Question: Apart from prophets and Allahu ta'ala's dear slaves (the awliya'), will there be people who will enter Paradise without being called to account?
ANSWER
Of the nation (Ummah) of Muhammad 'alaihis-salam, the majority of the Believers who hold the creed of Ahl as-Sunnah will enter Paradise without being brought to account. Our master the Messenger of Allah stated, "He who performs salat, observes fast, goes on pilgrimage [hajj], gives obligatory alms [zakat] willingly and for the sake of Allah will enter Paradise without questioning and without torment."

On the Day of Judgment there will be people who will sit on pulpits made of pearls and whose faces will be glowing with radiant light. Even prophets and martyrs will yearn to be like them.

When our master the Prophet was asked who these people were, he answered, "They are those who gather together though they are from different countries, who love one another for the sake of Allah, and who make remembrance [dhikr] of Allahu ta'ala."

This means to say that happy are those who love one another purely for the sake of Allah, though there is no bond of kinship between them, nor are they from the same country.

The hadith-i sharif "On the Day of Judgment a group of people will pass like the wind over the people gathered at the Place of Assembly and will enter Paradise. They are those who are ready for death every moment" refers to those fortunate people who have paid off all their debts to humans and Allahu ta'ala and wait for death every moment.

When our master the Prophet said that there would be kinds of trials and tribulations, the Blessed Companions asked him what the remedy for salvation from them was. Our master the Messenger of Allah replied:

([The remedy for salvation from them is] to follow scholars in the world. On the Day of Judgment Allahu ta'ala will gather scholars and ascetics [zahids]. He will order ascetics to enter Paradise, and they will go into Paradise. Scholars will remain there. Allahu ta'ala will say to scholars: "The reason why I have left you here is not that I will imprison you. In the world ascetics were busy straightening only themselves out, so in the Hereafter I have forgiven only them. As for you, in the world you were busy with other people besides yourselves. You showed them the way to salvation. Now enter Paradise by taking with you the people who followed you." Scholars will take their friends with them and go to Paradise.) [Al-Anwar]

(On the Day of Judgment, on seats of light will be seen people whose faces will shine like the moon. While everyone is busy with reckoning, they will be quiet cheerful. Angels will ask them, "Which deed elevated you this position?" They will respond, "We do not have so many deeds. But we used to perform five daily prayers properly, shed tears out of love for the Exalted Prophet whenever his name was mentioned, give thanks to Allahu ta'ala for whatever He gave, and endure our poverty patiently. This reward that Allahu ta'ala has given us is in return for two things: one is that we did not set our hearts to the world, and the other is that we loved the Beloved of Allah.") [Al-Anwar]

Of the hadith-i sharifs about those who will enter Paradise without questioning, some are as follows:

(With the intercession of 'Uthman, 70 000 people who are to go to Hell will enter Paradise without any questioning.) [Ibn 'Asakir]

(He who remembers his sins and sheds tears will enter Paradise without being called to account.) [Imam-i Ghazali]

(A student who learns knowledge, a woman who is obedient to his husband, and a child who does good to his parents will enter Paradise with prophets without any questioning.) [Imam-i Rafii]

(A person who observes a fast and breaks his fast [at dusk], a person who eats pre-dawn meal, and a person who is on the watch in the way of Allah will not be called to account for what they eat, provided what they eat is halal.) [Bazzar]

(A person will not be held accountable for the food he consumes at pre-dawn meal, when breaking his fast, and for the food he eats with his friends.) [Imam-i Ghazali]

In fact, everybody will be called to account. But the accounting of some people will be so easy that it cannot be called accounting. For example, martyrs and the Blessed Companions will receive a very light interrogation. It will be asked a person, "Are you one of the Blessed Companions? Are you a martyr?" If so, he/she will say yes and then go into Paradise without going through any trouble.