Paradise and Hell

-------------------Al-Jannah wa An-Naar-------------------------
[right] to the heart. It shall be made into a vault over them, in columns outstretched." (104:1
Allaah (swt) states that the gates of Hell will be locked behind them. Ibn Abbaas said, "In columns outstretched
gates will be stretched out". 'Atiyah said, "It is a pillar of iron". Muqaatil said, "The gates will be closed firmly b
locked with a bolt of iron, so that the pain and heat will be intensified. The expression "stretched forth" applies
meaning that the bolts with which the gates are locked will be very long, because a long bolt is stronger than a
Rajab, at-Takhweef min an-Naar, p.61)
The gates of Hell may be opened and closed before the Day of Judgement. The Prophet (Saw) told us that the
locked during the month of Ramadhan. at-Tirmidhi reported that Abu Hurayrah said the Prophet (saw) said:
night of Ramadhan comes, the Shayaateen and evil jinns are chained up. The gates of Hell are close
them is opened. The gates of Paradise are opened and not one of them is closed." (Ibid, p.66)
The Fuel of Hell
Stones and the rebellious disbelievers are the fuel of Hell, as Allaah says:
"O you who believe! Save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is men and stones!"
"...then fear the Fire [hell] whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the disbelievers" (2:24)
What is meant by the people who will be fuel for the Fire is the disbelievers and polytheists. As for the type of
the Fire, Allaah (swt) knows best what it really is. Some of the Salaf thought that this stone was brimstone or s
ibn Mas'oud said, "It is a stone of sulphur which Allaah (swt) created in the first heaven the day He created the
and prepared it for the disbelievers". This was reported by Ibn Jareer, Ibn Abi Haatim and Haakim in al
Mujaahid and Ibn Juryayj were also of this opinion. (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 1/107)
If this opinion was based on something that the Prophet (saw) had said then we could accept it without hesitat
it is the matter of ijtihaad, based on knowledge of the nature and qualities of stones, then we cannot accept it
There may be other stones that are superior to sulphur in strength and flammability. The first Muslims saw tha
qualities that do not exist in other stones, so they thought that it would be the fuel of Hell. Ibn Rajab said, "Mo
mufassireen suggest that what is meant by stones is sulphur, with which the Fire of Hell will be fuelled. It was
five kinds of torment that are not found in other stones: it catches fire quickly, it has an unpleasant odour, it p
smoke, it sticks to flesh, and it is very hot when it is heated" (Ibn Rajab, at-Takhweef min an-Naar, p.107). All
other kinds of stones that are superior to sulphur, and we can be sure that whatever exists in the Hereafter wil
this world.
Another fuel for the Fire will be the gods, which were worshipped instead of Allaah (swt);
"Certainly! You [disbelievers] and that which you are worshipping now besides Allah, are [but] fuel
you will enter it. Had these [idols etc] been aaliha [gods] they would not have entered there [Hell]
will abide therein." (21:98-99)
"al-Jawhaari said, "Everything that is used to feed the Fire or increase it is its fuel". Abu Ubaydah said, "
into the Fire is fuel for it" (Yaqazah uli al-i'tibaar, p.61)
The Intensity of Its Heat
and the Vastness of Its Smoke and Sparks
Allaah (swt) says:
"And those on the left hand - who will be those on the Left Hand? In fierce hot wind and boiling wa