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The Torments Of Hell
BeING TAKEN TO HELL
Hell...This place, where the attributes of God, the al-Jabbar (the Compeller),
the al-Qahhar (the Subduer) and al-Muntaqim (the Avenger) are manifested
for all eternity is specially created to inflict suffering on man. In
the Qur'an, hell is depicted as if it were a living being. This creature
is full of rage at and hatred for disbelievers. Since the day it was created,
it waits impatiently to take its revenge upon disbelievers. Hell's desire
for disbelievers can never be quenched. Its hatred for disbelievers makes
it mad. When it encounters those who deny, its rage intensifies. The creation
of this fire serves a single purpose; to inflict an unbearable torment.
Indeed, it will carry out its duty and give the gravest of all pain.
After the judgement of disbelievers takes place in the presence of God,
they will take their Books from the left side. This is the moment they
will be sent to hell for all eternity. For the disbelievers, there is
no opportunity to escape. There will be billions of people, yet this huge
crowd will not offer the disbelievers an opportunity to escape or to be
ignored. No one can hide himself in this crowd. Those sent to hell come
with a witness and one who drives the soul on:
The Trumpet will be blown. That is the Day of the Threat.
Every soul will come along with one who drives it on, and one who testifies
against it. One will say 'You were heedless of this, so We have stripped
you of your covering and today your sight is sharp.' His inseparable comrade
will say, 'My testimony is ready to hand.' (And it is said): 'Cast into
Hell every obdurate disbeliever, impeder of good, doubt-causing aggressor,
who has set up another deity besides God. Hurl him into the terrible punishment.'
(Surah Qaf: 20-26)
Disbelievers are driven towards this terrible place. In the words of
the Qur'an, they are driven "in divisions".
However, on the way to hell, fear is inspired in the hearts of disbelievers.
The horrible noise and roar of the fire is heard from a distance:
When they are flung into it, they will hear it gasping
harshly as it seethes. It all but bursts with rage. Each time a group
is flung into it, its custodians will question them: 'Did no warner come
to you?' (Surat al-Mulk: 7-8)
From the verses, it is obvious that when they are recreated, all disbelievers
will understand what will befall them. They will remain all alone; no
friends, relatives, or supporters will be there to help. Disbelievers
will not have the strength to be arrogant and they will look with averted
eyes. One of the verses describes this moment as follows:
You will see them as they are exposed to it, abject in
their abasement, glancing around them furtively. Those who have faith
will say, 'Truly the losers are those who lose themselves and their followers
on the Day of Resurrection. The wrongdoers suffer an everlasting punishment.'
(Surat ash-Shura: 45)
Entrance to Hell and the Gates of Hell
Ultimately disbelievers arrive at the gates of hell. The Qur'an describes
the events there as follows:
Those who are disbelievers will be driven to Hell in
companies and when they arrive there and its gates are opened its custodians
will say to them, 'Did Messengers from yourselves not come to you, reciting
your Lord's Signs to you and warning you of the meeting on this Day of
yours? 'They will say, 'Indeed they did, but the decree of punishment
is justly carried out against the disbelievers.' They will be told, 'Enter
the gates of Hell and stay there timelessly, for ever. How evil is the
abode of the arrogant!' (Surat az-Zumar: 71-72)
For each one of the groups a special gate of hell is created. Depending
upon the extent of their rebellion against God, people are subjected to
a classification. Disbelievers are placed in their individual locations
in hell according to the sins they have committed. It is stated thus in
the Qur'an:
He will say, 'Enter the Fire together with the nations
of jinn and men who have passed away before you.' Each time a nation enters,
it will curse its sister nation, until, when they are all gathered together
in it, the last of them will say to the first, 'Our Lord, those are the
ones who misguided us, so give them a double punishment in the Fire.'
He will say, 'Each will receive double. But you do not know it.' (Surat
al-A'raf: 38)
Another verse provides detailed information about hell:
... Hell is the promised meeting-place for all of them.
It has seven gates and each gate has its allotted share. (Surat al-Hijr:
43-44)
Those subjected to the severest torment will be the hypocrites. These
are the people who behaved as if they were believers, although they had
no faith in their hearts:
The hypocrites are in the lowest level of the Fire. You
will not find any one to help them. (Surat an-Nisa': 145)
Hell is full of hatred; its hunger for disbelievers can never be quenched.
Despite the many disbelievers thrown into it, it asks for more:
On the Day He says to Hell, 'Are you full? 'it will ask,
'Are there no more to come?' (Surah Qaf: 30)
Once it catches, it keeps for all eternity. God describes hell in the
Qur'an as follows:
I will roast him in hellfire. What will convey to you
what hellfire is? It does not spare anyone and it does not ease up, ceaselessly
scorching the flesh. (Surat al-Muddaththir: 26-29)
Surely, entrance to hell is also painful. People are "thrown"
into it. In the words of another verse, they are "bundled"
(Surat ash-Shu'ara: 94) into it.
An Endless Life Behind Locked Doors
As soon as disbelievers arrive in hell, the doors are locked behind them.
Here, they see the most fearsome sights. They immediately understand that
they will be "presented" to hell, the place
where they will remain for all eternity. The closed doors indicate that
there will be no salvation. God describes the state of disbelievers as
follows:
And (as for) those who disbelieve in Our signs, they
are the people of the left hand. On them is fire closed over. (Surat al-Balad:
19-20)
The torment in the Qur'an is described as "a severe
punishment" (Surah Al 'Imran: 176), "a heavy
doom" (Surah Al 'Imran: 4), and "a painful
chastisement" (Surah Al 'Imran: 21). The descriptions of it are
inadequate to give a full understanding of the punishment in hell. Being
unable to suffer even minor burns in the world, man cannot grasp being
exposed to fire for all eternity. What is more, the pain that a fire gives
in the world does not stand comparison with the severe torture of hell.
No pain can be similar to that of hell:
None punishes as He will punish on that day! None binds
as He then will bind. (Surat al-Fajr: 25-26)
There is life in hell. Yet it is a life in which every moment is full
of torture and anguish. In that life, every type of physical, mental and
psychological torment, along with various types of torture and disgrace
rage unchecked. To compare it to any distress in the world is impossible.
