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Articles The Hereafter Hellfire
- By Imam Mufti
- Published on 15 May 2006
- Last modified on 25 Jun 2019
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Islam teaches that Hell is a real place prepared by Godfor those who do not believe in Him, rebel against His laws, and reject Hismessengers. Hell is an actual place, not a mere state of mind or a spiritualentity. The horrors, pain, anguish, and punishment are all real, but differentin nature than their earthly counterparts. Hell is the ultimate humiliationand loss, and nothing is worse than it:
"Our Lord! Surely, whom You admit to the Fire, indeed Youhave disgraced him, and never will the wrongdoers find any helpers." (Quran 3:192)
"Know they not that whoever opposes God and His Messenger(Muhammad), certainly for him will be the Fire of Hell to abide therein? Thatis the extreme disgrace." (Quran 9:63)
The Names of Hell
Hell Fire has different names in Islamic texts. Eachname gives a separate description. Some of its names are:
Jaheem – fire - because of its blazing fire.
Jahannam - Hell - because of the depth of its pit.
Ladthaa - blazing fire - because of its flames.
Sa’eer - blazing flame - because it is kindledand ignited.
Saqar - because of the intensity of its heat.
Hatamah - broken pieces or debris - because itbreaks and crushes everything that is thrown into it.
Haawiyah - chasm or abyss - because the one whois thrown into it is thrown from top to bottom
Paradise and Hell Presently Exist and are Eternal
Hell exists at the present time and will continue to existforever. It will never die down, and its inhabitants will remain in it forever.No one will come out of Hell except sinful believers who believed in theOneness of God in this life and believed in the specific prophet sent to them(before the coming of Muhammad). The polytheists and unbelievers will reside init forever. This belief has been held from classical times and is based onclear verses of the Quran and confirmed reports from the Prophet of Islam. TheQuran speaks of Hell in the past tense and states that it has already beencreated:
"And fear the Fire which is prepared for the disbelievers."(Quran 3:131)
The Prophet of Islam said:
"When any of you dies, he is shown his position (inthe Hereafter) morning and evening. If he is one of the people of Paradise, heis shown the place of the people of Paradise. If he is one of the people ofHell, he is shown the place of people of Hell. He is told, ‘this is your position,until God resurrects you on the Day of Resurrection." (Saheeh Al-Bukhari,Saheeh Muslim)
In another report, the Prophet said:
"Surely, the soul of a believer is a bird hangingon the trees of Paradise, until God returns it to his body on the Day ofResurrection." (Muwatta of Malik)
These texts make it clear that Hell and Paradise exist, and that souls may enter them before the Day of Resurrection. Speaking ofHell’s eternity, God says:
"They will long to leave the Fire, but never will they leave therefrom; and theirs will be a lasting torment." (Quran 5:37)
"…And they will never leave of the Fire." (Quran 2:167)
"Surely, those who disbelieve and did wrong; God will notforgive them, nor will He guide them to any way except the way of Hell, todwell therein forever." (Quran 4:168-169)
"Surely, God has cursed the disbelievers, and has prepared forthem a flaming Fire wherein they will abide for ever." (Quran 33:64)
"And whosoever disobeys God and His Messenger, then surely,for him is the fire of Hell, he shall dwell therein forever." (Quran 72:23)
The Keepers of Hell
Mighty and stern angels stand over Hell who neverdisobey God. They do precisely as ordered. God says:
"O you who believe, save yourselves and your families from aFire whose fuel is men and stones over which are (appointed) angels, stern andsevere, who flinch not (from executing) the commands they receive from God, butdo (precisely what) they are commanded." (Quran 66:6)
They are nineteen keepers of Hell as God says:
"Soon I will cast him into Hell Fire. And what will explainto you what is Hellfire? Nothing does it allow to endure, and nothing does itleave alone! Darkening and changing the color of man! Over it are nineteen(angels as keepers of Hell)." (Quran 74:26-30)
One should not think that the inhabitants of Hell willbe able to overcome the keepers of Hell because there are just nineteen of them.Everyone of them has the strength to subdue all humanity by himself. Theseangels are called the Guards of Hell by God in the Quran:
"And those in the Fire will say to the Guards of Hell, ‘Callupon your Lord to lighten for us the torment for a day!’" (Quran 40:49)
The name of the chief angel guarding over Hell is Malik,as mentioned in the Quran:
"Surely, the disbelievers will be in the torment of Hell toabide therein forever. (The torment) will not be lightened for them, and theywill be plunged into destruction with deep regrets, sorrows and in despairtherein. We wronged them not, but they were the wrongdoers. And they willcry: ‘O Malik! Let your Lord make an end of us’ He will say: ‘Surely, you shallabide forever.’ Indeed We have brought the truth to you, but most of you havea hatred for the truth" (Quran 43:74-78)
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Description: The location, size, levels, gates and fuel of Hell, aswell as the clothing of its inhabitants.
