Hellfire in The Hereafter by Anwar Al-Awlaki

Narrated Yusuf bin Mahk:
While I was with Aisha, the mother of the Believers, a person from Iraq came and asked, "What type of shroud is the best?" 'Aisha said, "May Allah be merciful to you! Why does it matter?" He said, "O mother of the Believers! Show me (the copy of) your Koran," She said, "Why?" He said, "In order to compile and arrange the Koran according to it, for people recite it with its Suras not in proper order." 'Aisha said, "What does it matter which part of it you read first? (Be informed) that the first thing that was revealed thereof was a Sura from Al-Mufassal, and in it was mentioned Paradise and the Fire. When the people embraced Islam, the Verses regarding legal and illegal things were revealed. If the first thing to be revealed was: 'Do not drink alcoholic drinks.' people would have said, 'We will never leave alcoholic drinks,' and if there had been revealed, 'Do not commit illegal sexual intercourse, 'they would have said, 'We will never give up illegal sexual intercourse.' While I was a young girl of playing age, the following Verse was revealed in Mecca to Muhammad: 'Nay! But the Hour is their appointed time (for their full recompense), and the Hour will be more grievous and more bitter.' (54.46) Sura Al-Baqara (The Cow) and Surat An-Nisa (The Women) were revealed while I was with him." Then 'Aisha took out the copy of the Koran for the man and dictated to him the Verses of the Suras (in their proper order) . (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 61, #515)

From the hadith above, if the first verses in the Quran is telling the people the dos and don'ts and what is halal and harm, the people wouldn't have followed those orders and being receptive to that message. But the first verses in the Quran were telling about the Paradise and the Fire. Until the heart has attached to Allah SWT, and then the dos and don'ts were revealed. The way to attach our hearts to Allah SWT is by talking about Jannah and An-Nar. Hence, it is important to keep ourselves reminded and also to attain full knowledge about the Paradise and Hellfire.

This worldly life is just a means for us to get to our final destination. Where is our final destination? It's either the Paradise or the Hellfire and life of the hereafter will be eternal and forever. Forever means infinite number of years. But how do we know what we want, if we don't know about them. Hence, it is hoped that this post which is based on Anwar Al-Awlaki's lecture could help us to know more about Paradise and Hellfire. Of course, by learning this, it will still be beyond our imagination of how Paradise and Hellfire would be like. But it is hoped that by knowing about the hot blazing fire and the severe punishments that shall await us in Hellfire which are stated in the Qur'an , we know that we definitely don't want to go there. And in contrast, the beautiful life, even the smell of Paradise at the steps of it's doors would make us desire to strive for Jannah.

The first part will be about the Hellfire or An-Nar. Hellfire is created as a punishment for the disbeliever, hypocrite and believers who accumulate a lot of sins.



What are the indications of the HUGE size of Hellfire? 

1. It always asking for more.

• Whenever Allah SWT will put people in it, Hellfire will say, "Anymore?" Allah says, "One day We will ask Hell are you full? It will say are there anymore to come?" (50:30)
• It will always ask for more until Allah SWT will force it to stop asking for more people. It has the size and capacity to take as much as it can.

2. The depth of Hellfire

Narrated in Sahih Muslim, Rasulullah was sitting with the Sahaba and they heard a sound/noise or a bang that something fell down. Rasulullah asked, "Do u know what the sound was? Sahaba said, "Allah and His Messenger know best". Rasulullah said, "This is a huge rock that was thrown 70 years ago in the Hellfire and it has just landed in the bottom of Hellfire right now". This tells us that it's very deep.

3. The number of Angels involve in pulling it.

Rasulullah says, "The hell will be brought on that day, Day of Judgment, with 70,000 chains and every chain will be pulled by 70,000 Angels (Muslims).

4. Sun and moon will be thrown in Hellfire.

The size of the sun and moon which are huge indicates the huge size of Hellfire. Rasulullah ," On Day of Judgment, both sun and the moon would be thrown in Hellfire."(Muslim) Why sun and moon? Any God that is worshipped besides Allah will be thrown in Hellfire.

Hellfire has been divided into ranks and levels.

The level of Hellfire will be worst as it goes lower. Allah says, "The hypocrites are in the lowest level of Hellfire". (4:145)

Rasulullah said that his uncle, Abu Talib will be in a shallow pool of fire that reaches toward his ankle and it would cause his brain to boil. This is supposed to be the least punishment in the Hellfire.

Hellfire has 7 gates, while paradise has 8 gates.

Allah says, "It has seven gates". (15:44)

Allah says, “And those who disbelieved will be driven to Hell in groups, till, when they reach it, the gates thereof will be opened (suddenly like a prison at the arrival of the prisoners). And its keepers will say, "Did not the Messengers come to you from yourselves, reciting to you the Verses of your Lord, and warning you of the Meeting of this Day of yours?" They will say: "Yes, but the Word of torment has been justified against the disbelievers!" (39:71)

What are the FUEL in Hellfire?

The fuel are the people of Hellfire and stones. People of Hellfire will be burning each other.

Allah says," O who you believed, save yourselves and your families from the fire whose fuels are man and stones." (66:6)

How is the HEAT of Hellfire?

Allah says, "The companions of the left hand, what would be the companions of the left hand? They will be in the midst on the fierce hot wind and boiling water and shadow of black smoke. Nothing will be cool or pleasant." (56:41-44)

Water, breeze and shade are three ways to cool ourselves from heat. The people of Hellfire will have these three options, water, air and shade.

Instead of a breeze that will cool them down, it will burn them. It's scorching, dry and hot. They will get a shade, but the shade will be dark, black smoke. And the water will be boiling water.

Allah says," And what will explain to you what Hellfire is? It doesn’t permit to endure and it doesn’t leave alone. Darkening and changing the colour of man." (74: 27-29)

Narrated in Sahih Muslim, Rasulullah says," The fire that the sons of Adam burn is only one seventieth part of the fire of Hell." The fire that we have in Dunia is only 1/70 heat of the fire of Hellfire. The Sahaba said "by Allah, even ordinary would have been enough". Rasulullah said, "It is 69 parts in excess of the heat of fire of the fire of this world each of them would be equivalent to the heat." Hence, imagine it's as 70 times hotter that the fire we can get on this earth.

Hellfire SEES and HEARS.

Allah says, "When it sees them from a place far off, they will hear its fury and roaring." (25:12)

Narrated in Termidhi, Rasulullah says, "On Day Of Judgment, a column of fire will come out from Hellfire. It has two eyes that see, and two ears that hear and a tongue that can speak. And it will say, "I am here to capture anyone who is stubborn tyrants and the ones who associate other Gods than Allah and the ones who makes statues/ idols to be worshiped.""

Size of people in Hellfire and Jannah will be greater than the size of the people in Dunia.

Narrated in Termidhi, Rasulullah says, "The thickness of the skin of the people of Hellfire is 42 dzirat (one dzirat is almost 1 meter)". The molar will be like the mountain of Uhud. The area occupied when they sit down is the distance between Mekkah and Madinah."

Why skin? It’s because it's the centre of the nerve and that's where the pain's felt. The sizes are expanded so that they will have more surfaces to feel the pain and more exposed to Hellfire.

What are the FOOD in Hellfire?

Allah says, "No food will be there for them but a bitter which will neither nourish nor satisfy hunger".(88:7)

The primary dish is the fruits of a tree called ad Zakkum. Allah says, "Verily the tree of Zaqqum will be the food of the sinners. Like boiling oil, it will boil in the bellies. Like the boiling of scalding water". (44:43-46).

Allah says, "Is that the better entertainment or the tree of Zaqqum? Truly, We have made it a trial for the Zalimun. Verily, it is a tree that springs out of the bottom of Hellfire. The shoots of its fruit-stalks are like the heads of Shaytaan. Truly, they will eat thereof and fill their bellies therewith. Then on the top of that they will be given boiling water to drink so that it becomes a mixture." (37: 62-67)

Allah says, "Then will you truly, O you who do wrong and treat truth as falsehood. You will surely eat of the trees of Zaqqum. Then you will fill your bellies therewith. And drink boiling water on top of it. And you will drink that like thirsty camels!" (56: 51-55). Camels have a disease which causes the camels to continuously drink until it kills itself. Allah says that the people of Hellfire will drink like the diseased camels.

What are the DRINKS in the Hellfire?

Allah says, "Then shall they tasted a boiling fluid and dirty wound discharges. And other of similar kind - all together! (38:57-58)

Allah says, "And if they cry for water, they shall be given water like molten brass which will scald their faces; evil the drink and ill the resting-place." (18:29)

Four different types of drinks:

a. Hameem - boiling water

b. Ghassaq and Ghaaslin - very cold fluid and body excretion. Al-Qurtubi said that the juice which is the grease and sweat of people of Hellfire is Al-Ghassaq. 

c. As Sadit - puss that comes out from enteries. From Sahih Muslim, Rasulullah said, “Anyone who drinks intoxicants will be made to drink the mud of khabal. They asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what is the mud of khabal?’ He said, ‘The sweat of the people of Hell’ or the ‘juice of the people of Hell.’”

d. Al Muhl - Boiling oil. Rasulullah said, “It is like boiling oil, when it is brought near a person’s face, the skin of the face falls off into it.” (Musnad Ahmad, Tirmidhi)"

What are the CLOTHES of the people of Hellfire?

Allah says, "As for those who disbelieved, garments of fire will be cut out for them, boiling water will be poured down over their heads. (22:19)

Allah mentioned about their garment as molten copper (Qitran).

What are the PUNISHMENTS for the people of Hellfire?

1. Lowest level of punishment

Allah will ask that person who suffer from the least of punishment. In Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Rasulullah said, "A disbeliever will be brought on the Day Of Judgment and will be asked, "Allah will ask him, supposed you have much gold that will fill the earth, would you offered to answer yourself?" He will say yes. I asked you something less. You were asked something easier than that to join none in worship but Allah but you refused."

In Saheeh Bukhari, Rasulullah said that the person who has the least punishment from among people of Hellfire on Day of Resurrection will be a man under whose arch of the feet a smoldering amber coal will be placed so that the brain will boil because of it.

In Saheeh Bukhari, Rasulullah said that may on the Day Of Judgment, because of my intercession, my uncle will be placed in a shallow pool of fire that reached his ankle that will cause his brain to boil.

2. Worst level of punishment

The punishment of the hypocrites.

Allah says, "The hypocrites will be the lowest level of Hellfire."

3. Different form of punishments:

i. Roasting of the skins

Allah says, "Those who reject our signs, We shall soon cast into the fire as often as their skins are roasted through we shall change them for fresh skin that they may face the penalty" (4:56).

The highest pain is felt in the skin. Hence, as soon as the skin is roasted and the nerves are burnt, Allah will give them a new skin and the skin starts roasted again.

ii. The Melting

Allah SWT says, "But those who deny their Lord, for them will be cut out a garment of fire over their heads will be poured out boiling water, with it will be scalded water within their bodies as well as their skins. (22:19)

iii. Face

Face is the most honored and sensitive part.

Allah says, "The fire will burnt their faces and they will therein grin with their displaced lips (23:104).

iv. The dragging

Allah says, "Truly those in sin are the ones strain in mind and mad, the day they will be dragged to the fire on their faces, they will hear taste you the touch of Hell". (54:48)

v. The darkening of the faces

It's a form of humiliation.

Allah says," but those who has earned evil will have a reward of like evil. Humiliating disgrace will cover their faces, no defender will they have from Allah, and their faces will be covered as it was pieces of the depth of the darkness of night. They are companions of the fire, they will abide therein forever (10:27).

vi. The punishment will surround them

It will be from the front, back, top, bottom from the sides. Allah says, "Indeed, We have prepared for the wrongdoers a fire whose walls will surround them" (18:29).

How come the fire surrounds them from every side? Allah says," Those who seek gain and evil and are surrounded by their sins. Because they are surrounded by the sins, they will be surrounded by the Fire. Allah says, Yes! Whosoever earns evil and his sin has surrounded him, they are dwellers of the Fire (i.e. Hell); they will dwell therein forever. (2:81)

vii. Fire will get into their heart.

Allah says, "Nay! Verily, he will be thrown into the crushing Fire. And what will make you know what the crushing Fire is? The fire of Allah kindled, Which leaps up over the hearts." (104:4-7)

viii. Dragging of the intestines.

This is for the one who enjoin good and forbid evil but they didn’t do it themselves.

In Saheeh Bukhari, Rasulullah said a man will be brought and be put into Hellfire, and will go round and round in Hellfire like a donkey of a flour grinding mill. He will go around with his intestines and he'll be screaming. And then they will say, “Weren't you were the one who used to preach to us to do good and prevent us from doing evil. How come you ended with us in the Hellfire?”. He will say, “I used to ask others to do good but I myself didn't do it, and I used to prevent others from doing evil while I myself used to do evil."

This is the punishment of double standard. They will carry with them heavy chains. Allah says, "They will be chained, their arms will be tight to their necks, dragging this chain with them and they are dragged by the chains. (40:71)

ix.  Pain and Regret of the people of Hellfire

The people of Hellfire will try to climb over the wall of Hellfire. There will be Angels who knock them down with hammers of iron and they will be chained and pulled down. This will result in pain and regret of the people of Hellfire.

Allah says, "We opened to them the gates of every (pleasant) thing, until in the midst of their enjoyment in that which they were given, all of a sudden, We took them to punishment, and lo! They were plunged into destruction with deep regrets and sorrows. (6:44)

As soon as they see the punishment in the Day Of Judgment, they will be suppressed with regret. Nobody will help them. They neglect the words of Anbiya, hence the Anbiya will neglect them on Day Of Judgment. They ignore the orders of Allah in this world, so Allah will ignore them.

Allah says," And when they are cast down together into a constricted place therein, they will plead for destruction there and then, this day plead not for a single destruction, plead for destruction oft-repeated." (25:13-14)

They will ask for destruction and ask Allah to destroy them, but it will not be answered.

Allah says, "And they will cry out therein, "Our Lord, remove us; we will do righteousness - other than what we were doing!" But did We not grant you life enough for whoever would remember therein to remember, and the warner had come to you? So taste [the punishment], for there is not for the wrongdoers any helper. (35:37)

What about for those who associates others with Allah?
Allah says, "Certainly! You (disbelievers) and that which you are worshipping now besides Allah, are (but) fuel for Hell! (Surely), you will enter it" (21:98).

On Day Of Judgment, Allah will tell those who worship idols to follow their idols. For the one who worship Jesus AS, Jesus AS is a Prophet of Allah and he will be in the highest rank of Paradise. What will be set for them is not Jesus, he was never asked to be worshipped but it will be set for them is a cross. Allah will say, Followers of the cross, follow the cross and it will be put into Hellfire and they all will follow it. And it will happen to other objects of worship besides Allah.

TO BE CONTINUED ...