People in hell perceive pain through all five senses. Their eyes see
disgusting and terrible images; their ears hear frightening screams, roars
and cries; their noses fill with terrible and acrid smells; their tongues
taste the most unbearable, vile tastes. They feel hell deep in their cells;
this is a maddeningly severe pain that is difficult to imagine in this
world. Their skin, their internal organs and their whole body are wracked
and they writhe in pain.
The people of hell are very resistant to pain and they never die. Hence,
they can never save themselves from torture. Their skins are mended as
they burn; the same torture continues for all eternity; the intensity
of torture never decreases. God says in the Qur'an: "Burn
in the flames of hell. It makes no difference whether you bear it with
patience, or not." (Surat at-Tur: 16)
No less than physical pain, mental pain is also severe in hell. People
in hell have profound regrets, fall into hopelessness, feel desperate
and spend ages in despair. Every corner, every place in hell is designed
to give mental suffering. The suffering is eternal; if it were to end
after millions or billions years, even such a long-term possibility could
arouse fervent hopes and remain a strong reason for happiness and joy.
Yet, the eternity of torture will inspire a kind of hopelessness that
cannot be compared to any similar feeling in this world.
According to the Qur'an, hell is a place where extreme pain is experienced.
It is narrow, noisy, smoky and gloomy, injecting feelings of insecurity
into the human soul. It is a place characterised by disgusting smells,
fires burning deep in the heart, nasty food and drink, garments of fire
and liquid pitch. These are the basic characteristics of hell. There is
a life going on in this terrible environment, however. The people of hell
have sharp senses. They hear, talk and argue, and they try to escape from
suffering. They burn in the fire, become thirsty and hungry, and feel
regret. They are tormented by feelings of guilt. What is more important,
they want the pain to be relieved.
The people of hell live a life infinitely more debased than that of the
animals in this dirty and disgusting environment. The only nourishment
they have is the fruits of the bitter thorn and the tree of zaqqum. Their
drink, on the other hand, is blood and pus. Meanwhile, fire engulfs them
everywhere. The anguish in hell is depicted as follows:
Those who reject our Signs, We shall soon cast into hell.
As often as their skins are roasted through, We shall change them for
fresh skins, so that they may taste the penalty. For God is Exalted in
Power and Wise. (Surat an-Nisa': 56)
With skin rent, flesh burned, and blood splattering all over, they are
chained and whipped. Hands tied to their necks, they are cast into the
core of hell. Angels of punishment, in the meantime, place those who are
guilty in beds of fire, with their covers also of fire. The coffins they
are placed in are likewise covered with fire. Disbelievers constantly
scream to be saved from such anguish. And in return, they often receive
more humiliation and torture . They are left all alone.
These scenes will all come true. They are real. They are more real than
our daily lives.
Those "who among men serve God, as it were, on
the verge" (Surat al-Hajj: 11); those who say "the
Fire shall not touch us but for a few numbered days" (Surah Al
'Imran: 24); those who make money, status, careers and other such material
things the main goals of their lives and accordingly neglect the good
pleasure of God; those who alter the commands of God in accordance with
their own wishes and desires; those who interpret the Qur'an according
to their own interests; those who go astray from the right path - in brief
- all disbelievers and hypocrites will abide in hell, except for those
upon whom God bestows His mercy and forgiveness. This is the conclusive
word of God and will certainly be borne out:
If We had so willed, We could certainly have brought
every soul its true guidance: but the word from Me will come true, "I
will fill Hell with jinn and men all together." (Surat as-Sajdah: 13)
These people are already destined for hell:
Many are the jinn and men we have made for Hell: They
have hearts with which they do not understand, eyes with which they do
not see and ears with which they do not hear. They are like cattle - nay
more misguided: for they are heedless (of warning). (Surat al-A'raf: 179)
The Torment of Fire
In this life of hell, the greatest and most basic torment is no doubt
being exposed to fire. Unlike other forms of torture, fire, as a distinctive
feature of hell, leaves irreparable traces on the human body. It is a
torment permeating the human body down to its "cells".
The people of hell are thrown into this "Raging
Blaze" (Surat al-Ma'arij: 15). They burn in "a
Searing Blaze" (Surat al-Furqan: 11) which is "a
Fire which rages" (Surat al-Layl: 14). In a verse of the Qur'an,
it is said:
But as for him whose balance is light, his motherland
is hellfire. And what will convey to you what that is? A raging Fire!
(Surat al-Qari'ah: 8-11)
From the verses, we understand that fire rages all over hell. In this
pit, there is not a single place which remains protected against fire.
Fire reaches every corner of hell. While being subjected to other forms
of physical and spiritual tortures, the disbeliever is constantly in touch
with fire. The hellfire is enormously big. In the Qur'an, analogies are
drawn between the sparks of fire and "great sparks the size of castles"
and "a herd of yellow camels" to describe the intensity and magnitude
of the fire.
On that Day, woe to the deniers! Proceed to that which
you denied! Proceed to a shadow which forks into three but gives no shade
or protection from the flames, shooting up great sparks the size of castles,
like a herd of yellow camels. (Surat al-Mursalat: 28-33)
Disbelievers devote all their energy to escaping the flames, but it is
not allowed. It is a fire "which calls for all who
drew back and turned away." (Surat al-Ma'arij: 17) Another verse
tells of the fate of the deniers:
But as for those who are deviators, their refuge is the
Fire. Every time that they want to get out, they are put straight back
into it again and they are told, 'Taste the punishment of the Fire, which
you denied.' (Surat as-Sajdah: 20)
The screams and sighs of those who are subjected to such torment can
be heard all over. Just these terrifying screams and sighs are a special
source of torment for disbelievers:
There will be sighing for them. (Surat an-Anbiya': 100)
As for those who are wretched, they will be in the Fire,
where they will sigh and gasp. (Surah Hud: 106)
Fire causes unbearable pain. Human beings are unable to endure even such
pain as the flame of a match gives. However, any pain we experience in
this world is insignificant as compared to that of hellfire. No one can
be exposed to fire in the world over a long period of time. He either
dies in 5-10 seconds or feels the pain for a limited period of time. However,
hellfire is horrible; it does not kill but only inflicts pain. People
in hell will be subjected to a fire which will abide for all eternity.
Knowing that this torment will never end makes hell's inmates fall into
a state of utter hopelessness. They feel desperate and experience a sense
of total destruction.
