al-Hakam, al-Hakam ibn Utaybah, Qays ibn Sulaym, Bassam al-Sayrafi, Mis‘ar, al-Mas‘udi, Abu Hanifah, Muhammad ibn Abi Ayyub al-Thaqafi, al-A’mash, Ja‘far ibn Burqan, and others. Ibn Sa’d said: “He moved from Kufah and settled in Mecca.” Ibn Ma‘in, Abu Zur‘ah, and al-Nasa’i said: “He is trustworthy (thiqah).” Abu Hatim and Ibn Khirash said: “He is truthful (saduq).” Ibn Khirash added: “He is distinguished but not prolific in narration.” Abu Zur‘ah said: “His hadith is recorded [as supportive evidence].” Ibn Hibban included him in his book ‘al-Thiqat’ (The Trustworthy Narrators).

Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, al-Nasa’i, and Ibn Majah have reported his hadiths.