The people of the epoch are those nations who existed in the time between Messengers, and the message of the previous Messenger did not reach them, nor did they reach the latter Messenger, such as the Bedouins who did not receive the message of ‘Isa, nor did they reach the message of the Prophet, ?. The epoch, by this understanding, includes everyone between two Messengers, and if the jurists speak about it then they mean the people between ‘Isa – may peace be upon him – and Muhammad, ?. [345] “al-Hawi lil-Fatawi” – as-Suyuti (2/253)

The term “people of the epoch” is used by a lot of the scholars for every person who did not receive the Message of God, which would include the children of the polytheists. [346] Some of the people of knowledge differentiate between the ruling of the children of polytheists and other than them from those who were not reached by the call, due to the specific evidence regarding them. Al-Aloosee said, “The Epoch according to all Scholars of Exegetes, refer to the gap between two Messengers.” [347] “Rooh al-Ma’aanee” (3/274)

The positions of the scholars regarding the people of the epoch
The scholars differed regarding them into numerous opinions. From the most well-known are:

The first opinion: That whoever died without the call reaching them is saved.
Those who took this view include Ibn Hazm [348] “al-Fasl” (3/74) , an-Nawawi [349] “Sharh Saheeh Muslim” (16/208) , al-Qurtubee [350] “at-Tadhkirah fi Ahwaal al-Mawta wa Umur al-Akhirah” (2/231) , and Ibn Hajar. And it was mentioned that it was the view that was preferred by al-Bukhaaree. [351] “Fat-h al-Baaree” (3/246)

The second opinion: That whoever died without the call reaching them is destined for Fire.
Ibn al-Qayyim said, “It is an opinion of a group of scholars from the dialectic theologians (scholars of Kalaam), Quranic Exegetes, and one of the two views of the companions of Ahmad. Al-Qaadee attributes directly to Ahmad, but our Scholar faulted him in this attribution.” [352] “Ahkaam Ahl adh-Dhimmah” (2/1092) It is also an opinion of a group of the companions of Aboo Haneefah. [353] “al-Jawaab as-Saheeh” – Ibn Taymiyyah (2/296)

The third opinion: Withholding from ruling upon them, or expressing so by saying that they are subject to the Will of Allah [354] “Ahkaam Ahl adh-Dhimmah” (2/1086)

This is related from Hammad ibn Salamah, Hammad ibn Zayd, Ibn al-Mubaarak, and Is-haaq ibn Rahawayh. Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said, “It is similar to what Maalik outlines in the chapters of predestination in his Muwatta’ and what he relates within it from hadeeths. And it is what most of his companions were upon, but there is no explicit narration from Maalik regarding it, except that his latter companions took the view that the children of Muslims are in paradise, and the children of disbelievers are subject to the Will of Allah, due to few narrations that have been reported regarding that matter.” [355] “at-Tamheed” (18/111)

The fourth opinion: That they will be tested in the court of the day of Judgement, with a fire that Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, will command them to enter. Thus, whoever enters it will find it cool and harmless to them. And whoever does not enter it has disobeyed Allah the Exalted, thus they will be from the people of the hellfire.

This is the opinion of the majority of the righteous predecessors, with al-Ash’aree attributing it to them [356] “al-Ibaanah” (p.34) | “Majmoo’ al-Fataawa” (24/373) | “Ahkaam Ahl adh-Dhimmah” (2/1139) . From those that took this opinion are al-Bayhaqee [357] “al-I’tiqaad” (p.187) , Ibn Taymiyyah [358] “al-Jawaab as-Saheeh” (2/298) | “Majmoo’ al-Fataawa” (24/372) , Ibn al-Qayyim [359] “Tareeq al-Hijratayn” (p.399) , Ibn Katheer [360] “Tafseer Ibn Katheer” (5/53) , and others.

