Q 3: Allah (Exalted be He) says: The fornicatress and the fornicator, flog each of them with a hundred stripes. He (Exalted be He) also says: And those who accuse chaste women, and produce not four witnesses, flog them with eighty stripes He further says: And (as for) the male thief and the female thief, cut off (from the wrist joint) their (right) hands as a recompense for that which they committed, a punishment by way of example from Allâh. And Allâh is All-Powerful, All-Wise. (Part No. 1; Page No. 728) What is Allah's ruling on the Day of Resurrection on those who commit these major sins and die without repenting or being subject to the above-mentioned punishments?

A: The `Aqidah (Creed) of Ahl-ul-Sunnah wal-Jama`ah (adherents to the Sunnah and the Muslim mainstream) in this regard is that any Muslim who dies persisting in committing one of the major sins like Zina (sexual intercourse outside marriage), Qadhf (falsely accusing a chaste person of illegal sexual intercourse outside marriage) or theft, will be left to the Will of Allah (Exalted be He); if He wills, He will forgive them and if He wills, He will torture them for the major sin on which they died. Yet, their final resort will be in Jannah (Paradise), for Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says: Verily, Allâh forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills There are also Sahih (authentic) and Mutawatir (Hadith reported by a significant number of narrators throughout the Isnad, whose agreement upon a lie is impossible) indicating that sinners who believe in the Oneness of Allah will be taken out of Hell-fire, in addition to the Hadith reported on the authority of `Ubadah ibn Al-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) who narrated: We were sitting with the Prophet (peace be upon him) and he said: "Will you give me your pledge of allegiance not to worship anything along with Allah, not to commit Zina or to steal?" Then, he recited the Ayah from Surah Al-Nisa', (i.e. the mentioned Ayah). In the narration of Sufyan, he stated, "Then, he recited the Ayah". The Prophet (peace be upon him) continued, Whoever among you fulfills his pledge, will receive his reward from Allah; and whoever commits any of those sins and receives the legal punishment (in this life), his punishment will be an expiation for that sin; and whoever commits any of those sins and Allah screens him, then it is up to Allah to punish or forgive him. (Part No. 1; Page No. 729) May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.