Question Summary:
I was having discussion with some colleagues and there we discussed this point that we being Muslims are not allowed to pray for forgiveness of non-Muslims.

Question Detail:

Muslims are not allowed to pray for forgiveness of non-muslims even if they be the kin. In the dua from Quran, we generally read in salat i.e. “Rabbi Jalni” we ask for the forgiveness of our parents. What if someone has accepted Islam and his parents didn’t, he should then not recite this dua

I was having discussion with some colleagues and there we discussed this point that we being Muslims are not allowed to pray for forgiveness of non-Muslims. One of them insisted that Islam is not that harsh and we are allowed to do so. I then searched for its exact reference in Quran and explained to them providing detail of [At Tawbah:113-114] and following mentioned Hadiths. But again one point was still questioned that we read a dua from Quran in salat i.e.
“RABBI JALNI MUQI MASAALATA WA MIN DHUIRIYATI RABBANA WA TAQABUL DUA
O Lord, Make me and my children steadfast in Salah, Our Lord accept the prayer
 

RABBANAGH FARLI WALIWALIDAIYA WA LIL MUMINNENA YAWMA YAQUMAL HISAAB
Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and the believers on the Day of Judgement.”

In this dua we ask for forgiveness of our parents. The question was what if someone has accepted Islam and his parent’s didn’t then is he allowed to read this dua? Islam has no contradictions. Our lack of knowledge makes us answer less many a times. Kindly help me clarify my concept so that I can clarify to others too.
 

 

Reference Aayats and Hadiths:
 

 

Allah has said in the Qur'an:

"It is not fitting, for the Prophet and those who believe, that they should pray for forgiveness for Pagans, even though they be of kin, after it is clear to them that they are companions of the Fire.

And Abraham prayed for his father's forgiveness only because of a promise he had made to him. But when it became clear to him that he was an enemy to Allah, he dissociated himself from him: for Abraham was most tender-hearted, forbearing."
[At Tawbah:113-114]

We can pray for the Kuffar when they are alive that Allah guides them to Islam, but once they are dead, they have died on the rejection of Allah and we are not allowed to pray for them then.

As the Prophet's parents died while not in a state of Islam:

"This is because of the report of Abu Hurayrah, who said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) visited the grave of his mother, and he wept and those who were with him wept. Then he said, ‘I asked my Lord for permission to pray for forgiveness for her, and He did not grant me permission to do that, and I asked Him for permission to visit her grave, and He gave me permission. So visit the graves, for they are a reminder of death.’[Muslim]
 

 

In Sahi Bukhari its Portion “Kitab ul Munaqib”, Hadiths in “Abu Talib’s Waqia
 

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
Mufti Shafi Saheb Rahmatullahi Allahi Mentions in Mariful Quraan under the commentary of the following verse:
" مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَلَوْ كَانُوا أُولِي قُرْبَى مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْجَحِيمِ - وَمَا كَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لأبِيهِ إِلا عَنْ مَوْعِدَةٍ وَعَدَهَا إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ أَنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ لِلَّهِ تَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُ إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لأوَّاهٌ حَلِيمٌ "
“It is not for the Prophet and those who believe to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even though they should be near relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are companions of the flaming fire ­­- And Ibrahim asking forgiveness for his father was only because of a promise he has made to him, but when it became clear to him that he was an enemy of Allah, he dissociated himself from him. Surely, Ibrahim was most tender-hearted and forbearing”. (Surah Taubah, Verse 114,115)
 
