in bringing the dead back to life, and in embracing faith after death. Such an event would have deserved to be transmitted more than other events. Since no trustworthy narrator reported it, it is known to be a lie.

Al-Khatīb al-Baghdādī’s purpose in his book al-Sābiq wa-l-Lāhiq (Earlier and Later Transmitters) is to mention the earlier and later hadith transmitters who narrated from the same person, regardless of whether what they narrated was true or false. Ibn Shāhīn transmits good and bad material alike. Al-Suhaylī mentioned this report only with a chain containing unknown narrators. Moreover, it contradicts the Quran, the authentic Sunnah, and scholarly consensus.

Allah Most High says:

“Allah only accepts the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and then repent soon afterwards. It is those to whom Allah will turn in forgiveness, and Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.”

“But repentance is not for those who continue to do evil deeds until, when death comes to one of them, he says, ‘Indeed, I repent now,’ nor for those who die while they are disbelievers.”

Allah Most High thus makes clear that there is no repentance for one who dies as a disbeliever.

He Most High also says:

“But their faith did not benefit them once they saw Our punishment. That is Allah’s established way with His servants, and there the disbelievers lost.”

He thus declares that His established way with His servants is that faith does not benefit them once they have seen His punishment. How, then, could it benefit them after death? Other scriptural texts convey the same meaning.

In Sahīh Muslim, it is reported:

“A man said to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, ‘Where is my father?’ He replied, ‘Your father is in the Fire.’ When the man turned away, he called him back and said, ‘My father and your father are in the Fire.’”

In Sahīh Muslim, it is also reported that he said:

“I asked my Lord for permission to visit my mother’s grave