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Articles The Hereafter Hellfire
- By Imam Mufti
- Published on 22 May 2006
- Last modified on 25 Jun 2019
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Its Location
There is no exact mention from the Quran or the sayingsof Prophet Muhammad which pinpoint the location of Hell. No one knows itsexact place except God. Due to some linguistic evidence and context of certainhadeeth, some scholars have stated that Hell is in the heavens, yet others sayit is in the lower earth.
Its Size
Hell is huge and immensely deep. We know this through severalways.
First, innumerable people will enter Hell, each, asdescribed in a hadeeth, with the molar teeth as large as Uhud (a mountain in Medina)[1]The distance between the shoulders of its inhabitants has also been describedas being equivalent to three days of walking.[2]Hell will house all the unbelievers and sinners from the beginning of time andthere will still be room for more. God says:
"On the Day when We will say to Hell: ‘Are you filled?’ Itwill say, ‘Are there any more (to come)?’" (Quran 50:30)
The Fire of Hell is likened to a mill that grindsthousands and thousands of tons of grain and then waits for more to come.
Second, a stone thrown from the top of Hell will take a verylong time to reach the bottom. One of the companions of the Prophet, may themercy and blessings of God be upon him, describes how they were sitting withthe Prophet and heard the sound of something falling. The Prophet inquired ifthey knew what it was. When they expressed their lack of knowledge, he said:
"That was a stone thrown into Hell seventy yearsago and it is yet in the way (the other side) of Hell until now."[3]
Another report states:
"If a stone as big as seven pregnant camels wasthrown from the edge of Hell, it would fly through it for seventy years, andyet it would not reach the bottom."[4]
Third, a great many angels will bring Hell on the Day ofResurrection. God speaks of it:See AlsoHow Is Hell (Jahannam) Described in the Quran?How Jahannam (Hell-fire) is depicted in the Quran and SunnahThe 7 Levels of JahannamHell - Islamic Beliefs, Afterlife, Judgment | Britannica
"And Hell will be brought near that Day…" (Quran 89:23)
The Prophet said:
"Hell will be brought forth that Day by means ofseventy thousand ropes, each of which will be held by seventy thousand angels."[5]
Fourth, another report that indicates the vast size ofHell is that the sun and moon will be rolled up in Hell on the Day ofResurrection.[6]
Its Levels
Hell has various levels of heat and punishment, each isreserved according to the extent of their disbelief and sins of those beingpunished. God says:
"Surely, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths (grade)of the Fire." (Quran 4:145)
The lower the level of Hell, the greater is theintensity of heat. Since the hypocrites will suffer the worst punishment, so willthey be in the lowest part of Hell.
