Question:
Assalamu wa ‘alaykum Shuyukh Ul-Haqq!
My family is Catholic, I have read about saints of Christianity and I found that many saints coming before revelation of Prophet Muhammad phub. My question is: the Christian saints before Muhammad phub were Muslims and went to Paradise? We provided that Muslims can help the parties who make them?
Barakallahu Fik
Answer:
wa `alaykum salam,
Allah Most High placed them among the righteous when he said:
لَيۡسُواْ سَوَآءً۬ۗ مِّنۡ أَهۡلِ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ أُمَّةٌ۬ قَآٮِٕمَةٌ۬ يَتۡلُونَ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ءَانَآءَ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَهُمۡ يَسۡجُدُونَ (١١٣) يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأَخِرِ وَيَأۡمُرُونَ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَيَنۡهَوۡنَ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنكَرِ وَيُسَـٰرِعُونَ فِى ٱلۡخَيۡرَٲتِ وَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ (١١٤) وَمَا يَفۡعَلُواْ مِنۡ خَيۡرٍ۬ فَلَن يُڪۡفَرُوهُۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمُۢ بِٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ
{They are not all alike. Of the People of the Scripture there is a staunch community who recite the revelations of Allah in the night season, falling prostrate (before Him) They believe in Allah and the Last Day, and enjoin right conduct and forbid indecency, and vie one with another in good works. They are of the righteous. And whatever good they do, they will not be denied the meed thereof. Allah is Aware of those who ward off (evil)} Surat aal-`Imran 3:113-115
There are other verses also referring to them in praising terms.
Hajj Gibril Haddad