A burned face is the most undesirable aspect of torment. That is because
the face is important in being the part of the body which gives one a
feeling of pride. It gives a person an identity and it is the most significant
expression of what we call "I". Often, the features of being ugly or beautiful
are attributed to the face. Upon seeing photographs of a person with a
severe burn on his face, people shrink and immediately turn to God asking
for protection for themselves against such a disaster. Nobody wants to
be struck down by such misery. However, disbelievers are heedless of one
important fact; they are gradually approaching a similar end, and an incredibly
severe one. The pain of hellfire penetrates the entire human body. However,
when the face is exposed to fire, it becomes an unbearable torture. Eyes,
ears, nose, tongue and skin, in brief, all sensory organs are located
in this important part of the body. Any threat to the face, albeit minor,
elicits a strong reflex response. In hell however, the face is scalded.
In this way, the most vulnerable part of the body is injured the most
severely. This torment is depicted in the following verses:
They will say on the Day their faces are rolled
over in the Fire, 'If only we had obeyed God and obeyed the Messenger!'
(Surat al-Ahzab:66)
...wearing shirts of tar, their faces enveloped
in the Fire. (Surah Ibrahim: 50)
The Fire will sear their faces, making them grimace
horribly in it, their lips drawn back from their teeth. (Surat al-Mu'minun:
104)
The Firewood for Hellfire and Boiling Water
In the Qur'anic descriptions regarding the way disbelievers burn in hellfire,
we come across an arresting expression: disbelievers are referred to as
"firewood for Hellfire". Their burning is dissimilar to the burning of
any other thing in fire. Disbelievers themselves make up the fuel of the
fire:
The deviators will be firewood for Hellfire. (Surat al-Jinn:15)
Wood the kindling for fire, burns longer than any other material and
with a greater intensity. Likewise, disbelievers become the wood for this
fire which they once upon a time denied. This fact is made manifest in
the following verses:
You who have faith! Safeguard yourselves and those
who are close to you from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones.... (Surat
at-Tahrim: 6)
As for those who are disbelievers, their wealth
and children will not help them against God in any way. They are fuel
for the Fire. (Surah Al 'Imran: 10)
You and what you worship besides God are fuel for
Hell. You will go down into it. (Surat al-Anbiya': 98)
As well as the people serving as wood, there is also real wood to kindle
the fire. Yet, this is another source of torment. Disbelievers, who used
to be very close in the world,- husband and wife, for instance-carry wood
for each other's fire. Abu Lahab and his wife are an example:
Ruin to the hands of Abu Lahab and ruin to him! His wealth
has not helped him nor anything he has earned. He will burn in a Flaming
Fire. And so will his wife, the firewood-carrier, with a rope of twisted
fibre round her neck. (Surat al-Masad: 1-5)
This is the break-up of all bonds in this world. Disbelievers, who used
to say that they were very much in love and rebelled against God together,
build the fires of one another in hell. One's spouse, close relatives
and all one's intimate friends will become enemies. Treachery will know
no bounds.
The fire fed by "living" and non-living wood also boils the water that
"scalds" disbelievers. Skin, one of the vital organs stretched all over
the human body, and hardly a few millimetres in thickness, makes one perceive
the outer world by the sense of touch. Including the genital organs, all
vital parts of body like the face, hands, arms, legs-the organs to which
one attaches the utmost importance-are covered by skin. As well as being
the organ by which one takes pleasure, owing to its sensitivity, the human
skin can become a major source of pain. It is especially vulnerable to
fire and boiling liquids. Fire scorches the skin, boiling water scalds
it. Scalding water wracks the skin completely; hardly a piece of skin
remains unhurt. The thin skin first swells and then becomes inflamed,
inflicting a severe pain. Neither physical charm, material wealth, strength,
nor fame, in brief, nothing renders a person resistant to the injury done
by scalding water. In the words of the Qur'an, "...they
will have scalding water to drink and a painful punishment because they
were disbelievers." (Surat al-An'am:70) In another verse, it is
said:
And if he is one of the misguided deniers, there is the
hospitality of scalding water and roasting in the Blazing Fire. This is
indeed the Truth of Certainty. (Surat al-Waqi'ah: 92-95)
One of the verses describes this form of torment as follows:
Seize him and drag him bodily into the middle of the
Blazing Fire. Then pour the punishment of boiling water on his head.'
'Taste that! You are the mighty one, the noble one! This is the very thing
you used to doubt.' (Surat ad-Dukhan: 47-50)
These aside, there are other forms of anguish inflicted by fire. Branding
is one of them; people of hell are branded with red-hot metals. However,
these metals are actually the possessions disbelievers ascribed as partners
to God in the world:
...As for those who hoard up gold and silver and do not
spend it in the Way of God, give them the news of a painful punishment.
The Day will surely come when they are heated up in the fire of Hell and
their foreheads, sides and backs are branded with it: 'This is what you
hoarded for yourselves, so taste what you were hoarding!' (Surat at-Tawbah:
34-35)
Other Forms of Torment
Contrary to the received wisdom, hell is not merely a "giant oven." The
people of hell will be exposed to fire. This is true. However, the torment
in hell is not limited only to burning. The people of hell are also engulfed
by other physical and psychological torments.
Various methods and equipment are employed to subject someone to torture
in this world. Often torture cripples its victims. Sometimes they die
of the pain. Those who survive become mentally distorted. Yet, the fact
remains that the techniques employed for torture in this world are incomparably
simpler than those of hell. The people of hell will undergo very different
and severe tortures. In the case of a person who is electrocuted, the
electricity given as well as the vulnerability of man to electricity are
both created by God. Many other unknown sources of pain and the weaknesses
of man all form part of God's perfect knowledge. Accordingly, God will
inflict the most severe of all tortures. This is the law of God, the al-Qahhar
(the Subduer).
In the words of the Qur'an, in hell, there is misery everywhere. There
is no avoidance of torment; it engulfs the people of hell from all sides.
They can neither fend off the torment nor avoid it:
They ask you to hasten the punishment, but Hell already
encircles the disbelievers. (Surat al-Ankabut: 54-55)
Besides, there are other sources of suffering in hell. These are enumerated
in the Qur'an as follows:
Hell, where they will roast. What an evil resting-place!
