no one who affirms Allah’s oneness will remain in the Fire forever. This is like his saying:
“No one who severs ties of kinship will enter Paradise.”
And his saying:
“You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I tell you something which, if you do it, will make you love one another? Spread greetings of peace among yourselves.”
There are other similar hadiths containing threats of punishment. Accordingly, the hadith applies generally to both disbelievers and Muslims.
If someone says, “Muslims enter Paradise by virtue of their Islam,” the reply is: Not all Muslims enter Paradise without punishment. Rather, those subject to the threat of punishment enter the Fire and remain there for as long as Allah wills, despite not being disbelievers. A man who possesses some faith but has committed major sins may enter the Fire and then leave it, whether through the intercession of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, or otherwise. As he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:
“My intercession is for those of my community who commit major sins.”
And as related in an authentic hadith, he said:
“Whoever has an atom’s weight of faith in his heart will be brought out of the Fire.”
The same applies to the threats of punishment concerning murderers, those who commit unlawful sexual intercourse, those who drink wine, those who devour orphans’ wealth, those who bear false witness, and others who commit major sins. Although they are not disbelievers, they are not among those who deserve Paradise and have been promised entry into it without punishment.
The position of Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamāʿah is that sinful Muslims will not remain in the Fire forever, contrary to what the Khawārij and Muʿtazilah maintain. Nor are they perfect in religion, faith, and obedience. Rather, they have both good deeds and evil deeds, deserving punishment for the latter and reward for the former. This is discussed at length in its proper place. And Allah knows best.