Jahannam — The Hellfire

Jahannam (the Hellfire) is the abode of punishment prepared for the disbelievers and the disobedient. Its descriptions in the Quran and Sunnah are terrifying, serving as a powerful deterrent from sin and disbelief. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "The Fire complained to its Lord saying: O my Lord, my parts are consuming one another. So He permitted it two breaths, one in winter and one in summer. That is why you find extreme heat and extreme cold" (Sahih al-Bukhari). The Quran warns: "O you who believe, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones" (Quran 66:6).

Descriptions of the Punishment

The Quran describes multiple types of punishment. The fuel of the Fire is humans and stones (Quran 2:24). When the skin burns away, it is replaced so the punishment continues (Quran 4:56). Boiling water is poured over their heads, melting what is in their stomachs and their skin (Quran 22:19-20). Their food is zaqqum, a thorny tree that "grows in the bottom of the Hellfire, its emerging fruit as if it were heads of the devils" (Quran 37:64-65). Their drink is boiling water and pus. They will call for death but receive none: "And they will call: O Malik (keeper of Hellfire), let your Lord put an end to us. He will say: Indeed, you will remain" (Quran 43:77).

Levels of Hellfire

Scholars describe Hellfire as having multiple levels, with the severity of punishment corresponding to the gravity of one's sins and disbelief. The deepest level is for the hypocrites (munafiqun): "Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire" (Quran 4:145). Abu Talib, the Prophet's uncle who supported Islam but died without accepting it, will have the lightest punishment: sandals of fire that cause his brain to boil, and he will think no one is more severely punished than him (Sahih al-Bukhari). This demonstrates that even the "lightest" punishment is unbearable.

Who Enters the Hellfire

The primary inhabitants of Hellfire are those who died upon shirk and disbelief, having rejected the truth. They will remain therein eternally: "Indeed, those who disbelieve and die while they are disbelievers, upon them is the curse of Allah and of the angels and of all people" (Quran 2:161). Sinful Muslims who die upon Tawhid may enter the Hellfire temporarily as purification, but they will eventually be removed through intercession and Allah's mercy. The Prophet said: "Whoever has an atom's weight of iman in their heart will eventually be taken out of the Fire" (Sahih al-Bukhari).

The Purpose of These Descriptions

The detailed descriptions of Hellfire in the Quran and Sunnah serve as a mercy from Allah. They motivate the believer to avoid sin, repent quickly when they fall short, and strive harder in obedience. The Prophet (peace be upon him) would weep when reciting verses about the Hellfire, and the righteous predecessors were known for their fear of it. However, the Muslim maintains a balance between fear and hope: fear of Allah's punishment drives them away from sin, while hope in Allah's mercy drives them toward good deeds. Neither fear nor hope should predominate to the exclusion of the other.