Question:
Assalamualaikum SS Datuk Mufti. Will our family members such as our siblings be assembled together in paradise even when they are of different status and performed different deeds?
Answer:
Waalaikumussalam wrt wbt,
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Allah SWT states:
وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَاتَّبَعَتْهُمْ ذُرِّيَّتُهُم بِإِيمَانٍ أَلْحَقْنَا بِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَمَا أَلَتْنَاهُم مِّنْ عَمَلِهِم مِّن شَيْءٍ
“And those who believed and whose descendants followed them in faith - We will join with them their descendants, and We will not deprive them of anything of their deeds.”
Surah al-Tur (21)
Ibn Abbas R.Anhuma in commenting on the above verse said: “Allah SWT will raise the status of believers of whom are lower in their status and deeds. So, he will feel happy and content with their presence.” Then, he recited the statement of Allah SWT (the above verse).
Ibn Abbas R.Anhuma further said: “They here means the descendants of the believers who died while having faith. Although their parents’ places are higher than theirs, however, they will meet with their parents without reduction of their deeds.” The same opinion is presented by al-Sya’bu, Sa’id bin Jubair, Ibrahim al-Nakha’ie, Qatadah and others. (See Jami’ al-Bayan ‘an Tafsir Ay al-Quran, 22/467)
Ibnu Kathir in his commentary said: “Allah SWT narrates His blessings, generosity, grace and gentleness to all of His creations and His goodness, that if the believers are followed by their descendants, then they will meet with their fathers in a place, even if their deeds do not reach the deeds of their forefathers. This is so that they would feel happy with the presence of their children in their homes. They will be assembled in the best of way, where the people with lesser deeds will be raised to the people with better deeds. This does not decrease the deeds nor the standing of a person that the person with lesser deeds will be the same as the person with better deeds.” (Tafsir al-Quran al-‘Azim, 7/550)
In another verse, Allah SWT states:
جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ يَدْخُلُونَهَا وَمَن صَلَحَ مِنْ آبَائِهِمْ وَأَزْوَاجِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّاتِهِمْ
“Gardens of perpetual residence; they will enter them with whoever were righteous among their fathers, their spouses and their descendants.”
Surah al-Ra’d (23)
Ibnu Kathir said: “It means, Allah SWT assembled them and those who they love in paradise, from their fathers, spouses and descendants who are righteous from among the believers. This is so that they will be happy that they can all assemble together until Allah SWT raised the status of them who are lower through Allah SWT blessings and goodness without decreasing the status of those who are of raised status.” (See Tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘Azim, 4/388)
Conclusion
According to the above evidences, family members of different status and deeds can be assembled together in paradise. They would be assembled without decreasing the status of those who are already of elevated status.
However, we should not think too deeply as to the matters of the unseen such as paradise but focus on the matter that would enable us to enter paradise and prevent us from entering hell. Hopefully, we are from among those who are successful as stated by Allah SWT:
كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ ۗ وَإِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوْنَ أُجُورَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ۖ فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ
“Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So, he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire].”
Surah Ali Imran (185)