Praise be to Allah. May peace and blessings be upon His Servant and Messenger, our Prophet Muhammad, upon his family, and Companions. It has become common to publish obituaries and condolences offered to the relatives of the deceased in newspapers. These newspapers refer to the deceased as "the late forgiven" and the like, which indicates that he is of the people of the Jannah (Paradise). It is well­known to whomever is acquainted with the Islamic matters and `Aqidah (creed) that these things are only known to Allah. The `Aqidah of Ahl­ul­Sunnah wal­Jama`ah (those adhering to the Sunnah and the Muslim main body) is that it is not permissible to judge that someone will enter the Jannah or the Hellfire, except for those who have been mentioned in the Ever­Glorious Qur'an such as Abu Lahab, or the ten Companions to whom the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) gave the glad tidings of Jannah. Likewise, it is not permissible to judge that someone is forgiven or pardoned. Instead, one should say "May Allah forgive him," or "May Allah have Mercy upon him," or the like.