The Vast Extent of Hell

The Vast Extent of Hell

Hell is huge and vast and immensely deep, as is proven by several things: (1) Those who will enter Hell are innumerable, yet one of them will be so huge that his molars will be as big as Mount Uhud, and the distance between his shoulders will be equivalent to three days walking. Nevertheless, Hell will accommodate the huge number of Kuffaar and evildoers who have existed throughout history, in spite of their huge size, and there will still be room for more, as Allaah says in the Qur'aan: "On the Day when We will say to Hell: "Are you filled?" It will say: "Are there any more to come?" (50:30) The Fire of Hell is like a mill to which are brought thousands upon thousands of tons of grain, which it grinds tirelessly until it is all done, then waits for more. In the hadith that describes the debate between Paradise and Hell, it says that Allaah (swt) said to Hell, "You are My Punishment; I will punish in you whomsoever I will". Both Paradise and Hell will be filled, but Hell will not be filled until Allaah (swt) places His foot in it and it will say, "Enough, enough!". Then it will be filled and its different parts will come closer to one another. Allaah (swt) will not wrong any one of His Creation. Reported by alBukhaari and Muslim from Abu Hurayrah (ra) (Jaami' al-Usool, 10/544). [See the narration from Anas in alBukhaari, Muslim and Mishkaat ul-Masaabeeh, 3/109 with a similar meaning]. (2) Another indication of its vast depth is the fact that a stone thrown from the top of Hell takes a very long time to reach the bottom. Muslim reports that Abu Hurayrah (ra) said: "We were with the Messenger of Allaah (saw) and we heard the sound of something falling. The Prophet (saw) said, "Do you know what that was?" We said, "Allaah and His Messenger know best". He said, "That was a stone that was thrown into Hell seventy years ago and it was falling through Hell until now". (Muslim, Kitaab al-Jannah, Baab fi shiddat haar an-naar, 4/2184 no. 2844) Haakim reports from Abu Hurayrah, and Tabaraani from Mu'aadh and Abu Umamah (ra) that the Prophet (Saw) said, "If there was a huge stone as big as seven khalifaat stones, and it was thrown from the edge of Hell it would fly through it for seventy years before it reached the bottom". (Saheeh alJaami' as-Sagheer, 5/58, no. 5124, Its isnaad is saheeh). (3) The great number of angels who will bring Hell forth on the Day of Resurrection. The Messenger (saw) described how Hell will be brought forth on the Day of Resurrection, concerning which Allaah (swt) said, "And Hell will be brought near that Day". (89:23) The Prophet (saw) said, "Hell will be brought forth that Day by means of seventy thousand ropes, each of which will be held by seventy thousand angels." (reported by Muslim from 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ud, 4/2184 no.2842) We can only image the vastness of this terrifying creation that requires such a huge number of strong and powerful angels whose strength is known only to Allaah! Page 7 al-Jannah wa an-Naar – In the Light of the Qur'aan and Sunnah (4) Another indication of the vastness of Hell is the fact that two great creations like the sun and moon will be two rolled-up bulls in Hell. at-Tahhaawee reports, in Mishkil al-Aathaar, that Salamah ibn 'Abdur-Rahman said, "Abu Hurayrah told us that the Prophet (saw) said: "The sun and moon will be two rolled-up bulls in Hell on the Day of Resurrection" al-Bayhaqi also reported this in "al-Ba'th wal-Nushur", as did al-Bazzaar, al-Isma'ili and al-Khattaabi, with an isnaad that is saheeh according to the conditions of al-Bukhaari, who reported in al-Saheeh al-Mukhtasar, with the wording "The sun and moon will be rolled up in Hell of the day of Resurrection". (Sheikh Naasir ud-Deen alAlbaani narrated this hadeeth in Silsilah al-ahadeeth as-Saheehah, 1/32, hadith no:124)