This! So let them taste it - boiling water and scalding pus, and other
such torments. (Surah Sad: 56-58)
From this and other verses, we understand that there may be various kinds
of torments in hell. The most apparent ones, such as fire and humiliation,
are alluded to in the Qur'an. However, the people of hell are by no means
immune to other forms of suffering. For instance, besides fire and boiling
water, being attacked by wild animals, being thrown into a pit of insects,
scorpions and snakes, being bitten by mice, suffering from wormy wounds
and many others beyond one's imagination are likely to afflict the wrongdoers
simultaneously.
Hotness, Darkness, Smoke and Narrowness
Narrow, hot and dirty places are the most troublesome to be in for any
individual in this world. Humidity and heat cause a feeling of suffocation;
breathing, an essential function of body, is rendered difficult by high
levels of humidity. Not being able to breathe causes intense weariness;
the breast constricts. Even shade does not provide any relief in very
hot weather and humidity. An unseen yet thick encompassing layer of air
becomes suffocating. Even the levels of temperature and humidity in a
sauna are difficult to tolerate. Unable to withstand intense steam for
only ten minutes, a person locked in a sauna faints in a short while.
A longer stay means death.
This stifling atmosphere dominates hell. Man, who takes elaborate precautions
against becoming over-heated in this world, feels desperate in hell. Hell
is hotter than any desert and dirtier and more oppressive than any place
imaginable. Heat penetrates the human body; it is felt deep within the
cells. For disbelievers, there is no possibility of relief or of cooling
down there. In the Qur'an, the situation of the people of hell is depicted
as follows:
And the Companions of the Left: what of the Companions
of the Left? They shall dwell amid searing blasts and scalding water and
the murk of thick black smoke, providing no coolness and no pleasure.
(Surat al-Waqi'ah: 41-44)
On that Day, woe to the deniers! Proceed to that which
you denied! Proceed to a shadow which forks into three but gives no shade
or protection from the flames. (Surat al-Mursalat: 28-31)
In such a dense atmosphere, being confined to a narrow place proves to
be another form of torment. This punishment is described as follows:
When they are flung into a narrow place in it, shackled
together in chains, they will cry out there for destruction. 'Do not cry
out today for just one destruction, cry out for many destructions!' (Surat
al-Furqan: 13-14)
Being locked in a narrow place causes maddening anguish in this world.
Solitary confinement is one of the severest punishments for prisoners.
Being stuck in a car for hours after an accident or remaining locked in
the wreckage of an earthquake-ravaged city is considered to be among the
gravest disasters. However, such examples are insignificant beside their
counterparts in hell. After all, someone trapped among the rubble either
loses consciousness and dies, or is rescued alive after some time. In
both cases, the pain lasts for a certain period of time.
This does not hold true for hell, however. There is no end to the pain
in hell and thus no hope. In a dirty, stuffy, gloomy atmosphere with smoke
filling the air, the disbeliever, hands tied to his neck and cast into
a small room, is afflicted with anguish. He struggles, strives for salvation,
but to no avail. He cannot even move. Ultimately, he begs to be allowed
to disappear, as stated in the verse, and wishes only that he were dead.
This request is simply returned. In that narrow hole he is confined in,
he remains for months, years and may be for hundreds of years. A growing
trouble fills his heart, while he begs thousands of times for his own
disappearance. Once "saved," he will not taste salvation, but will encounter
another face of hell.
Food, Drinks and Garments
The world abounds in countless varieties of delicious and nutritious
food. Each one is a blessing from God. Various kinds of meat, fruits and
vegetables with innumerable colours, tastes and odours, dairy products,
honey and many other nutrients produced by animals and spices, had all
been created specially by God and generously given for the service of
man by the time this world was created. Moreover, the human senses have
been created in such a way as to perceive all these delicious tastes.
By the inspiration of God, man has an appetite for dainty food, while
he is disgusted at rotten and nasty food, pus and so on. This is another
inspiration by God.
Favours, far greater than the ones in this world, are kept prepared in
paradise, and from them believers will derive the benefit for all eternity.
This is the gift of God, the One who gives blessings and prosperity. The
people of hell, on the other hand, in retribution for the wicked deeds
they engaged in in this world, are kept distant from the favours of God,
the ar-Razzaq, (Surat ash-Shuara: 19) so that all they encounter is torment:
On the Day when those who were disbelievers are exposed
to the Fire, (it will be said): 'You dissipated the good things you had
in your worldly life and enjoyed yourself in so doing. So today you are
being repaid with the punishment of humiliation for being arrogant on
the earth without any right and for being deviators.' (Surat al-Ahqaf:
20)
There shall be no further favours for them. Even meeting the most essential
needs turns out to be a torment. Food is specially created by God as a
source of suffering. The only edible things are the fruits of the bitter
thorn and the tree of zaqqum, which neither nourish nor satiate. They
only give pain, tearing apart mouth, throat and stomach and giving off
a disgusting taste and odour. In the Qur'an, we find descriptions of both
the glorious beauties and the delicious food peculiar to paradise as well
as the unendurable food of the people of hell:
Is that better by way of hospitality or the tree
of Zaqqum which We have made to be an ordeal for the wrongdoers? It is
a tree that emerges in the depths of the Blazing Fire. Its fruits are
just like the heads of devils. They will eat from it and fill their bellies
with it. (Surat as-Saffat: 62-66)
They have no food but a bitter thorny bush which
neither nourishes nor satisfies. (Surat al-Ghashiyah: 6-7)
The people of hell, being rebellious and ungrateful to God, deserve such
a requital. As a punishment, they encounter due "hospitality." In Surat
al-Waqi'ah, this is related as follows:
Before that they were living in luxury, persisting in
immense wrongdoing and saying, 'When we are dead and turned to dust and
bones, shall we then be raised again or our forefathers, the earlier peoples?'
Say: 'The earlier and the later peoples will certainly all be gathered
on an appointed day. Then you, you misguided people, you deniers, will
eat from the tree of Zaqqum, filling your stomachs with it and drink scalding
water on top of it, slurping like thirst-crazed camels. This will be their
fare on the Day of Judgment!' (Surat al-Waqi'ah: 45-56)
In the world, one occasionally suffers from a severe soar throat or a
stomach ache. However, in hell, hardly a minute goes by without suffering
from the severest of all these pains. The food disbelievers are entitled
to eat chokes them. If they can ever manage to swallow, it seethes in
the belly like molten brass (Surat ad-Dukhan: 44). It never satiates.