Ibn Taymiyyah said, “Whoever has not had the proof established to them in the worldly life by way of the Divine message, such as children, the insane, or the people of the epochs between Messengers, then regarding them are a number of opinions. The foremost of those is what has come in the narrations, that they will be tested on the day of judgement, whereby they will be sent someone who will command them with obedience, thus if they obey, they will be deserving of rewarded, and if they disobey, they will be deserving of punishment.” [361] “al-Jawaab as-Saheeh” (2/298) | “Majmoo’ al-Fataawa” (24/372)

Ash-Shanqeetee said after giving preponderance to this view, “Reconciling between evidence is obligatory whenever possible with there being no dispute in that, because the implementation of both evidence is better than nullifying one of them. And there is no reconciliation between the evidence except by way of this opinion of their excuse and test.” [362] “Adwaa’ al-Bayaan” (3/75)

The two most important evidence for this position are:

The first evidence: The generality of the Quranic ayaat that indicate the negation of punishment before receiving the divine proof.

There are several ayaat that indicate excusing the people of the epoch due them not being reached by a warner such as the ayah in which Allah says: And We would not punish them until We send a Messenger al-Israa’ :15.

Al-Sa’dee commented on this ayah saying: “Allah -the Exalted- is the Most Just. He will not punish anyone until the Divine proof is established through the Divine message, yet they defy the proof. As for whoever complies with the proof or the proof sent by Allah the Exalted did not reach them, then Allah the Exalted will not punish them. This ayah is used as evidence that the people of the epochs between Messengers, and the children of the polytheists, will not be punished by Allah, until He sends to them a Messenger, because He is entirely free of injustice.” [363] “Tafseer Al-Sa’dee” (p.455)

The second evidence: A number of hadeeths that explicitly show that the people of the epoch and whoever was not reached by the Message will be tested on the day of judgement.

From the most famous is the narration of al-Aswad ibn Saree’ that the Prophet ? said, “On the day of judgement there will be a deaf man who cannot hear anything, a simple-minded man, an aged man, and a man who died during the epoch between Messengers. As for the deaf man, he will say, “My Lord, Islam came, and I did not hear of it.” As for the simple-minded man, he will say, “My Lord, Islam came but the youths would pelt me with excrement.” As for the aged man, he will say, “My Lord, Islam came but I could not recognise anything.” As for the one who died during the epoch between Messengers, he will say, “My Lord, nothing came to me of the Messengers.” He will take their pledge to obey Him, then He will reveal to them that they are to enter themselves into the fire.” He then said, “By the One Who holds the soul of Muhammad in His Hand, if they entered it, it would be cool and harmless to them.” [364] Reported by Ahmad (16301) and Ibn Hibbaan (7357) and at-Tabaraanee (1/287) (844). Ibn Hibbaan authenticated it, as did Al-Albaanee in “Saheeh al-Jaami’” (881), and al-Wadi’I in “as-Saheeh al-Musnad” (19), and Ibn al-Qayyim in “Ahkaam Ahl adh-Dhimmah” (2/1139). Al-Haythamee said in “Mujma’ az-Zawaa’id” that its men are all authentic narrators (7/218), and Ibn Katheer authenticated its chain, and completed it and strengthened it in “Jaami’ al-Masaaneed wa as-Sunan” (443), and Shu’ayb al-Arna’oot graded it as good in his edition of “Musnad Ahmad” (16301).

Ibn Taymiyyah said, “The obligations end upon entering the abode of recompense, which is either Paradise or Hell. As for the courts of the day of judgement then they will be tested in them as they are tested in the grave. So, it will be said to one of them, “Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is your Prophet?” Allah the Exalted said, (On the Day when the Shin will be exposed, they will be called to prostrate but will be unable to do so.) al-Qalam 42-43. [365] “Majmoo’ al-Fataawa” (4/303)

At-Taybi said, “The worldly life, even though it is the abode of trials, can have the realisation of recompense at times, as Allah, Most High, says: And whatever befalls you of affliction then it is what your own hands have sown ash-Shura v30. And this is the case with the afterlife, that even though it is the abode of recompense, there can be trials within it, with the evidence that the grave is the first station of the stations of the afterlife, and there is a test within it.” [366] “Sharh al-Mishkaah” (11/3527)