God refers to the levels of Hell in the Quran:
"For all will be (ranked) by degrees according to what theydid." (Quran 6:132)
"Is one who seeks the good pleasure of God then like the onewho draws on himself the wrath of God? His abode is Hell – and worst, indeed,is that destination! They are in varying grades with God, and God is All-Seerof what they do." (Quran 3:162-163)
The Gates of Hell
God speaks of seven Gates of Hell in the Quran:
"And surely, Hell is the promised place for them all. It hasseven gates, for each of these gates is a class of sinners assigned." (Quran15:43-44)
Each gate has an allotted share of the damned who willenter through it. Each will enter according to his deeds and assigned a levelof Hell accordingly. When the unbelievers are brought to Hell, its gates willopen, they will enter it, and stay in it forever:
"And those who disbelieved will be driven to Hell in groupsuntil, when they reach it, its gates are opened and its keepers will say, ‘Didthere not come to you messengers from yourselves, reciting to you the verses ofyour Lord and warning you of the meeting of this Day of yours?’ They will say,‘Yes, but the word (meaning the decree) of punishment has come into effect uponthe disbelievers.’" (Quran 39:71)
They will be told after admission:
"Enter the gates of Hell to abide eternally therein, andwretched is the residence of the arrogant." (Quran 39:72)
The gates will be shut and there will be no hope of escapeas God says:
"But those who reject Our signs, they are the companions ofthe left hand. On them will be Fire vaulted over (meaning the gates will belocked).[7]"(Quran 90:19-20)
Furthermore, God says in the Quran:
"Woe to every scorner and mocker, who collects wealth and(continuously) counts it. He thinks that his wealth will make him immortal. No!He will surely be thrown into the Crusher. And what can make you know what isthe Crushers? It is the fire of God, (eternally) fueled, Which mounts directedat the hearts. Indeed, it (Hellfire) will be closed down upon them in extendedcolumns." (Quran 104:1-9)
The gates of Hell are also closed before the Day of Judgment.The Prophet of Islam spoke of them closing in the month of Ramadan.[8]
Its Fuel
Stones and stubborn unbelievers make the fuel of Hell asGod says:
"O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your familiesfrom a Fire whose fuel is people and stones..." (Quran 66:6)
"…then fear the Fire, whose fuel is men and stones, preparedfor the disbelievers." (Quran 2:24)
Another source of fuel for Hell will be the pagan gods thatwere worshipped besides God:
"Indeed, you (disbelievers) and what you worship other thanGod are the firewood of Hell. You will be coming to (enter) it. Had these(false deities) been (actual) gods, they would not have come to it, but all areeternal therein." (Quran 21:98-99)
The Clothing of its Inhabitants
God tells us that the dress of the people of Hell willbe garments of fire tailored for them:
"…But those who disbelieved will have cut out for themgarments of fire. Poured upon their heads will be scalding water." (Quran22:19)
"And you will see the criminals that Day bound together inshackles, their garments of liquid pitch (melted copper) and their facescovered by the Fire." (Quran 14:49-50)
Footnotes:
[1]Saheeh Muslim
[2]Saheeh Muslim
[3]Mishkat
[4]Sahih al-Jami’
[5]Saheeh Muslim
[6]Tahawi in Mushkal al-Aathaar, Bazzar, Baihaqi, and others.
[7]Based on the explanation of Ibn Abbas (‘Tafsir Ibn Kathir’).
[8]Tirmidhi.
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Description: The heat of Hell, and the food and drink prepared forits inhabitants.
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Articles The Hereafter Hellfire
- By Imam Mufti
- Published on 29 May 2006
- Last modified on 25 Jun 2019
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The intense heat, food, and drink of the people of Hell isdescribed in Islamic religious sources.
Its Heat
God says:
"And the companions of the left – what are the companions ofthe left? (They will be) in scorching fire and scalding water and a shade ofblack smoke, neither cool nor beneficial." (Quran 56:41-44)
Everything people use to cool down in this world – air,water, shade – will be useless in Hell. The air of Hell will be hot wind andthe water will be boiling. The shade will not be comforting or cooling, theshade in Hell will be the shadow of black smoke as mentioned in the verse:
"And shadow of black smoke." (Quran 56:43)
In another passage, God says:
"But he whose balance (of good deeds) will be light, will havehis home in a (bottomless) pit. And what will explain to you what this is? (Itis) a Fire blazing fiercely." (Quran 101:8-11)
God describes how the shade of Hell’s smoke will riseabove the Fire. The smoke that rises from Hell will be divided into threecolumns. Its shade will neither cool nor offer any protection from the raging Fire.The flying sparks will be like huge castles similar to string of marchingyellow camels:
"Proceed to a shadow (of smoke) having three columns (buthaving) no cool shade and availing not against the flame. Indeed, it throwssparks (as huge) as a fortress, as if they were yellow camels (marchingswiftly)." (Quran 77:30-33)
The Fire consumes everything, leaving nothing untouched.It burns skin reaching all the way to the bones, melting the contents of thestomach, leaping up to the hearts, and exposing the vital organs. God speaksof the intensity and affect of the Fire:
"I will drive him into Hellfire. And what can make you knowwhat is Hellfire? It lets nothing remain and leaves nothing (unburned),altering the skins." (Quran 74:26-29)
The Prophet of Islam said:
"Fire as we know it is one seventieth part of theFire of Hell. Someone said, ‘O Messenger of God, it is enough as it is!’ Hesaid, ‘It is as if sixty-nine equal portions were added to fire as we know it.’"(Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
The Fire never extinguishes:
"So taste you (the results of your evil deeds). No increaseshall We give you except in torment." (Quran 78:30)
"…Whenever it abates, We shall increase for them thefierceness of the Fire." (Quran 17:97)
The torment will never be reduced and the unbelieverswill not have any break:
"…Their torment shall not be lightened nor shall they behelped." (Quran 2:86)
The Food of its Inhabitants
The food of the people of Hell is described in theQuran. God says:
"No food will there be for them except from a bitter, thornyplant which neither nourishes nor avails against hunger." (Quran 88:6-7)See AlsoJahannam - New World Encyclopedia
The food will neither nourish nor taste good. It willonly serve as a punishment to the people of Hell. In other passages, Goddescribes the tree of zaqqum, a special food of Hell. Zaqqum isa repulsive tree, its roots go deep into the bottom of Hell, its branchesstretching all over. Its ugly fruit is like the heads of the devils. He says:
"Indeed, the tree of zaqqum is food for the sinful,like murky oil, it boils within bellies, like the boiling of scalding water."(Quran 44:43-46)
"Is that (Paradise) better as hospitality or the tree of zaqqum?Indeed, We have made it a torment for the wrongdoers. Indeed, it is a treeissuing from the bottom of the Hellfire, its emerging fruit as if it was headsof the devils. And, indeed, they will eat from it and fill with it theirbellies. Then, indeed, they will have after it a mixture of scalding water. Then,indeed, their return will be to the Hellfire." (Quran 37:62-68)
"Then indeed you, O those astray (who are) deniers, will beeating from trees of zaqqum and filling with it your bellies, and drinking ontop of it from scalding water, and will drink as the drinking of thirstycamels. That is their hospitality on the Day of Recompense." (Quran 56:51-56)
People of Hell will get so hungry that they will eatfrom the obnoxious tree of zaqqum. When they will fill their bellies with it,it will start to churn like boiling oil causing immense suffering. At thatpoint they will rush to drink extremely hot water. They will drink it likethirsty camels, yet it will never quench their thirst. Rather their internalswill be torn. God says:
"…They will be given to drink boiling water, so that it cutsup their bowels (to pieces)." (Quran 47:15)
The thorny bushes and zaqqum will choke them and stick intheir throats because of their foulness:
"Surely, with us are fetters (to bind them) and a ranging Fire(to burn them), and a food that chokes and a penalty grievous." (Quran73:12-13)
The Prophet of Islam said:
"If a drop from zaqqum were to land in this world,the people of earth and all their means of sustenance would rot. So how mustit be for one who must eat it?" (Tirmidhi)
Another food served to the people of Hell will befestering puss that oozes out of their skin, the discharge that flows from theprivate parts of adulterers and the decaying skin and flesh of those beingburnt. It is the "juice" of the people of Hell. God says:
"So no friend has he here this Day, nor has he any food exceptfilth from the washing of wounds which none do eat but those in sin." (Quran69:35-37)
"This – so let them taste it – is scalding water and (foul)purulence. And other (punishments) of its type (in various) kinds." (Quran38:57-58)
Lastly, some sinners will be fed fire from Hell as apunishment. God says:
"Indeed, those who devour the property of orphans unjustly areonly consuming into their bellies fire." (Quran 4:10)
"Indeed, they who conceal what God has sent down of the Bookand exchange it for a small price – those consume not into their bellies exceptthe Fire." (Quran 2:174)
Its Drink
God tells in the Quran about the drink of people of Hell:
"They will be given to drink boiling water, so that it cuts uptheir bowels (to pieces)." (Quran 47:15)
"…And if they call for relief, they will be relieved withwater like murky oil, which scalds (their) faces. Wretched is the drink, andevil is the resting place." (Quran 18:29)
"Before him is Hell, and he will be given a drink of purulentwater. He will gulp it but will hardly (be able to) swallow it. And deathwill come to him from everywhere, but he is not to die. And before him is amassive punishment." (Quran 14:16-17)
"A boiling fluid and fluid dark, murky, intensely cold."(Quran 38:57)
The types of drink people of Hell will get to drink areas follows:
·Extremely hot water as God says:
"They will go around between it and scalding water, heated (tothe utmost degree)." (Quran 55:44)
"They will be given drink from a boiling spring." (Quran 88:5)
·Flowing puss from the flesh and skin of anunbeliever. The Prophet said:
"Anyone who drinks intoxicants will be made todrink the mud of khabal. They asked, ‘O Messenger of God, what is the mudof khabal?’ He said, ‘The sweat of the people of Hell’ or the ‘juice ofthe people of Hell.’" (Saheeh Muslim)
·A drink like boiling oil described by the Prophetas:
"It is like boiling oil, when it is brought near aperson’s face, the skin of the face falls off into it." (Musnad Ahmad,Tirmidhi)
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Articles The Hereafter Hellfire
- By Imam Mufti
- Published on 23 Jul 2006
- Last modified on 25 Jun 2019
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The intensity of the fire of Hell will be such thatpeople will be willing to give up their dearest possessions to escape it:
"Indeed, those who disbelieve and die while they are disbelievers– never would the (whole) capacity of the earth in gold be accepted from one ofthem if he would (seek to) ransom himself with it. For those there will be apainful punishment, and they will have no helpers." (Quran 3:91)
The Prophet of Islam said:
"One of the people of Hell who found most pleasurein the life of this world will be brought forth on the Day of Resurrection andwill be dipped into the Fire of Hell. Then he will be asked, ‘O son of Adam,have you ever seen anything good?’ Have you ever enjoyed any pleasure?’ Hewill say, ‘No, by God, O Lord."[1]
Few moments in Hell and the person will forget all thegood times they had. The Prophet of Islam informs us:
"On the Day of Resurrection, God will ask the one whose punishmentin the Fire is lightest, ‘If you had whatsoever you wanted on earth, would yougive it to save yourself?’ He will say, ‘Yes.’ God will say, ‘I wanted lessthan that from you when you were still in the loins of Adam, I asked you not toassociate anything in worship with Me, but you insisted on associating othersin worship with Me.’"[2]
The horror and intensity of the Fire is enough to make aman lose his mind. He would be willing to give up everything he holds dear tosaved from it, but he never will be. God says:
"The criminal will wish that he could be ransomed from the punishmentof that Day by his children, and his wife and his brother, and his nearestkindred who shelter him, and all – all that is on earth – so it could save him.No! Indeed, it is the Flame (of Hell), plucking out (his being) tight to theskull!" (Quran 70:11-16)
The punishments of Hell will vary in degree. Thetorment of some levels of Hell will be greater than others. People will be putin a level according to their deeds. The Prophet of Islam said:
"There are some whom the Fire will reach theirankles, others up to their knees, others up to their waists, and yet others upto their necks."[3]
He spoke of the lightest punishment in Hell:
"The person who will receive the least punishmentamong the people of Hell on the Day Resurrection will be a man, a smolderingember will be placed under the arch of his foot. His brains will boil becauseof it."[4]
This person will think no one else is being punishedmore severely than himself, even though he will be the one receiving thelightest punishment.[5]
Many verses of the Quran speak of various levels of punishmentfor the people of Hell:
"The hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire."(Quran 4:145)
"and on the Day that Judgment will be established (it will besaid to the angels): Cast the people of Pharaoh into the severest penalty!"(Quran 40:46)
The Fire kindled by God will burn the skin of the peopleof Hell. The skin is the largest organ of the body and the site of sensationwhere the pain of burning is felt. God will replace the burnt skin with a newone to be burnt again, and this will keep on repeating:
"Indeed, those who disbelieve in Our verses – We will drivethem into a Fire. Every time their skins are roasted through We will replacethem with other skins so they may taste the punishment. Indeed, God is everExalted in Might and Wise." (Quran 4:56)
Another punishment of Hell is melting. Whensuper-heated water will be poured on their heads, it will melt away theinternals:
"…poured upon their heads will be scalding water by which ismelted that within their bellies and (their) skins." (Quran 22:19-20)
Prophet Muhammad said:
"Super-heated water will be poured onto their headsand will dissolve through it until it cuts up their innards, expelling them; untilit comes out of their feet, and everything is melted. Then they will berestored as they were."[6]
One of the ways God will humiliate the sinful in Hell isby gathering them on Judgment Day on their faces, blind, deaf, and dumb.
