Dear respected Shaykh, I hope you are well, I need your advice on a matter please.
My 14 year old daughter was asked a question yesterday at school by a Christian classmate related to a hadith, I am sharing the picture here the girl sent. She asked “is it true all Jews and Christians will be put in Hell Fire to save the Muslims?”
I don’t know how to respond to this. Would you kindly please advise and guide me.
جزاك الله خيرا
Answer:
Assalāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuh.
The narration in question, reported in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, states: The Prophet ﷺ said: “When it will be the Day of Resurrection, Allah would deliver to every Muslim a Jew or a Christian and say: This is your rescue from the Hellfire.”Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
At first glance, especially when seen in isolation or presented without explanation, this wording can sound troubling. A young person might understandably ask whether this means Muslims are saved at the expense of others, or whether Islam teaches something unfair about people of different faiths. However, such a reading does not reflect the broader teachings of Islam, nor the way this narration has been understood by serious scholars.
To begin with, Islam rests upon a very clear and repeated principle: every human being is accountable for their own choices. The Qur’an emphasises this again and again, stating that no soul carries the burden of another. This is not a minor idea, but a foundational rule of divine justice. It means that no one is punished simply so that someone else can be saved. If that were the meaning of this hadith, it would contradict one of the most central teachings of Islam, which is not possible when the religion is understood correctly as a whole.
Because of this, scholars have never taken this narration in a simplistic or literalistic way. Instead, they explained it in light of the wider framework of belief. Some clarified that the hadith refers to people who knowingly rejected truth after it became clear to them, not to all Jews and Christians as entire groups. Others explained that it is a way of expressing that God, in His mercy, may forgive certain believers, while those who persist in disbelief and wrongdoing bear the consequences of their own actions. In other words, it is not about transferring guilt from one person to another, but about the ultimate outcome of divine justice, where each person ends up where their own choices have led them.
It is also important to recognise that religious language, especially in prophetic sayings, sometimes uses vivid or striking expressions to convey deeper realities about the Hereafter. If such texts are read without guidance, they can easily be misunderstood. This is why scholars always insist that individual narrations must be read alongside the Qur’an and the overall message of the Prophet ﷺ.
When we turn to the Qur’an, we find a far more balanced and nuanced picture of people of other faiths. Jews and Christians are referred to as “People of the Book,” and they are not all spoken of in the same way. Some are criticised, particularly those who knowingly reject truth or act unjustly, but others are clearly praised for their sincerity, humility, and righteousness. The Qur’an even describes some among them as people who believe in God and the Last Day and strive to do good. This alone shows that Islam does not teach a blanket condemnation of entire religious communities.
Furthermore, Islam commands Muslims to treat others with fairness, kindness, and dignity. It explicitly teaches that God does not forbid Muslims from being good and just towards those of other faiths who live peacefully with them. This ethical teaching would make little sense if Muslims were meant to view all others as simply condemned or inferior.
Another key point is that, in Islam, ultimate judgement belongs to God alone. Human beings do not have the authority to declare specific individuals or entire groups as destined for Paradise or Hell. A person’s final outcome depends on many factors: what they knew, what opportunities they had, their sincerity, their intentions, and their actions. These are matters only God can fully judge. This perspective encourages humility rather than arrogance, and reflection rather than judgement of others.
For a young Muslim responding to such a question, the most honest and balanced answer would be to say that the hadith is often misunderstood when taken out of context. Islam does not teach that people are punished to save others, nor does it teach hatred towards Jews or Christians. Rather, it teaches that God is perfectly just and merciful, and that every person will be judged fairly based on their own life.
In a school setting, where such questions can sometimes feel confrontational or confusing, it is helpful to respond calmly and thoughtfully. One might say that Islamic teachings are part of a larger system, and that pulling out a single line without explanation can give the wrong impression. Just as in any tradition, deeper understanding requires context, learning, and careful interpretation.
In the end, this hadith, like many others dealing with the unseen realities of the Hereafter, points towards the seriousness of belief and the vastness of divine justice and mercy. It is not a statement meant to encourage superiority or division, but a reminder that outcomes in the next life are based on truth, sincerity, and accountability. When understood in this way, it aligns fully with the Qur’anic message that God is never unjust, and that every soul will receive what it has truly earned.
Such an approach allows a young person to remain confident in their faith while also being respectful, thoughtful, and fair-minded towards others—qualities that are at the very heart of the Prophet’s character.
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