Whoever dies while invoking besides Allah another equal will enter Hellfire · Explained ḥadīths

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بنِ مَسْعُودٍ رضي الله عنه قال: قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَلِمَةً وَقُلْتُ أُخْرَى، قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «مَنْ مَاتَ وَهُوَ يَدْعُو مِنْ دُونِ اللهِ نِدًّا دَخَلَ النَّارَ» وَقُلْتُ أَنَا: مَنْ مَاتَ وَهُوَ لَا يَدْعُو لِلهِ نِدًّا دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ.

‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: "The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said something and I said another thing. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Whoever dies while invoking besides Allah another equal will enter Hellfire.' And I say: 'Whoever dies while not invoking besides Allah another equal will enter Paradise.'"

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Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that whoever devotes anything that must be devoted exclusively to Allah to other than Him, like supplicating other than Allah or seeking relief with other than Him, and dies in this state will be from the dwellers of Hellfire. Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) added that whoever dies while not associating anything with Allah will be eventually admitted to Paradise.

Benefits

Du‘ā’ (supplication) is an act of worship that must be exclusively devoted to Allah Almighty.
The merit of Tawhīd and that whoever dies while upon Tawhīd will be admitted to Paradise, even if punished for some of his sins first.
The danger of Shirk (polytheism) and that whoever dies upon Shirk will enter Hellfire.

Reference

صحيح البخاري (6/ 23) (4497). صحيح مسلم (1/ 94) (92). فتح المجيد شرح كتاب التوحيد، لعبد الرحمن التميمي (ص76). القول المفيد على كتاب التوحيد، لابن عثيمين (1/ 120). الملخص في شرح كتاب التوحيد، لصالح الفوزان (ص47). الجديد في شرح كتاب التوحيد، لمحمد القرعاوي (ص59). التمهيد لشرح كتاب التوحيد، لصالح آل الشيخ (ص42).

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