This being the case, the people of hell suffer an everlasting, horrible
hunger.
This torment is not limited to a single case; it repeats itself over
and over again for all eternity. The people of hell feel hunger so intensely
that, despite trying countless times, they can not help but eat the fruits
of the bitter thorn, which make them writhe in pain. Then they rush to
the boiling water. Yet, this water can never be digested. As stated in
the verse above, they slurp like thirst-crazed camels. To make this suffering
even more severe, disbelievers are driven to hell thirsty. (Surah Maryam:
86)
Aside from boiling water, another disgusting drink of the people of hell
is pus. This fluid, the product of inflammation, one of the secretions
in the human body with the most offensive odour, is the second choice
of disbelievers. Pus is served to disbelievers together with blood. In
another verse, there is mention of pus served with boiling water, so as
to make the believer taste the obscene taste of pus and perceive the torment
of boiling water with all his senses.
Despite their being disgusting and unbearable, that disbelievers still
drink them to meet their needs shows their craving for drink. Once they
taste this torment, they run to another. This also lasts for all eternity.
Due to a never-ending thirst, the people of hell writhe in affliction:
Not tasting any coolness there or any drink, except
for boiling water and scalding pus-a fitting recompense. (Surat an-Naba':
24-26)
Therefore here today he has no friend nor any food
except exuding pus which no one will eat except those who were in error.'
(Surat al-Haqqah: 35-37)
Disbelievers struggle to swallow this mixture, but
to no avail. Blood and pus choke them yet they never manage to die:
And beyond him is Hell where he will be given pus
to drink. He gulps at it but can hardly swallow it down. Death comes at
him from every side, but he does not die. And beyond him is relentless
punishment. (Surah Ibrahim: 16-17)
In this desperate situation, by means of a special dialogue, dwellers
of hell see the people of paradise. They witness the wonderful favours
the people of paradise enjoy. This enormously adds to their torment. Meanwhile,
the people of hell plead for some of their provisions. But this is a futile
supplication.
The Companions of the Fire will call out to the Companions
of the Garden, 'Throw down some water to us or some of what God has given
you as provision.' They will say, 'God has forbidden them to the disbelievers.
(Surat al-A'raf: 50)
Aside from the provisions, the garments of the people of hell are also
specially designed for them. Human skin is a sensitive tissue; even touching
a hot stove or an iron for a second gives an unbearable pain. In such
a case, the afflicted person suffers for days, his wound becomes inflamed
and swells. Hell, however, abounds in garments hotter than molten iron
which turn into a flame which blankets the skin and viciously burns:
...Those who are disbelievers will have garments
of fire cut out for them... (Surat al-Hajj: 19)
...wearing shirts of tar, their faces enveloped
in the Fire. (Surah Ibrahim: 50)
They will have Hell as a resting-place and covering
layers on top of them. That is how We repay wrongdoers. (Surat al-A'raf:
41)
Angels of Punishment
Despite all the suffering they go through, there will not be a single
soul to provide aid to the people of hell. No soul will be able to save
them from it. Being abandoned will give them a bitter feeling of loneliness.
Of the wrongdoer God says in the Qur'an: "Therefore,
here today, he has no friend" (Surat al-Haqqah: 35). Among them,
there will be only "angels of punishment",
who will inflict perpetual torture and suffering. These are extremely
stern, merciless, terrifying guards, bearing the sole responsibility for
inflicting severe torture on the people of hell. The sole purpose of their
existence is to take revenge upon those who rebel against God, and they
discharge their responsibility with due care and attention:
You who have faith! Safeguard yourselves and those
who are close to you from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones. Harsh,
terrible angels are in charge of it who do not disobey God in respect
of any order He gives them and carry out what they are ordered to do.
(Surat at-Tahrim: 6)
No indeed! If he does not desist, We will grab
him by the forelock, his lying, sinful forelock. Let him call his attendants;
We will call the Guards of Hell! No indeed! Do not obey him, but prostrate
yourself and draw near. (Surat al-'Alaq: 15-18)
These angels of punishment make disbelievers feel the wrath and rage
of God upon them. They subject the people of hell to the severest, and
most terrifying and degrading tortures.
One point deserves special mention here: angels of punishment, in fact,
avoid the slightest injustice or cruelty. They merely administer the punishment
in the way disbelievers deserve. These angels, the main manifestation
of God's justice, are the holy beings who perform this duty with great
pleasure and in a manner submissive to God.
THE SPIRITUAL TORMENT IN HELL
So far, we have mentioned the physical torment in hell. However, no less
than this physical torment, there exists the spiritual torment of hell.
Regret, hopelessness, humiliation, a feeling of being ill-treated, embarrassment,
and disappointment are the feelings aroused by these various torments.
"The Fire Reaching Right into the Heart"
In one way or another, everyone tastes spiritual torment in this world.
For instance, losing one's closest friend, spouse, or children or being
deceived by someone in whom one has placed unquestioning trust fills the
heart with an inexplicable grief. This grief is, in fact, a special form
of torment which God implants in a person's heart as a penalty for idolising
someone lost or someone who betrayed him. The individual needs essentially
to demonstrate to God his feelings of love, appreciation, awe, devotion,
trust and friendship. Failing to do this and simply extending these feelings
to someone else, who is also created by God and thus in need of Him, in
other words, associating partners with God, causes this torment. Idolaters
taste this grief, so that they may take lessons from it, ask for pardon
and turn to God before they are caught by death. The being which is idolised
is not, necessarily, a human being. People have different things they
cannot resist. Possessions, money, fortune, fame, in brief, anything or
any concept being worshipped besides God may well be idolised.
The pain the loss of these idols inflicts on one's heart in this world
is but a glimpse of the great torment one would undergo in hell. In essence,
it is a warning. In hell, the real and non-ending form of this pain awaits
an idolater. Sometimes, this spiritual torment becomes so intense that,
one would prefer physical torture. Even, suicide is considered a salvation.
This spiritual aspect of torment in hell is stressed in the Qur'an and
described as a "fire reaching right into the heart":
Woe to every faultfinding backbiter who has amassed
wealth and hoarded it! He thinks his wealth will make him live for ever.
No indeed! He will be flung into the Shatterer. And what will convey to
you what the Shatterer is? The kindled Fire of God reaching right into
the heart. It is sealed in above them in towering columns. (Surat al-Humazah:
1-9)
Even the severest pain in this world disappears in time. Its traces may
remain for a while, but time eventually erases its most hurtful traces.
In hell, however, an even more bitter pain penetrates the hearts of disbelievers
like a fury and remains there eternally.
Apart from this, the spiritual torment produces a sensation somewhat
between hopelessness and humiliation, rage and hatred. No less than physical
pain, disbelievers are also subjected to an insufferable spiritual pain.
Humiliation
Many verses regarding hell inform us that a degrading, humiliating torment
awaits disbelievers there. They incur this punishment due to their arrogance
and pride.
In this world, one of the main goals of disbelievers is to make others
envy them and appreciate their personality and social status. A distinguished
career, children, beautiful mansions, cars, and similar other worldly
passions mean more to the individual when they become a part of a vain
display of himself. Indeed, in the Qur'an, boasting of one's wealth and
properties are mentioned as being among the lures of this world.
This passion, namely "boasting", turns in the hereafter to anguish which
includes degradation as well as physical pain. That is because, the disbeliever
forgot about "God, who is Praiseworthy" (Surat
al-Baqarah: 267) and "has taken his whims and desires
to be his god" (Surat al-Furqan: 43). For this reason, he has mainly
busied himself in earning appreciation for himself rather than glorifying
and praising God. He has buildt his life upon earning the pleasure of
other people rather than earning God's approval. That is why he is blighted
most when he is humiliated in front of other people.
The most horrible nightmare of a disbeliever is being disgraced and degraded
in front of other people. There are even some people who would consider
dying only to be appreciated rather than be disgraced. Adversities peculiar
to hell have this feature at their core. The dismal state of the dwellers
of hell is mainly due to their haughtiness. Never before have they been
so utterly degraded. Numerous verses draw attention to this fact:
On the Day when those who were disbelievers are
exposed to the Fire, (it will be said): 'You dissipated the good things
you had in your worldly life and enjoyed yourself in so doing. So today
you are being repaid with the punishment of humiliation for being arrogant
on the earth without any right and for being deviators.' (Surat al-Ahqaf:
20)
Those who are disbelievers should not imagine that
the extra time We grant to them is good for them. We only allow them more
time so that they will increase their evil-doing. They will have a humiliating
punishment. (Surah Al 'Imran: 178)
Disbelievers are subjected to thousands of kinds of degrading treatment...
even lower than that which animals receive in this world. Iron whips,
shackles and collars are available only to humiliate. The faithless are
tied to pillars, collared and chained.
In reality, humiliation is the essence of all the torments in hell. For
instance, while being cast into the fire, they are degraded. This dreadful
treatment starts from the moment the disbeliever is resurrected and chosen
to be sent to hell. Furthermore, this punishment never abates.
Among billions of people, the disbeliever is taken by
the angels and grabbed by his forelock and feet. In the words of the Qur'an,
"That Day no man or jinn will be asked about his sin...The evil-doers
will be recognised by their mark and seized by their forelocks and their
feet." (Surat ar-Rahman: 39-41)
In hell, the disbeliever has to come to terms with a type of treatment
even worse than that which animals receive. Seized by his hair, he will
be dragged along the ground and then cast into hell. Unable to resist,
he will ask for help, but to no avail. A feeling of desperation only increases
the torment:
No indeed! If he does not desist, We will grab him by
the forelock, his lying, sinful forelock. Let him call his attendants;
We will call the Guards of Hell! No indeed! Do not obey him, but prostrate
yourself and draw near. (Surat al-'Alaq: 15-18)
As the verses state, disbelievers will be "shoved
roughly into the Fire of Hell" (Surat at-Tur: 13-14) and they will
be "herded headlong into Hell." (Surat al-Furqan:
34)
Similarly,
...those who perform bad actions will be flung
head first into the Fire: 'Are you being repaid for anything other than
what you did?' (Surat an-Naml: 90)
...On the Day that they are dragged face-first
into the Fire. (It will be said): 'Taste the scorching touch of Hell!'
(Surat al-Qamar: 48)
Degradation becomes even more intense once in hell. Apart from the physical
pain, an intense feeling of degradation overwhelms the dwellers of hell:
'Seize him and drag him bodily into the middle of the
Blazing Fire. Then pour the punishment of boiling water on his head.'
'Taste that! You are the mighty one, the noble one! This is the very thing
you used to doubt.' (Surat ad-Dukhan: 47-50)
To humiliate disbelievers, specially designed whips, collars and chains
are used:
'Seize him and truss him up. Then roast him in the Blazing
Fire. Then bind him in a chain which is seventy cubits long. He used not
to have faith in God the Magnificent, nor did he urge the feeding of the
poor.' (Surat al-Haqqah: 30-34)
In this world, except for those which are savage, even animals are not
chained. And as for human beings, only the untreatable and dangerously
mentally retarded are chained. This being the case, those sent to hell
are the most inferior of all creatures. That is why, they are bound in
"a chain which is seventy cubits long", as stated in the above verse.
Other verses also give details of this degrading torment:
...they have shackles and chains around their necks
and are dragged along the ground into the boiling water and then are thrown
into the Fire! Then they will be asked, 'Where are those besides God you
associated with Him?' (Surat al-Mu'min: 71-73)
... If you are surprised at their blindness, what
could be more surprising than their words: 'What, when we are turned to
dust, shall we then be created all anew?' These are the people who reject
their Lord. Such people have iron collars round their necks. Such people
are the Companions of the Fire, remaining in it timelessly, for ever.
(Surat ar-Ra'd: 5)
...that Day you will see the evil-doers yoked together
in chains, wearing shirts of tar, their faces enveloped in the Fire. So
that God may repay every self for what it earned. God is swift at reckoning.
