Allah’s love and affection.
1. Will Allah love anyone who will be in Jahannam forever?
2. Will Allah have affection for anyone who will be in Jahannam forever?
Answer
AssalāmuʿAlaykum Wa Raḥmatullāhi Wa Barakātuh
Allāh ﷻ says:
“Surely Allah loves those who are fearful (of His displeasure and punishment)” [al-Qur’ān 3:76]
“Say, (O Prophet Muḥammad) “If you (sincerely) love Allah, then follow me; Allāh will love you and forgive your sins. For Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [al-Qur’ān 3:31]
Based on the aforementioned verse, the love and affection of Allāh ﷻ are attained by fearing Allāh ﷻ whilst having Imān (faith) in Him and following the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ.
The love of Allāh ﷻ, unlike human beings and other creations such as the Jinn-kind and angels, is perfect and complete.
Allāh’s ﷻ love is not temporary and the hereafter is certainly permanent.
Therefore, once a person lives a life in accordance to that of the Prophet ﷺ, he will attain the love of Allāh ﷻ, and as long as he does not do anything to incur the anger of Allāh ﷻ during his lifetime and passes away in the condition that Allāh ﷻ is happy with him and loves him, then such a person will enjoy the permanent nature of Allāh’s ﷻ love and affection.
On the flip side, if during one’s lifetime the anger of Allāh ﷻ was incurred and no amends were made, then such a person will experience the anger and wrath of Allāh ﷻ.
There are two cases with regard to those who will enter the Hellfire:
- Those who had no Imān (faith). They will reside therein forever and will not enjoy the bounty of Allāh’s love and affection, though they will enjoy other bounties such as the mercy and just nature of Allāh ﷻ.
- Those who had Imān (faith) but committed such actions which rendered one liable for punishment. Such people will only be punished to the extent of their wrong-doings by their own choice and Allāh ﷻ will restrict punishments to that which a person incurred by themselves and not increase any punishments beyond that and unjustly. After they have been punished, they will be made to enter Paradise as a result of Allāh’s ﷻ love and affection for them for the mere fact that they had Imān (faith) and believed in Him whereby they will now continue to enjoy the bounty of Allāh’s ﷻ love and affection forever thereafter.