The gist of the commentary of Hadrat Mufti Shafi Saheb Rahmatullahi Allahi:
The event that was the cause or background of the revelation of this ayah has been reported in a narration which appears in the Sahih of Al- Bukhari and Muslim. Abu Talib, the uncle of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had not embraced Islam, yet he continued to support and protect the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم throughout his life. The Holy Prophet  صلى الله عليه وسلم wished that his uncle would somehow recite the kalima and embrace Islam so he would be able to intercede on his behalf and he could have his deliverance from the punishment of Jahannam. When Abu Talib was on his death bed the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was worried. He came close to him in that state of anxiety – but, Abu Jahl and Abdullah ibn Umayyah (disbelieving diehards) were already there. The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم  asked his uncle to recite the kalima so he could seek forgiveness for him. But, Abu Jahl interrupted, would you forsake the faith of Abdul Muttalib. It was in this very condition that he died. Then the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم vowed that he would continue seeking forgiveness for him until he was prohibited from it. There upon, this verse of prohibition was revealed where the Holy Prophet  صلى الله عليه وسلم and all Muslims were prohibited from praying for the forgiveness of kaafirs and mushriks even if they were close relatives. This put some Muslims into doubt. Was it not that Hadhrat Ibrahimعليه السلام  too had prayed for his disbelieving father ? To answer it, the second verse  (114)  was revealed ( ... إِبْرَاهِيم وَمَا كَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ ) In brief it means: as for the prayer made by Hadhrat Ibrahim عليه السلام  for his father, it was conditioned by circumstances. In the beginning Hadhrat Ibrahim  عليه السلام did not know that he would keep on persisting to his disbelief right through the end and would die a disbeliever. In other words, his going to hell was not certain.
That was the time when he vowed that he would pray for his forgiveness ( I shall ask my lord to forgive you … Surah Maryam, Verse 47) Later, when it became clear to Hadhrat Ibrahim   عليه السلام that he was an enemy of  Allah Ta’ala, He decided to become indifferent to him and stopped asking pardon for him. The verses of the Quraan mentioning Hadhrat Ibrahim  عليه السلام praying for the forgiveness of his father, should be taken in the sense that dua was made to Allah Ta’ala so that he may give him the Taufeeq of Imaan and Islam and that he may be forgiven.
 (Mariful Quraan, Vol 4, Page 474 - 476, Darul Uloom Karachi)
 
قال الإمام أحمد: حدثنا عبد الرزاق، حدثنا مَعْمَر، عن الزهري، عن ابن المسيب، عن أبيه قال: لما حَضَرت أبا طالب الوفاة  دخل عليه النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وعنده أبو جهل، وعبد الله بن أبي أمية، فقال: "أيْ عَمّ، قل: لا إله إلا الله. كلمة أحاجّ لك بها عند الله، عز وجل". فقال أبو جهل وعبد الله بن أبي أمية: يا أبا طالب، أترغب عن ملَّة عبد المطلب؟ [قال: فلم يزالا يكلمانه، حتى قال آخر شيء كلمهم به: على (2) ملة عبد المطلب]. (3) فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: "لأستغفرن لك ما لم أُنْهَ عنك". فنزلت: { مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَلَوْ كَانُوا أُولِي قُرْبَى مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْجَحِيمِ } قال: ونزلت فيه:
{ إِنَّكَ لا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ } [القصص: 56] أخرجاه. (4)
 
وقال الإمام أحمد: حدثنا يحيى بن آدم، أخبرنا سفيان، عن أبي إسحاق، عن أبي الخليل، عن علي، رضي الله عنه، قال: سمعت رجلا يستغفر لأبويه، وهما مشركان، فقلت: أيستغفر الرجل لأبويه وهما مشركان؟ فقال: أو لم يستغفر إبراهيم لأبيه؟ فذكرت ذلك للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، فنزلت: { مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ } إلى قوله: { فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ أَنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ لِلَّهِ } قال: "لما مات" ، فلا أدري قاله سفيان أو قاله إسرائيل، أو هو (5) في الحديث "لما مات". (6)
قلت هذا ثابت عن مجاهد أنه قال: لما مات.
(تفسيرابن كثير،دار المفيد, بيروت، ص357،ج2)
 
وقال العوفي، عن ابن عباس في قوله: { مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ } الآية، فإن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أراد أن يستغفر لأمه، فنهاه الله عن ذلك (2) فقال: "فإنّ إبراهيم خليل الله استغفر لأبيه"، فأنزل الله: { وَمَا كَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لأبِيهِ إِلا عَنْ مَوْعِدَةٍ وَعَدَهَا إِيَّاهُ } (3) الآية.
(تفسيرابن كثير،دار المفيد, بيروت، ص358،ج2)
 
وقوله: { فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ أَنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ لِلَّهِ تَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُ } قال ابن عباس: ما زال إبراهيم يستغفر لأبيه حتى مات، فلما تبين له أنه عدو لله تبرأ منه. وفي رواية: لما مات تبين له أنه عدو لله.
(تفسيرابن كثير،دار المفيد, بيروت، ص359،ج2)
 
والحق حرمة الدعاء بالمغفرة للكافر
(الدر المختار،سعيد، ص522-523،ج1)
(فتاوى محموديه،جامعه فاروقيه  ، ص248،ج9)
 
Hence in light of the above it would not be permissible to pray for a person who passes away as a non Muslim.
 
And Allah knows best
Wassalam u Alaikum
Ml. Luqman Hansrot,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah

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