Youth Lecture: 8/7/11 - Some of the Punishments of Hellfire

Bismillâh wal-hamdulillâh

On Friday night we learnt about some of the punishments of Hellfire, for indeed, the punishments of the Fire are many.

If you asked anyone on the street, they would definitely say that they wouldn't want to enter the Hellfire. However, it is those same people who are paving their way to the Fire. It is these same people who are sinning, whilst at the same time thinking that they will enter Paradise despite their actions.

So, how do we avoid becoming one of these?

Well, the first and foremost criteria for saving yourself from the punishment of the Fire is to have the correct Îmân (belief) and `Aqîdah (creed). Without these, we are destined to feel the wrath of Allâh (سبحانه وتعالى).

Allâh (سبحانه وتعالى)says in the Qur'ân:
إِنَّا أَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَافِرِينَ سَلَاسِلَ وَأَغْلَالًا وَسَعِيرًا
Verily, We have prepared for the disbelievers iron chains, iron collars, and a blazing Fire. [TMQ ad-Dahr 76:4]

The Messenger of Allâh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: "The person who will have the least punishment among the people of Hell on the Day of Resurrection will be a man under the arch of whose feet will be placed a smouldering ember, and his brains will boil because of it." [Narrated by al-Bukhâri 8/567]

This is the smallest of punishments in Hellfire. No one would even want this! So what about a punishment greater than this?!

For example, Allâh says in the Qur'ân:
إِنَّا أَعْتَدْنَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ نَارًا أَحَاطَ بِهِمْ سُرَادِقُهَا  ۚوَإِن يَسْتَغِيثُوا يُغَاثُوا بِمَاءٍ كَالْمُهْلِ يَشْوِي الْوُجُوهَ  ۚبِئْسَ الشَّرَابُ وَسَاءَتْ مُرْتَفَقًا
"Indeed, We have prepared for the wrongdoers a fire whose walls will surround them. And if they call for relief, they will be relieved with water like murky oil, which scalds [their] faces. Wretched is the drink, and evil is the resting place." [TMQ al-Kahf 18:29]

وَسِيقَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِلَىٰ جَهَنَّمَ زُمَرًا  ۖحَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَاءُوهَا فُتِحَتْ أَبْوَابُهَا وَقَالَ لَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَا أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ رُسُلٌ مِّنكُمْ يَتْلُونَ عَلَيْكُمْ آيَاتِ رَبِّكُمْ وَيُنذِرُونَكُمْ لِقَاءَ يَوْمِكُمْ هَٰذَا  ۚقَالُوا بَلَىٰ وَلَٰكِنْ حَقَّتْ كَلِمَةُ الْعَذَابِ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ
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!" [TMQ az-Zumar 39:71]

.وَلِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ  ۖوَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ
.إِذَا أُلْقُوا فِيهَا سَمِعُوا لَهَا شَهِيقًا وَهِيَ تَفُورُ
تَكَادُ تَمَيَّزُ مِنَ الْغَيْظ  ۖكُلَّمَا أُلْقِيَ فِيهَا فَوْجٌ سَأَلَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَا أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ نَذِيرٌ
And for those who disbelieve in their Lord (Allâh) is the torment of Hell, and worst indeed is that destination.
When they are cast therein, they will hear the (terrible) drawing in of its breath as it blazes forth. It almost bursts up with fury.
Every time a group is cast therein, its keeper will ask: "Did no warner come to you?"
[TMQ al-Mulk 67:6-8]

Here, the warner is Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم). However, since he is no longer with us today, this means that we are the warners; we must convey the message of Islâm to humanity, for indeed, this religion was sent down for all of humanity.

We should ponder about the punishment of the fire as it causes us to fear Allâh (سبحانه وتعالى) and draw us closer to Allâh.

Allâh says in the Qur'ân:
يَوْمَ يَغْشَاهُمُ الْعَذَابُ مِن فَوْقِهِمْ وَمِن تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِهِمْ وَيَقُولُ ذُوقُوا مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
On the Day the punishment will cover them from above them and from below their feet and it is said, "Taste [the result of] what you used to do." [TMQ al-`Ankabût 29:55]

We must be careful of our actions, because everything, whether large or small, shall have a consequence to it.

Allâh also says in the Qur'ân:
.إِنَّ الْمُجْرِمِينَ فِي ضَلَالٍ وَسُعُرٍ
.يَوْمَ يُسْحَبُونَ فِي النَّارِ عَلَىٰ وُجُوهِهِمْ ذُوقُوا مَسَّ سَقَرَ
Verily, the Mujrimun (polytheists, disbelievers, sinners, criminals, etc.) are in error (in this world) and will burn (in the Hell-fire in the Hereafter).
The Day they will be dragged in the Fire on their faces (it will be said to them): "Taste you the touch of Hell!"
[TMQ al-Qamar 54:47-48]

To make things worse, the dwellers of Hellfire will wear clothes of Fire.

Allâh also says:
.وَتَرَى الْمُجْرِمِينَ يَوْمَئِذٍ مُّقَرَّنِينَ فِي الْأَصْفَادِ
.سَرَابِيلُهُم مِّن قَطِرَانٍ وَتَغْشَىٰ وُجُوهَهُمُ النَّارُ
And you will see the criminals that Day bound together in shackles,
Their garments of liquid pitch and their faces covered by the Fire.
[TMQ Ibrâhîm 14:49-50]

The punishment of the Fire will be continuous. It is everlasting.

Allâh says about another punishment of Hellfire:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِنَا سَوْفَ نُصْلِيهِمْ نَارًا كُلَّمَا نَضِجَتْ جُلُودُهُم بَدَّلْنَاهُمْ جُلُودًا غَيْرَهَا لِيَذُوقُوا الْعَذَابَ  ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا
Indeed, those who disbelieve in Our verses - We will drive them into a Fire. Every time their skins are roasted through We will replace them with other skins so they may taste the punishment. Indeed, Allah is ever Exalted in Might and Wise. [TMQ an-Nisâ' 4:56]

The above are only but some of the punishments of the Fire. Indeed, there are many more mentioned in other parts of the Qur'ân and in the hadîth. In fact, there is a whole book in Sahîh Muslim that describes the Day of Judgement, Paradise & Hell.

Belief in the Afterlife is part of our `Aqîdah & Îmân; in fact, it is one of the pillars of Îmân! Therefore, we must study this topic alongside other topics, as it helps increase Îmân, Taqwâ and Khushû` in Salâh.

Wallâhu A`lam wa Ahkam (By Ibnu Âdam)