How is the noble verse (And you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it) and its interpretation that had they died, they would have been in the Fire, reconciled with the noble verse (And We do not punish until We have sent a messenger)?
Al-Shinqiti clarified that the noble verse: "And you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it," indicates that the Ansar were "two bow-lengths or even nearer" to the Fire, even though they were from the Ahl al-Fatra (people of the interim period). Some people imagined there was a contradiction between this verse and verses that state Allah does not punish anyone before sending a messenger, such as His saying: "And We would not punish until We send a messenger."
He explained that this misapprehension disappears with the advent of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), as no one has an excuse anymore. Whoever does not believe in him, their destiny is the Fire.
Al-Shinqiti refuted those who claimed that the Ansar had a remnant of warning from past messengers that obligated them with the proof, stating that this claim is false. He argued that the texts of the Quran are explicit that no warner came to them before the advent of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), citing several verses, including: "that you may warn a people whose fathers were not warned" and "O People of the Scripture, there has come to you Our Messenger making clear to you [much] of what you used to conceal of the Scripture and overlooking much. There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book."
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/167765