The Intensity of Its Heat and the Vastness of Its Smoke and Sparks

Allaah (swt) says: Page 10 al-Jannah wa an-Naar – In the Light of the Qur'aan and Sunnah "And those on the left hand - who will be those on the Left Hand? In fierce hot wind and boiling water. And shadow of black smoke, [that shadow] neither cool, nor [even] good". (56:41-44) This aayah includes all of the things that people avail themselves of in this world when it is too hot; these three things are: water, air and shade. But the aayah states that these three things will be of no help whatsoever to the people of Hell. The air of Hell is al-Sumoom, which is an intensely hot wind; its water is alHameem, boiling water; its shade is al-Yahmoom, which is a part of the smoke of Hell. (at-Takhweef min anNaar, p.85) Just as this aayah emphasises the horrifying position of those on the Left Hand, who are the people of Hell, another aayah emphasises the horror of Hell itself. Allaah (swt) says: "But he whose balance [of good deeds] will be [found] light, will have his home in a [bottomless] pit. And what will explain to you what this is? [It is] a Fire blazing fiercely!" (101:8-11) The shade referred to in the aayah "and the shadow of black smoke" (56:43) is the shade cast by the smoke of Hell. Shade usually makes one feel cool and comfortable, and people love to feel it, but this shade [in Hell] will neither be cool nor pleasant; it is the shadow of black smoke. The Qur'aan tells us that this shade is the smoke of Hell which rises above the Fire: ""Depart you to a shadow [of smoke ascending] in three columns, [which yields] no shade of coolness and is of no use against the Fierce Blaze". Indeed! It [Hell] throws about sparks [huge] as forts, as if there were [a string of] yellow camels [marching swiftly]." (77:30-33) This aayah states that the smoke that rises from Hell is so great that it is divided into three columns. It gives shade, but it is not cooling and it offers no protection from the Raging Fire. The sparks that fly from this Fire are like huge castles, and they are likened to yellow or black camels. Allaah (swt) explained how strong this Fire is, and how it affects the tormented: "Soon I will cast him into Hellfire. And what will explain to you exactly what Hellfire is? Naught does it permit to endure, and naught does it leave alone! Darkening and changing the colour of man!" (74:26-29) The Fire consumes all, destroying everything and leaving nothing untouched. It burns skin, reaching to the bone, melting the contents of the stomach and exposing what is innermost. The Prophet (saw) told us: "Fire as we know it is one-seventieth part of the Fire of Hell." Someone said, "O Messenger of Allaah (saw), it is enough as it is!" He said, "It [the fire of Hell] is as if sixty nine equal portions were added to the fire as we know it." (al-Bukhaari) This Fire never dies down, no matter how much time passes: "So taste you [the results of your evil actions]; no increase shall We give you, except in torment". (78:30) "...whenever it abates, We shall increase for them the fierceness of the Fire". (17:97) The disbelievers will not taste the luxury of respite, and the torment will not be lessened for them no matter how long it lasts: Page 11 al-Jannah wa an-Naar – In the Light of the Qur'aan and Sunnah "Their torment shall not be lightened nor shall they be helped". (2:86) The Fire is rekindled every day as is stated in the hadith reported by Muslim from 'Amr ibn 'Absah (ra) who said: "The Prophet (saw) said, "Pray salaat as-subh (the early morning prayer) then stop praying when the sun is rising until it is fully up, for it rises between the horns of Shaytaan and the disbelievers prostrate to the sun at that time. Then pray, for the prayer is witnessed (by the angels) until the shadow becomes the length of a lance. Then cease prayer, for at that time Hell is heated up. Then when the shadow moves forward, pray.." al-Bukhaari and Muslim report from Abu Hurayrah (ra) that the Prophet said, "When it becomes very hot, wait until it cools down to pray, because the intense heat is a breeze from Hell". The Fire of Hell will be further refuelled on the Day of Resurrection when it receives its inhabitants: "And when Hellfire shall be kindled to a fierce blaze, and when Paradise shall be brought near". (81:12-13)