"and We will gather them on the Day of Resurrection (fallen)on their faces – blind, dumb and deaf. Their refuge is Hell; every time itsubsides We increase them in blazing fire." (Quran 17:97)
"And brings an evil deed — such will be flung down on theirfaces into the Fire, (and it will be said), ‘Are you recompensed for anythingbut what you used to do?’" (Quran 27:90)
"The Fire will burn their faces and they will grin therein, theirlips displaced." (Quran 23:104)
"The Day their faces will be turned over in the Fire, theywill say, ‘How we wish we had obeyed God and obeyed the Messenger.’" (Quran33:66)
Another painful punishment of unbelievers will begetting dragged on their faces into Hell. God says:
"Indeed, the criminals are in error and madness. The Day theyare dragged into the Fire on their faces (it will be said), ‘Taste the touch ofHell.’" (Quran 54:47-48)
They will be dragged on their faces while they are tiedin chains and fettered:
"Those who deny the Book (the Quran) and that with which Wesent Our messengers – they are going to know, when the shackles are aroundtheir necks and the chains; they will be dragged in boiling water; then in theFire they will be filled (with flame)." (Quran 40:70-72)
Footnotes:
[1]Saheeh Muslim
[2]Saheeh Al-Bukhari
[3]Saheeh Muslim
[4]Saheeh Al-Bukhari
[5]Saheeh Muslim
[6]Tirmidhi
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Articles The Hereafter Hellfire
- By Imam Mufti
- Published on 23 Jul 2006
- Last modified on 25 Jun 2019
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God will blacken the faces of the people of Hell:
"On the Day (some) faces will turn white and (some) faces willturn black. As for those whose faces turn black. (to them it will be said), ‘Didyou reject faith after your belief? Then taste the punishment for what youused to reject.’" (Quran 3:106)
Their faces will be such as if the night has covered them:
"But they who have earned (blame for) evil doings – therecompense of an evil deed is its equivalent, and humiliation will cover them. Theywill have from God no protector. It will be as if their faces are covered withpieces of the night – so dark (are they). Those are the companions of theFire; they will abide therein eternally." (Quran 10:27)
The Fire will surround the unbeliever on all sides justas sins surrounded him like a sheet wound around his body:
"Theirs will be a bed of Fire and over them coverings (ofFire)…" (Quran 7:41)
"On the Day when the torment (of Hell) will cover them fromabove them and from underneath their feet." (Quran 29:55)
"…and surely Hell will surround the unbelievers…" (Quran 9:49)
The Fire of Hell will leap up to the hearts. The Firewill penetrate their super-sized bodies and reach the innermost depths:
"No! He will surely be thrown into the Crusher. And what canmake you know what is the Crushers? It is the fire of God, (eternally) fueled,which mounts directed at the hearts." (Quran 104:4-7)
The Fire will split the entrails as mentioned by theProphet:
"A man will be brought on the Day of Resurrectionand thrown into the Fire. Then his entrails will be spilled out into the Fireand he will be forced to walk around and around like a donkey in a treadmill. Thepeople of Hell will gather around him and say, ‘O so-and-so, what is wrong withyou? Did you not enjoin us to do good and forbid us to do wrong?’ He willsay, ‘I used to order you to do good, but I did not do it and I used to forbidyou to do evil, but I used to do it myself.’ Then he will walk around andaround like a donkey in a treadmill."[1]
God has described the chains, yokes, and fetters ofHell. They will be tied up with chains and dragged with yokes on their necks:
"for the rejecters We have prepared iron chains, yokes, and ablazing Fire." (Quran 76:4)
"With Us are fetters (to bind them), and a Fire (to burnthem), and a food that chokes, and a penalty grievous." (Quran 73:12-13)
"We will put yokes on the necks of the unbelievers. It wouldonly be requital for their evil deeds." (Quran 34:33)
"when yokes will be put round their necks and the chains, theywill be dragged along." (Quran 40:71)
"(The stern command will say): seize him and bind him, andburn him in the blazing Fire, further, make him march in a chain, whereof thelength is seventy cubits." (Quran 69:30-32)
The pagan gods and all other deities that wereworshipped besides God who people thought will be their intercessors with Godand bringing them closer to Him will be thrown into Hell with them. This willbe to humiliate and demonstrate that these false gods have no power,
"Indeed, you (disbelievers), and that which you worship otherthan God,[2]are but fuel for Hell. Verily, you will enter it. Had these (false deities)been (actual) gods, they would not have entered there, but all will eternally abidetherein." (Quran 21:98-99)
When the unbeliever will see Hell, he will be filledwith remorse, but it will not be of any benefit:
"And they will feel regret when they see the punishment; andthey will be judged in justice, and they will not be wronged." (Quran 10:54)
The unbeliever will pray for his death when they senseits heat,
"And when they are thrown into a narrow place therein bound inchains, they will cry out thereupon for destruction. (They will be told), ‘Donot cry this Day for one destruction but cry for much destruction.’" (Quran25:13-14)
Their screams will get louder and they will call ontoGod hoping He will take them out of Hell:
"And they will cry out therein, ‘Our Lord, remove us; we willdo righteousness – other than what we were doing!’" (Quran 35:37)
They will realize theirs sins and the error of stubborndisbelief:
"And they will say, ‘If only we had been listening orreasoning, we would not be among the companions of the Blaze.’ And they willadmit their sin, so (it is) alienation for the companions of the Blaze." (Quran67:10-11)
Their prayers will be rejected:
"They will say, ‘Our Lord, our wretchedness overcame us, andwe were a people astray. Our Lord, remove us from it, and if we were to return(to evil), we would indeed be wrongdoers.’ He will say, ‘Remain despisedtherein and do not speak to Me.’" (Quran 23:106-108)
After that, they will call the keepers of Hell askingthem to intercede to God on their behalf for reduction in torment:
"And those in the Fire will say to the keepers of Hell, ‘Supplicateyour Lord to lighten for us a day from the punishment.’ They will say, ‘Didthere not come to you your messengers with clear proofs?’ They will say, ‘Yes.’They will reply, ‘Then supplicate (yourselves), but the supplication of thedisbelievers is not except in error.’" (Quran 40:49-50)
Their will even plead for their own destruction torelieve themselves of the pain:
"And they will call, ‘O Malik, let your Lord put an end tous!’ He will say, ‘Indeed, you will remain.’" (Quran 43:77)
They will be told the punishment will never be reduced, itis eternal:
"Then be patient or impatient – it is all the same for you. Youare only being recompensed for what you used to do.’" (Quran 52:16)
They will weep for a long time:
"So let them laugh a little and then weep much as recompensefor what they used to earn." (Quran 9:82)
They will weep until no tears are left, then that theywill weep blood, which will leave its traces as described by the Prophet:
"The people of Hell will be made to weep, and theywill weep until they have no tears left. Then they will weep blood until theyhave, as it were, channels in their faces, if ships were put in them, theywould float."[3]
As you have seen, the descriptions of Hell in theIslamic scripture are clear and graphic, as are the descriptions of the peoplewho deserve their fate therein. Such is the clarity that any person whobelieves in Judgment Day and the eternal destinies of the Hereafter must bemotivated to at least try not to be of the people thrown inside. The best, andreally only, way of avoiding this fate is to seriously search into the truereligion God has mandated for humanity. A person should never follow areligion merely because it was that which he was "born into", nor should theytake religion to be a new age fashion. Rather, they should look into the truthabout this world and the life to come, and be sure that they have prepared forthat judgment from which there is no return, by living a life and system ofbelief revealed and unchanged from the One High Above.
Footnotes:
[1]SaheehAl-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim
[2]Ibn Katheer, in his tafsir, explains that pious people andprophets from before, who were taken for gods by later generations withouttheir consent, are not included as ‘fuel for the fire’. Only the people who‘liked to be worshipped’ by their worshippers will be thrown therein, along‘with the ones who worshipped him’ and other non-animate idols. Ofpeople like Jesus, the Quran says: "Those for whom good has preceded from Uswill be far removed there-from …" (Quran 21:101)
[3]Ibn Majah
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Parts of This Article
- A Description of Hellfire (part 1 of 5): An Introduction
- A Description of Hellfire (part 2 of 5): Its Appearance
- A Description of Hellfire (part 3 of 5): Its Food and Drink
- A Description of Hellfire (part 4 of 5): The Horrors of Hell I
- A Description of Hellfire (part 5 of 5): The Horrors of Hell II