(Surah Ibrahim: 49-51)
Those who are disbelievers will have garments of
fire cut out for them, and boiling water poured over their heads, which
will melt the contents of their bellies as well as their skin, and they
will be beaten with cudgels made of iron. (Surat al-Hajj: 19-21)
The dark spirit the degradation accounts for becomes apparent on the
faces of the people of hell. In the world too, you can see the serious
trouble of people who are disgraced, dishonoured and mistreated. The degradation
in hell will also affect the appearance of dwellers of hell as stated
in the following verse:
Some faces, that Day, will be humiliated. (Surat al-Ghashiyah:
2)
Apart from all the methods of humiliation we have mentioned so far, we
have to keep in mind that various other forms of it will be exercised
in hell. In the Qur'an, the term "humiliation" is used and a few examples
are provided to illustrate it. However, we need to keep in mind that this
is a broad term which can by no means be limited to a few examples. All
feelings, treatment or events stirring up humiliation in man's soul in
this world are included in this concept and they are all available in
hell.
An Irrecoverable Regret
By the time he is resurrected, the disbeliever bitterly realises what
he has done wrong. The regret caused by his irreparable wrong gives him
a bad shaking up. His desperate situation is exacerbated by this profound
regret.
When the disbeliever is confronted with the deeds he engaged in in this
world, he understands that he has no longer any chance to restore any
honour to his life. Yet he still asks for another opportunity. In this
spirit, he wants to return to his old life to atone for his wrongdoing.
Meanwhile, he never again wants to see his friends and beloved ones with
whom he heedlessly enjoyed life. All friendships, all bonds are torn apart.
The lifestyle and traditions people adhered to in life, their houses,
cars, spouses, children, companies, the ideologies they advocate lose
their value and vanish. Quite simply, they are replaced by torment. The
spirit caused by the terror of that day is related as follows:
If only you could see them when they are standing before
the Fire and saying, 'Oh! If only we could be sent back again, we would
not deny the Signs of our Lord and we would be among the believers.' Indeed
that which they were concealing before has been shown to them; and if
they were sent back they would merely return to what they were forbidden
to do. Truly, they are liars. They say, 'There is nothing but this life
and we will not be raised again.' If only you could
see them when they are standing before their Lord. He will say, 'Is this
not the Truth?' They will say, 'Yes indeed, by our Lord!' He will say,
'Then taste the punishment for your disbelief.' (Surat al-An'am:
27-30)
The Contention Among the People of Hell
Social status and hierarchical relations , which were assumed to be
momentous in this world, lose all their meaning in hell. The state that
both the people and their leaders are reduced to is such that they curse
one another:
When those who were followed disown those who followed
them, and they see the punishment, and the connection between them is
cut, those who followed will say, 'If only we could have another chance,
we would disown them just as they have disowned us.' In that way God will
show them their actions as a cause of anguish and remorse for them. They
will never emerge from the Fire. (Surat al-Baqarah: 166-167)
They will say on the Day their heads roll about
in the Fire, 'If only we had obeyed God and obeyed the Messenger!' And
they will say, 'Our Lord, we obeyed our masters and great men and they
led us away from the right path. Our Lord, give them double the punishment
and curse them many times over!' (Surat al-Ahzab: 66-68)
Arguing in it with one another, they will say, 'By God, we were plainly
misguided when We equated you with the Lord of all the worlds. It was
only the evil-doers who misguided us and now we have no one to intercede
for us; we do not have a single loyal friend. If only we could have another
chance, then we would be among the believers!'
There is certainly a Sign in that, yet most of them are
not believers. (Surat ash-Shu'ara: 96-103)
Among the people of hell encountering an eternal torment, contentiousness
arises. Everyone accuses everyone else. Intimate friends hate one another.
The main source of this hate is the friendship they cherished in the world.
They tempted one another into committing sins and offered encouragement
in denial. All concepts regarding friendship have disappeared in the face
of hellfire and all bonds strengthened in this life are broken. In the
midst of all this crowd, everyone is alone, cursing all the others:
He will say, 'Enter the Fire together with the
nations of jinn and men who have passed away before you.' Each time a
nation enters, it will curse its sister nation, until, when they are all
gathered together in it, the last of them will say to the first, 'Our
Lord, those are the ones who misguided us, so give them a double punishment
in the Fire.' He will say, 'Each will receive double. But you do not know
it.' (Surat al-A'raf: 38)
Those who are disbelievers say, 'Our Lord, show
us those jinn and men who misguided us and we will place them beneath
our feet, so that they will be among the lowest of the low.' (Surah Fussilat:
29)
When they are squabbling with one another in the
Fire, the weak will say to those deemed great, 'We were your followers,
so why do you not ward off from us some of the flames?' But those who
deemed themselves great will say, 'All of us are in it. God has clearly
judged between His slaves.' (Surat al-Mu'min: 47-48)
'Here is a troop rushing headlong with you! There
is no welcome for them. They will certainly roast in the Fire.' (And the
damned will say to their leaders), 'No, it is you who have no welcome.
It is you who brought this upon us. What an evil place to settle!' They
will say, 'Our Lord, give him who brought this on us double the punishment
in the Fire!' 'But how is it that we do not see some men whom we used
to count among the worst of people and whom we turned into figures of
fun? Did our eyes miss them?' All this is certainly true - the bickering
of the people of the Fire. (Surah Sad: 59-64)
Pleas of Desperation and Hopelessness
The people of hell are in a hopeless state. The torture they undergo
is extremely cruel and never-ending. Their only hope is to cry and beg
for salvation. They see the people of paradise and beg for water and food.
They try to repent and ask forgiveness of God. Yet, all these moves are
in vain.
They beseech the keepers of hell. They even want them to act as intermediaries
between them and God and ask for mercy. Their pain is so unbearable that
they want to be saved from it even if it is only for a single day:
Those in the Fire will say to the custodians of Hell,'Call
on your Lord to make the punishment less for us for just one day.' They
will ask, 'Did your Messengers not bring you the Clear Signs?' They will
answer, 'Yes.' Then they (their keepers) will say, 'Offer your prayers!'
But the prayers of the disbelievers shall be in vain. (Surat al-Mu'min:
49-50)
Disbelievers further try to seek forgiveness, but they are strictly turned
down:
They will say, 'Our Lord, our miserable destiny overpowered
us. We were misguided people. Our Lord, deliver us from Hell! Then if
we revert to sin, we will definitely be wrongdoers.' He will say, 'Stay
here in shame and do not plead with Me. There was a group of My slaves
who said, "Our Lord, we have faith, so forgive us and have mercy on us.
You are the Best of the Merciful." But you made a mockery of them so that
they made you forget to remember Me while you were laughing at them. Today
I have rewarded them for being steadfast. They are the ones who are victorious.'
(Surat al-Mu'minun: 106-111)
This is actually the last address of God to the people of hell. His words
"Stay here in shame and do not plead with Me!" are conclusive. From then
on, God never considers the people of hell. One would not even like to
think about this situation.
While the sinners burn in hell, those who attain "happiness and salvation"
remain in paradise enjoying the benefit of endless favours. The suffering
of the people in hell becomes more intense when they observe the life
of believers in paradise. Indeed, while being subjected to unbearable
torture, they can "watch" the magnificent blessings of paradise.
Believers, whom disbelievers derided in this world, now lead a full and
happy life, living in glorious locations, magnificent houses with beautiful
women, and savouring delicious food and drinks. The sight of the believers
in a state of peace and abundance further aggravates the humiliation of
being in hell. These scenes add greater pain and suffering to their grief.
The regret becomes deeper and deeper. Not having followed the commands
of God in the world makes them feel profound remorse. They turn to the
believers in paradise and try to speak to them. They beg for help and
sympathy from them. Yet, these are vain efforts. The people of paradise
also see them. The exchange between the peoples of hell and paradise is
as follows:
In Gardens they will ask the evil-doers: 'What caused
you to enter Hell?' They will reply, 'We were not among those who prayed
and we did not feed the poor. We engaged in vain disputes and denied the
Day of Judgment until the inevitable end overtook us.' The pleas of the
intercessors will not help them. (Surat al-Muddaththir: 40-48)
Meanwhile, believers and hypocrites will argue with one another. Hypocrites
are the people who remained with the believers for a certain period of
time. Despite having no faith in their hearts, and purely for personal
gain, they performed their religious duties as if they were believers.
Thus, they earned the appellation of "hypocrites". In hellfire, they implore
the believers to give them help. The dialogue between these two groups
is conveyed in the Qur'an as follows:
That Day the hypocrites, both men and women, will say
to those who have faith, 'Wait for us, so that we may borrow some of your
light.' But they will be told, 'Go back and look for some other light!'
And a wall with a gate will be erected between them. Inside there will
be mercy, but on the exterior lies punishment. They will call out to them,
'Were we not with you?' They will reply, 'Indeed you were. But you made
trouble for yourselves and hung back and doubted, and false hopes deluded
you until God's command arrived. The Dissembler tricked you about God.
So today no ransom will be accepted from you or from those who were disbelievers.
Your refuge is the Fire. It is your master. What an evil destination!'
(Surat al-Hadid: 13-15)
An Eternal Torment With No Salvation
Apart from all the features of hell we have mentioned so far, there is
another aspect of it which augments the intensity of torment inflicted:
it is eternal. In this world, the fact that even the sharpest pain lessens
with time gives comfort to man. The end of every pain is bliss and even
awaiting this bliss gives hope.
However, there is no such hope in hell and this is what overwhelms the
people of hell most. When they are cast into the fire, chained, scalded,
whipped, and crammed into narrow places, their hands tied to their necks,
they know that it will last for all eternity. Their attempts to escape
can never meet with success. This indicates that their torment will continue
forever. The anguish they feel is explained as follows:
Every time they want to come out of it, because of their
suffering, they will be driven back into it: 'Taste the punishment of
the Burning!' (Surat al-Hajj: 22)
Hell is an entirely isolated place. Disbelievers enter it and never re-emerge.
There is no way out of hell. The feeling of confinement engulfs disbelievers.
They are surrounded with walls and locked doors. This bitter feeling of
confinement is described in the Qur'an as follows:
Those who reject Our signs,they are the Companions
of the Left. Above them is a sealed vault of Fire. (Surat al-Balad: 19-20)
Say: 'It is the truth from your Lord; so let whoever
wishes have faith and whoever wishes be a disbeliever.' We have prepared
for the wrongdoers a Fire whose billowing walls of smoke will hem them
in. If they call for help, they will be showered with water like seething
molten brass, which will scald their faces. What a noxious drink! What
an evil repose! (Surat al-Kahf: 29)
The shelter of such people will be Hell. They will
find no way to escape from it. (Surat an-Nisa': 121)
By the time disbelievers see the fire, they fully recognise where they
belong. They truly understand that there is no chance whatsoever of getting
away from the fire. At this stage, the time concept loses its meaning
and an eternal torment begins. The incessant nature of pain is its worst
aspect. Even if a hundred years, a thousand years or millions of years
pass by, one never draws close to the end. Millions of years is nothing
as compared to eternity. The disbeliever dwelling in hell awaits an end,
yet to no avail. That is why the eternal nature of hell is stressed:
God has promised the hypocrites, both men and women,
and the disbelievers the Fire of Hell. They shall remain in it timelessly,
for ever. It will suffice them. God has cursed them. They will have everlasting
punishment. (Surat at-Tawbah: 68)
If those (the idols) had really been gods, they
would not have gone down into it. Each one will be in it timelessly, for
ever. (Surat al-Anbiya': 99)
As for those who are disbelievers, the Fire of
Hell awaits them. Death shall not deliver them, nor shall its punishment
be lightened for them. That is how We repay every thankless man. (Surah
Fatir: 36)
All the pain in this world comes to an end. There is always salvation.
One who suffers from pain either dies, or his pain is alleviated. However,
in hell, pain is continual and incessant, offering no relief for even
a moment.
An Important Reminder to Avoid Torment
Throughout this book, it is has been stressed that those who reject the
commands of God in this world and deny the existence of their Creator
will have no salvation in the hereafter and that they will face a terrifying
torment in hell.
Therefore, without losing any time, each one has to realise his situation
in the presence of God and surrender to Him. Otherwise, he will regret
it and face a fearsome end:
It may be that those who are disbelievers will wish that
they had been Muslims. Leave them to eat and enjoy themselves. Let false
hope divert them. They will soon know. (Surat al-Hijr: 2-3)
The way to avoid eternal punishment, win eternal bliss and attain the
approval of God is apparent:
Before it is too late, have true faith in God. Spend your life in doing
good deeds to earn His pleasure…
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