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As for anyone who says that the killer will remain in the Fire forever, he is mistaken and has departed from the position of Ahl al-Sunnah. Killing does not nullify his prior faith or the righteous deeds he has performed, for evil deeds do not invalidate good deeds. Whoever performs a good deed and dies as a Muslim must receive its reward from Allah. For the Exalted says—and His word is true:

“He will never deprive you of the reward of your deeds.” [Muhammad: 35]

The Exalted also says:

“Whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it.” [al-Zalzalah: 7]
“Whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.” [al-Zalzalah: 8]

And the Exalted says:

“Whoever does righteous deeds while being a believer—his efforts will not be denied their reward.” [al-Anbiyā’: 94]

And He, exalted is the One who speaks, says:

“No soul will be wronged in the least. Even if it be the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it forth. Sufficient are We as reckoners.” [al-Anbiyā’: 47]

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A number of the Companions and those who came after them held that the killer is subject to Allah’s will and that his repentance is accepted. This view is reported from Ibn ‘Abbās, Abū Hurayrah, ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib, Mujāhid, and others.

Those who adopted this view also differed over the status of the two passages mentioned above. Some held that the milder passage abrogated the sterner one. Others held that both remain in force and concern unbelievers. They cited as evidence the mention in both passages of abiding forever in the Fire, which characterizes the punishment of unbelievers, since any believer in Allah’s oneness who enters the Fire must eventually leave it through intercession.

Others held that the passage in al-Furqān concerns unbelievers, whereas the verse in al-Nisā’ concerns Muslims. However, they understood the latter to mean that this is his recompense if Allah punishes him and does not forgive him, as indicated by the words of the Exalted: