contin.
[ALIGN=LEFT]20. A round in Hell clears away arrogance.
A round inside Hell, a look at the deep hole, and a reflection over the people who enter it, and fall in it was the greatest contributor in vanishing my former deception concerning paradise, and on my total concentration to be devoted to escaping Hell. Moreover, a pause, after another at Allah’s, His Almighty’s, and His Prophet’s de************************ion of this tremendous, already existing Hell, and an inner visualization of the conditions of its people gave me the certainty that-if Allah, His Almighty desires-that the whole intention should be to escape from it, and that escaping Hell should take the priority over entering Heavens. Since it is known that avoiding sins has the precedence over gaining rewards, then how about the reward that could not be gained unless sin is avoided in the first place, for Heavens cannot be gained, unless Hell is escaped from. I also realized that a person of my long record of sins and disobedience, for which he disserves punishments-except for Allah’s, His Almighty’s mercy-is impolite and has no right to ask for Heavens, while he hasn’t got ridden of the punishment’s causes.
The truth is that I have not seen Hell, neither awake, nor asleep. But I paused at the place where Allah, His Almighty, showed His slaves that fire, His Almighty’s threat concerning it, His Almighty’s comprehensive de************************ion, and the Prophet’s, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, live, complete, and clear de************************ion, who has seen it with his naked eyes. So, whoever hasn’t seen it with his own eyes, feels as if he has seen it through the Prophet’s, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, eyes. A companion used to sit by the Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, who talks about Heavens and Hell, so the companion feels as if he sees them with his own eyes. ‘Hanthalah’ said: “O Prophet of Allah! When we are around you, you remind us of Hell and Heavens as if we see them with the naked eye! Yet when we leave, we get involved with our wives, children, and properties, so we forget a lot.”[157]
Whenever prophet Muhammad, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, preached describing Hell, his voice rose, his anger was elevated, and his face turned red as if he, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, were warning of an approaching army saying: “In the mornings, and in the evenings.” Jabber Bin A`bd-Allah, may Allah be satisfied with him, said: “Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, in his preaching, used to thank Allah, and praise Him, the way He should be, then says: ‘To Whomever Allah shows the right path will never go astray by anyone, and whoever Allah leads astray will never be lead into the right path by anyone. The truest book is the Book of Allah, and the best teachings are the teachings of Muhammad. The most evil issues are the newly implemented ones, and each newly implemented issue is a heresy, and each heresy is a deviation off the Right path, and each deviation of the Right path is in Hell[158].’ Then he says: ‘ I was sent along with the Hour like those[159].’ His cheeks turn red, his voice is higher, and his anger is severe, whenever he mentions the Hour, as if he were warning of an approaching army, saying: “In the mornings, and in the evenings.” Then he says: “Whoever left money, then it is for his family, and whoever left a debt, or a right, then those are for me, or upon me[160], and I am the one who is most in charge of the believers.”[161]
If we were to have the list of the Prophet’s, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, preaching concerning the interpretations of Surat (ق)[162] off the top of his mosque's platform, then we would be listening to wonders. Some of the women companions[163] learned Surat (ق) just through listening to it from the Prophet’s, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, mouth, because the Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, used to preach so many times about it on Fridays.
The Surat (ق) is one of the threatening Surats. It contains great scenes about the day of the congregation of the dead, Hell, the frightening talks of the people of Hell, and their fights with each other; who caused whom to end up in Hell, and Allah’s, His Almighty’s, response to all of them: {لا تختصموا لدي وقد قدمت إليكم بالوعيد. ما يبدل القول لدي وما أنا بظلام للعبيد.}(ق:28)[164] Then Allah’s, His Almighty’s, commands to Hell, which opens its gates swallowing all of its people who enter in crowds, and who are unaccountable. Out of every thousand of Adam’s sons, nine hundreds and ninety nine end up in Hell; only one of every thousand enters Heaven.
Since Hell consists of descending steps and levels[165], one over the other, the viewer cannot see, on the land of the day of the congregation of the dead, but its gates, horn’s, fence, and the flames bursting out of it. However, it is a wide and a deep well; if a rock is thrown off Hell’s edge, it continues falling down for seventy years without reaching its bottom. Since that is the way Hell is, though someone could think that the Human beings and the Jins[166] who are thrown in there accumulate in layers on top of each others, and there will not be any more room for more crowds, Allah, His Almighty, states that this huge furnace, and wide, and very deep well, will not fall short of containing all entrants. Allah, His Almighty, says: {يوم نقول لجهنم هل امتلأت وتقول هل من مزيد.}(ق:30)[167] His Almighty says, also in the Holly Qu`oran: {فكبكبوا فيها هم والغاوون وجنود إبليس أجمعون.}(الشعراء: 94-95)[168]
21. The Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, relates about The Hell that he saw with his own eyes.
At the gate of Hell, Allah’s prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, stood, and into the fire he, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, looked. He, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “I looked into Heaven, and saw that most of its people are the poor, and I looked into Hell, and saw most of its people are women.”[169] He, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, also said: “I stood at the gate of Heaven, where most of the people entered were the poor, and the people of authority were held back, except the people of Hell, for they were thrown into Hell. I also stood at the gate of Hell, where most of the people entered were women.”[170]
In Emam’s Ahmed compilation, according to Jabber Bin Abd-Allah Al-Ansari who said: “The sun eclipsed during the days of Allah’s prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, on a very hot day. So Allah’s prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, lead his companions in prayers and remained standing for a long time that they started falling down. Then he bowed, and remained bowing for quite a while. Then, he raised his head for a long time. Then he bowed for a long time, and then he prostrated twice. Then he stood up and repeated the same procedure. Then he moved backwards and forwards. So they were four bowings, and four prostrations. Then he said: ‘I was shown everything you are promised. I was shown Heaven to the point that if I wanted picking, I would have taken it.’ Or he said: ‘I picked a picking, but my hand fell short of reaching it.’ Hisham was in doubt. ‘Hell was also shown to me, so I moved back, fearing that it might reach you. Then I saw a black, tall woman from Hemiar[171] being tortured because of a cat that she tied down. She neither fed it, nor watered it, nor let it eat from the ground. And I saw Abu Thamamah, O`mro Bin Malik, pulling his intestines in Hell. These are two ayat[172] from Allah, His Almighty, showing them to you, so if there is an eclipse, pray so it will clear off.”[173] In Moslem’s narrative: “Heaven and Hell were displayed to me earlier on this wall, so I haven’t seen such evil, and goodness as I have today. If you were to know what I know, you would laugh a little, and cry a lot.”[174]
22. A`bd-Allah Ibn O`mar Ibn Al-Khattab visualizes Hell while asleep.
A`bd-Allah Ibn O`mar, may Allah be pleased with both of them[175], used to wish for a vision to narrate to The Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, as many of The Prophet’s, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, companions do. In both compilations of true Hadeeth, he said: “I saw, while asleep, two angels coming to me, each one was holding an iron club. They said: ‘Do not be afraid! A good man you are, if you have prayed more at night!’ They took me with them, until they were at the edge of Hell. It was rolled, just like a well, with horns like the well’s horns[176]. Between every two horns is an angel holding an iron club in his hand. There were men hung in chains, heads down. I recognized men from Qu`oraish. Then they turned to the right and returned me. So, I narrated my vision to ‘Hafsah,’ who narrated it to Allah’s prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. The prophet, Allah’s peace be upon him, said: “A`bd-Allah is a good man.” In another narrative, “A good man is A`bd-Allah, if he has prayed at night.”[177]
23. The following is the de************************ion of Hell in Al-Qu`oran and Al-Sunnah.
As to me, the writer of these lines, I have not seen Hell, neither awake, nor in a dream, but I have read and heard its de************************ion in the Holly Qu`oran, and the Prophet’s, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, Hadeeth. I tried, and I am still trying to be just like that companion, who used to sit in the Prophets, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, circles[178] and listens to the Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, describing Hell, its horrors, and the conditions of its people. So as if he is visualizing it with his own naked eyes. So, I started collecting the de************************ions of Hell from the Ayat of the Holly Qu`oran, and scenes that Allah, His Almighty portrays in the miraculously decisive Qu`oran, along with other scenes reported by the Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, and described in his jawame` al-Kalim[179]. The total picture is terribly horrifying, and the scenes are, individually, heart breaking, if the heart were to listen or to comprehend.
24. Hell is one of Allah’s great achievements.
I am going to travel with you, brother in Islam or brother in humanity, whatever your belief should be, to look and see, then you choose for yourself whatever you wish. Allah, His Almighty, says:
{كلا والقمر. والليل إذ أدبر. والصبح إذا أسفر. إنها لإحدى الكبر. نذيرا للبشر. لمن شاء منكم أن يتقدم أو يتأخر.}(المدثر: 32-37)[180] His Almighty also says: {وقل الحق من ربكم فمن شاء فليؤمن ومن شاء فليكفر إنا أعتدنا للظالمين نارا أحاط بهم سرادقها وإن يستغيثوا يغاثوا بماء كالمهل يشوي الوجوه بئس الشراب وساءت مرتفقا.}(الكهف:29)[181]
To the believer in Hell I say: “Let’s sit and believe for an hour, for remembering Hell is part of faith.” To the disbeliever in Hell, I say: “By Allah, His Almighty, it is true. It is in existence already, and was seen eye to eye by the true believers, who narrated what they have seen. The best of those who have seen it is our truthful and honest Prophet, Muhammad Ibn A`bd-Allah, the illiterate messenger, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, who said: “I stood at the gate of Hell.”[182] Also: “I saw Hell and I haven’t seen anything more horrifying.”[183] “Saw,” in the previous context refers to eyesight, not just visualization.
25. Hell exists and is lasting forever.
Hell has already been created and it is in existence right now. Prophet Muhammad, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, has seen it with his naked eyes. Prophet Muhammad, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “When Allah, His Almighty, created Heaven, He called Gabriel and said to him: ‘Go and look at it, and at what I have prepared for its residents.’ He went, looked at it and to Allah’s preparations for its people. He came back and said: ‘By your glory, nobody hears about it, but will enter it.’ Then Allah, His Almighty, issued an order, so Heaven was surrounded by discomforts, and calamities, then He said: ‘Go back and look at it, and at what I have prepared for its people.’ So, he looked, but when he came back, he said: ‘By your glory, I fear that nobody will enter it.’
Then His Almighty sent him to Hell. He said: ‘Go and look at it, and to what I have prepared for its people.’ So he looked, and saw a boiling inferno burning itself. So he came back and said: ‘By your glory, nobody hears about it will enter it.’ Then Allah, His Almighty, issued an order, so Hell was surrounded with desires, then His Almighty said: ‘Go and look at what I have prepared for its people.’ So he went, looked and came back and said: ‘By your glory, I fear that nobody will be saved from it, but will enter it.’”[184]
Prophet Muhammad, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, has also narrated that Hell complained to Allah, His Almighty saying: “O God! I am burning myself up.” So He allowed it two breaths, one in the winter, and one in the summer. So the severe cold you encounter is due to its zamhareer[185], and the severe heat you feel is due to its samoom[186].”[187]
Prophet Muhammad, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, also said: “When Ramadan arrives, the gates of Heaven are opened, the gates of Hell are closed, and Satans are chained.”[188] In addition, all of the references to it in the Holly Qu`oran indicate that it has already been created and that it is in existence.
Hell’s fire does not extinguish, and will not die out. It is lasting forever. It will not be shut down. Its people, the ones who deserve to be there, will stay there, tortured forever, a torture that never stops, nor is it even reduced a little at all. I pray to Allah, His Almighty, to protect us from it, and from its people. Allah says: {فأما الذين شقوا ففي النار لهم فيها زفير وشهيق خالدين فيها مادامت السموات والأرض إلا ما شاء ربك إن ربك فعال لما يريد}(هود: 106-107)[189] He also says: {إنه من يأت ربه مجرما فإن له جهنم لا يموت فيها ولا يحى} (طه: 74)[190] In another Ayah Allah, His Almighty, says: {إن الذين كفروا وماتوا وهم كفار أولئك عليهم لعنة الله والملائكة والناس أجمعين. خالدين فيها لا يخفف عنهم العذاب ولا هم ينظرون.} (البقرة: 161-162)[191] In Surat Al-Mae’dah, Allah says: {يريدون أن يخرجوا من النار وما هم بخارجين منها ولهم عذاب مقيم.} (المائدة: 37)[192] In Surat Al-Ae`la, Allah, His Almighty, says: {فذكر إن نفعت الذكرى سيذكر من يخشى. ويتجنبها الأشقى. الذي يصلى النار الكبرى. ثم لا يموت فيها ولا يحيى.}(الأعلى: 9-13)[193]
Therefore, a dweller of Hell does not die in order to escape torture, neither does he live a prosperous life, but an everlasting torture, where death becomes the ultimate and unattainable wish. Allah, His Almighty says: {ونادوا يا مالك ليقض علينا ربك قال إنكم ماكثون.} (الزخرف: 77)[194] Allah, His Almighty, say to its people: {قيل ادخلوا أبواب جهنم خالدين فيها فبئس مثوى المتكبرين.}(الزمر:72)[195] Allah also says: {والذين كفروا لهم نار جهنم لا يقضى عليهم فيموتوا ولا يخفف عنهم من عذابها كذلك نجزي كل كفور.}(فاطر:36)[196]
Prophet Muhammad, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “When the people of Heaven enter Heaven, and the people of Hell, death is brought until it is between Heaven and Hell, and slaughtered.[197] Then a caller says: “O, people of Heaven, an everlasting life, there is no death. O, people of Hell, an everlasting life, there is no death.” So, the people of Heaven are even in a more delight than their existing delight, and the people of Hell receive another misery on top of their existing misery.”[198]
26. Is it possible to visualize how wide Hell is?
The size of this existing Hell is beyond the human imagination, taking into consideration that the sun, the moon, and the stars are only small stones inside it. It is a great inferno, where suns and stars are thrown inside it as the small stones are thrown inside a great well. The size of the bodies of its people, the ones who are destined to remain there forever, is enlarged to a point that the size of one tooth of its people becomes as huge as the mountain of Ohod, the distance between his shoulders is of a three-day walk, the thickness of his skin is of a three day-walk. Therefore, the body of a Hell’s inhabitant is as huge as the most gigantic mountain on earth. Mohammed, Allah’s peace and blessing upon him, said: “The tooth of a non-believer or his fang is as Oh`od’s, and the thickness of his skin is of a three-day walk distance.”[199]
According to Al-Bukhari’s narrative, Muhammad, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The distance between a non-believer’s shoulders is a three-day time period for a fast horse-back rider.” He, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, also said, In ‘Al-Termethi’: “ A blasphemer’s seating area in Hell is as wide as the distance between Mecca and Al-Meddina.”
Although out of one thousand people, nine hundred and ninty nine end up in Hell, and only one enters Heaven, along with Jin’s satans, who are as many as the non-believers, or even more, who all enter Hell the way Allah, His Almighty, described, yet they do not fill it up, neither does it refuse them: {يوم نقول لجهنم هل إمتلأت وتقول هل من مزيد.}(ق: 30)[200] This Huge inferno was created in the shape of a round well. The outside onlooker, at the top, may not see but its fence, the pavilion that surrounds it, and its seven gates that are located in its fence or built on its descending steps. As for Hell itself, it is so deep that it is bottomless; if the greatest rock is thrown off its edge, it continues falling for seventy years without reaching the bottom.
In this huge inferno, there are mountains. In those mountains are so many caves, caverns, valleys, narrow pathways, and uncountable horrors and horrors. Rivers of pus and matter, and whatever flows out of the bodies of the people of Hell, and explodes from their stomachs and their intestines; {وسقوا ماء حميما فقطع أمعاءهم.}(محمد: 15)[201] Rivers of water that looks like black, very dirty and rotten oil, that is at its utmost of heat, explode from those mountains. If a tortured person places it closer to his face, his face will be roasted, and the skin of his face will fall apart into it-I ask Allah’s refuge from His anger and His punishment. {وإن يستغيثوا يغاثوا بماء كالمهل[202] يشوي الوجوه بئس الشراب وساءت مرتفقا.}(الكهف: 29)[203]
27. In Hell are all causes of death, but there is no death.
The people of this existing great fire, who are its residents, are welcomed at its gates with the news that they will remain there forever, before they are dumped into it. {قيل ادخلوا أبواب جهنم خالدين فيها فبئس مثوى متكبرين.}(الزمر:72)[204] In there, all of the causes of death exist, yet a sinner does not die, neither by one of them, nor by all of them put together, {ويأتيه الموت من كل مكان وما هو بميت ومن ورائه عذاب غليظ.}(إبراهيم:17)[205] Its heat burns and kills instantly, but Allah, His Almighty, has desecrated that the people in Hell are going to feel, and suffer this tremendous heat, without dying. Its water also tears the intestines apart, hasn’t it been for Allah’s, His Almighty’s, desecration for the everlasting of its people. More types of torture are: Its snakes’ bites, feeding on its Zaq`oom[206], suffering the blows of its angels, and their beatings to its people with iron hammers, if the greatest mountain on earth were hammered by one of them, it would be flat instantly, and become debris. Then, there is the overwhelming despair that tears hope apart. All of the previous conditions are fatal and deadly, yet a tortured sinner of the people of Hell-I ask Allah to be saved-does not die because of one of them, or by all put together; {ويأتيه الموت من كل مكان وما هو بميت ومن ورائه عذاب غليظ.}(إبراهيم:17)[207]
28. Torture in Hell increases forever.
This culmination and the increase of torture continue forever, with no hope of a single day of rest, an hour of tranquility, or a decrease of torture. {وقال الذين في النار لخزنة جهنم ادعوا ربكم يخفف عنا يوما من العذاب قالوا أولم تك تأتيكم رسلكم بالبينات. قالوا بلى. قالوا: فادعوا وما دعاء الكافرين إلا في ضلال.}(غافر: 49-50 )[208] Allah, His Almighty, also says: {إن المجرمين في عذاب جهنم خالدون لا يفتر عنهم وهم فيه مبلسون.}(الزخرف:74-75)[209] Trying to visualize such a situation, and meditating over the fact that we could be in such predicaments-I take refuge by Allah-is a great preaching in itself, and a great repulsion.
29. The food of the punished people in Hell is a torture, and their drink is a torture too.
The people of Hell, the ones who are to remain there forever-I take refuge by Allah-eat and drink. However, they are tortured with the food they eat, and the drink they swallow, as much as the fire’s torture or even worse. Although they are tortured with this food and drink, they get so hungry and so thirsty, that they are forced upon that food and drink, which in itself is a type of punishment, better yet it is The punishment. For a punished person in Hell gets so hungry, to the point that he has to eat from the tree of Al-Zaq`oom, which is a tree that springs from the center and origin of Hell, from the depth of the well, the very bottom of Hell, with terrifying, detestable, and ugly branches and fruit. What would you think of the fruit of a tree that springs up from fire, irrigated with fire, and is saturated with Hameem? Allah, His Almighty, describes the tree of Zaq`oom saying: {إنها شجرة تخرج في أصل الجحيم. طلعها كأنه رؤوس الشياطين. فإنهم لآكلون منها فمالئون منها البطون. ثم إن لهم عليها لشوبا من حميم. ثم إن مرجعهم لإلى الجحيم.}(الصافات:64-68)[210]
His Almighty says also, threatening and promising: {ثم إنكم أيها الضالون المكذبون لآكلون من شجر من زقوم فمالئون منها البطون فشاربون عليه من الحميم فشاربون شرب الهيم.}(الواقعة: 51-55)[211]
It is the hunger and the desperate need for food that urges the punished person of the people of Hell to eat from such a condemned, awful tree, which comes up from the origin of Hell, and bears fruit of fire. So, when the internal organisms of the punished person is burned because of that evil food, and he wishes to extinguish the burning fire inside of him, and the tremendous thirst he feels, he is driven by that necessity to an evil liquid that is at the prime of its heat, so he swallows it to extinguish his fire, yet it only leads to more burning. {فشاربون عليه من الحميم.}(الواقعة: 54)[212] Although the water is as evil and rotten as the dirty, black, unclear, and rotten oil, that is at its highest boiling temperature, the punished person gulps it down. Just like a very thirsty camel, that is affected with an illness inside its stomach, to the point that it feels as if there were flames inside its stomach, so it swallows water, but its thirst is not extinguished. Describing his feelings while in love, the poet says,
فأصبحت كالهيماء لا الماء مبرد ظماها ولا يقضى عليها هيامها[213]
Allah, His Almighty, referring to the tortured people of Hell-I take refuge with-Allah says: {ثم إنكم أيها الضالون المكذبون لآكلون من شجر من زقوم فمالئون منها البطون فشاربون عليه من الحميم فشاربون شرب الهيم[214].}(الواقعة: 51-55)[215]
When those tortured people drink from the water that has no benefit for them, but actually hurt them, to the point that it tears apart their intestines, they run from it to the fire itself, a worse escape indeed. Then their thirst forces them to drink again from that disgustingly harmful water. That is the way it is, from worse, to worse, and back again. Allah, His Almighty says: {هذه جهنم التي يكذب بها المجرمون. يطوفون بينها وبين حميم آن.}(الرحمن: 43-44)[216] Therefore, they will be running away from fire to hameem, and from hameem to fire, back again, in an endless and hopeless search for a way out.
30. Other types of torturing drinks.
The previous torture is not the only type of torture related to food and drinks, for there are several types of tortures using severely painful, disgusting, and rotten drinks and food. Allah, His Almighty, says: {هذا وإن للطاغين لشر مآب جهنم يصلونها فبئس المهاد هذا فليذوقوه حميم وغساق وآخر من شكله أزواج.}(ص: 55-58)[217] Al-Hameem, is hot water, and Al-Khssaq` is a rotten, and a disgustingly awful liquid that if a single drop falls from it into the seas on earth, it will render the whole life on planet Earth impossible. Our Prophet Muhammad, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “ {يا أيها الذين آمنوا اتقوا الله حق تقاته ولا تموتن إلا وأنتم مسلمون.}(آل عمران: 102)[218] if only a drop of Zaq`oom is dropped[219] then it will destroy the lives of the people, so how about those for whom it is the only food.”[220] The other combinations of food, and drinks are only varieties of the same kind, which is all-I take refuge with Allah, His Almighty-undeniably true.
31. The psychological torture is even severer than the physical torture.
The torture of the people of Hell is not only physical. They will be punished physically with fire that actually cooks their skins, and then those skins are instantly replaced. The fire will burn their chests, all the way deep inside reaching for their hearts. Allah, His Almighty, says: {نار الله الموقدة التي تطلع على الأفئدة.}(الهمزة: 6-7)[221] meaning that its flames reach deep all the way to the heart, and its burning stones are placed on a person’s nipple, so they burn their way, through the punished body, until they come out from his back, and they are placed on his back until they come out from his chest. Prophet Muhammad, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Deliver the good news to the treasurers that they will be punished with plates, that will be heated in the fire of Hell and placed on the nipple of one of them until it burns its way to the scapula of his shoulders, and placed on the scapula of his shoulders until they burn their way to his nipples, shaking in agony.”[222]
Other types of physical torture yet are drinking Hameem, eating Zaq`oom, and being bitten by snakes as large as mules, that come out from caves in Hell, and whose poison run down the tortured bodies like fire, or even worse. However, this painful torture is not the only type of torture for the people of Hell, for their psychological torture is as much as the physical, yet even worse, such as:
A. The Angels’ Endless Blame.
The everlasting blame from the guards of Hell, as in the following, {ألم يأتكم رسل منكم يقصون عليكم آيات ربكم وينذرونكم لقاء يومكم هذا قالوا بلى ولكن حقت
العذاب على الكافرين.}(الزمر: 71)[223] كلمة
B. The Angels’ Carelessness and Negligence of the Sinners.
Hell’s angels’ negligence of the tortured people’s screams, cries, and begging, and their carelessness of the situation of those tortured people is a torture in itself. In fact the angels increase the torture the more those punished people scream for help. Allah, His Almighty, says, in the Holly Qu`oran: {وإن يستغيثوا يغاثوا بماء كالمهل يشوي الوجوه.}(الكهف: 29)[224] Allah, His Almighty, also says in another Surat: {وفال الذين في النار لخزنة جهنم ادعوا ربكم يخفف عنا يوما من العذاب. قالوا أولم تك تأتيكم رسلكم بالبينات قالوا بلى قالوا فادعوا وما دعاء الكافرين إلا في ضلال.}(غافر: 49-50)[225]
When the people of Hell are at the ultimate of their sadness, hopelessness, and distress, they ask “Malek,” who is Hell’s guard, and who is the toughest, and hardest of all angels of torture, saying: {يا مالك ليقض علينا ربك.}(الزخرف: 77 )[226] So, Malek responds after a thousand years, which equals one day of the life after-death, saying: {إنكم ماكثون لقد جئناكم بالحق ولكن أكثركم للحق كارهون.}(الزخرف: 77-78 )[227]
When the people of Hell are at their utmost despair and frustration, they detest themselves complaining: {لو كنا نسمع أو نعقل ما كنا في أصحاب السعير.}(الملك: 10)[228] which is an admittance of guilt. They admit that they have not had the ears that are qualified to listen to the call-the right call-in life, neither have they had the minds that are qualified to comprehend the right call that was delivered to them through the messengers[229]. Consequently, the moment they realize the true reason for their being lost and astray in life, they start blaming themselves, and regretting, but it is too late to regret.
They are overwhelmed with grief, and they detest themselves. Moreover, they are informed with the news that causes them a greater sorrow, and a greater regret than all the suffering they are already going through. They are informed that Allah’s anger at them is greater than their own anger at themselves. Allah, His Almighty, says: {إن الذين كفروا ينادون لمقت الله أكبر من مقتكم أنفسكم إذ تدعون إلى الإيمان فتكفرون.}(غافر: 10)[230] The reason for their own hatred of themselves, is that faith was right there, at there hands, had they chosen to embrace it, but now it is far away, and will never be accepted from them; {وقالوا آمنا به وأنى لهم التناوش من مكان بعيد.}(سبأ: 52)[231]
The sinners were requested, in life, to embrace a full belief within their hearts in the oneness of the Lordship of Allah, His Almighty, an oral declaration, and a good and effortless deed that the believer will like and taste its fruit during his earthly life, before his death. A fasting person, for instance is pleased in his life by his fasting, a praying person is satisfied with his prayers, and a charitable person is poured into his heart goodness and reward, which is much better for him than to withhold his charity. A person who performs priglemage finds satisfaction in harshness for the sake of Allah, His Almighty. The one, who is perpetually remembering Allah, His Almighty, says: “In the name of Allah, we enjoy happiness, if the kings, and their sons, would know about, they would fight us with swords for.”
Also the person who is satisfied with the food, drinks, and the sexual relationship he enjoys lawfully, feels a sort of happiness, and satisfaction unknown to a person unlawfully eating and drinking, or committing fornication. Allah, His Almighty, says: {ومن أعرض عن ذكري فإن له معيشة ضنكا ونحشره يوم القيامة أعمى.}(طه: 124)[232]
C. A Humiliating Torture.
To be beaten with huge clubs, to suffer such a disgraceful torture and at the same time to be blamed shamefully, such as the angels’ sayings to them, after, and while torturing them: {ذق إنك أنت العزيز الكريم.}(الدخان: 49)[233] , and: {إن هذا ما كنتم به تمترون.} (الدخان: 50)[234] and also: {أفسحر هذا أم أنتم لا تبصرون.}(الطور: 15)[235]
D. A Shameful Torture.
The nature of the torture itself is degrading and shameful, such as being pulled in Hell, facing downwards, {يوم يسحبون في النار على وجوههم ذوقوا مس سقر.}(القمر: 48)[236] Also, being grabbed by the foreheads and the feet, and thrown into Hell, {يعرف المجرمون بسيماهم فيؤخذ بالنواصي والأقدام.}(الرحمن: 41)[237] Or being pushed and shoved into torture. Allah, His Almighty, says: {يوم يدعون إلى نار جهنم دعا هذه النار التي كنتم بها تكذبون.}(الطور: 13-14)[238] The word {الدع} stands for shoving and pushing severely. Allah, His Almighty, has called the torture of the after-death “shameful” because anyone deserves it, will be greatly disgraced. Allah, His Almighty, says: {ومن الناس من يشتري لهو الحديث ليضل عن سبيل الله بغير علم ويتخذها هزوا أولئك لهم عذاب مهين.}(لقمان: 6)[239]
E. Allah’s Anger and Hatred
The greatest and most degrading punishment the people of Hell receive is Allah’s, His Almighty’s, anger upon them, His negligence of them, the denial of His mercy, and His hatred towards them. Allah, His Almighty, says: {إن الذين يشترون بعهد الله وأيمانهم ثمنا قليلا أولئك لا خلاق لهم في الآخرة ولا يكلمهم الله ولا ينظر إليهم يوم القيامة ولا يزكيهم ولهم عذاب أليم.}(آل عمران: 77}[240]
F. Sins Are Exposed and Unveiled Publicly
There is also the disclosure of faults and sins before everybody, before all the people, since the creation of Adam, peace be upon him, until the Day of Judgement. Allah, His Almighty, says in the Holly Qu`oran: {يوم تبلى السرائر. فما له من قوة ولا ناصر.}(الطارق: 9-10)[241] So, those secrets are destroyed, and every sin is revealed.
Allah, His Almighty, says also, after portraying the deaths of the people of Noah, A`ad, Thamood, people of Loot, and the people of Shua`aib: {إن في ذلك لآية لمن خاف عذاب الآخرة ذلك يوم مجموع له الناس وذلك يوم مشهود.}(هود: 103)[242] Therefore, whoever Allah, His Almighty, punishes on this day, He uncovers his secrets before all, and rebukes him before everybody. In other words He has severely disgraced him, and shamefully degraded him. Allah, His Almighty, says, referring to the believers’ prayers on this promised true day: {ربنا إنك من تدخل النار فقد أخزيته وما للظالمين من أنصار.}(آل عمران: 192)[243] Abraham, peace be upon him, prays saying: {ولا تخزني يوم يبعثون يوم لا ينفع مال ولا بنون إلا من أتى الله بقلب سليم.}(الشعراء: 87)[244] Prophet Muhammad, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “For every person who betrays is a flag at his bottom, on the Day of Judgement, as big as his betrayal, there is not a greater betrayal than a leader of the public.”[245]
32. The greatest torture in Hell is to remain there forever.
The people of Hell are of two kinds. There are people who will be permanently staying in there, for there is no death any more. These people will have an everlasting torture in Hell, from which they will never escape. Those people are classified differently; the highest is imprisoned in a hole at the very bottom of Hell, if this hole were to be uncovered, then Hell with its entirety asks Allah, His Almighty, to be saved from its heat. The lowest class and of a less torture is the one who will have two smoldering embers placed under his feet, of which his brain will boil. Although this is the least tortured sinner in Hell, he will think, and feel that he is the most tortured.
Imagining an everlasting life in Hell is actually beyond imagination, and it is heart breaking. Just imagining, that a person is in a prison, even if it were of the type found in this life, where he is sentenced to life, without an escape, not even through death, or anything else, but to remain there forever, is enough to kill a person of sadness, grief, and sorrow. So, how about a prison with walls, doors, food, and drink are all of fire! So, how about this prison being a well, when a tortured sinner is thrown in it, he falls on his head for seventy years before reaching its bottom.
Moreover, how about the fire that we are familiar with in our life being only one seventieth of Hell’s fire, in other words every fraction of the other sixty nine fractions being as of the same severe heat of the heat of this life’s fire. To truly visualize an everlasting LIFE in such a torture is something that the human beings’ ability stops short of. Prophet Muhammad, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “I wonder how can a person, who wants to escape Hell, sleep!” For anyone who knows this Hell, believes in it, and is aware that it is present at the moment, and if he dies at any moment he could enter it, wouldn’t be able to sleep, since it is waiting. Yet it is negligence, the habit of postponing repentance, and the indulgence in the temptations that surround Hell.
33. Who are the sinful believers?
The believer, who dies embracing the true faith and belief, and who has committed in his life a sin ranks bellow blasphemy, or polytheism both of which render him away from the true belief, then he is classified into two classifications; he either repented while he was alive, or died without repenting. Therefore, if he has already repented while he was alive, a true and honest repentance that Allah, His Almighty has accepted, then he is purged of all of his sins, and is back as pure as the day he was born. He will not be asked about that sin after-death. But if he has not repented before dying, then his destiny is as follows;
A. A Total Forgiveness.
Allah, His Almighty, might, mercifully, and kindly overlook his sin, as says in Ibn O`mar’s, may Allah, His Almighty be pleased with them both[246], Hadeeth concerning Allah’s, His Almighty’s secret conversation. “Allah, His Almighty, brings the believer closer and shelters, so he is veiled[247]. Then He says: ‘Do you remember this sin, do you remember that sin?’ So he says: ‘Yes, my God.’ Until He reminds him of all of his sins, and he is definite that he is lost, He says: ‘I kept them secrets in life, and forgive you for committing them today.’ Then he is given his book of good deeds. As for the non-believers, and the hypocrites, the witnesses will say: ‘These are the ones who didn’t believe in their God, Allah’s curse be upon the sinners.”[248] This scene is on the Day of Judgement.
B. A Forgiveness Due to Good Deeds Surpassing Bad Deeds.
The second type is the type of people who have got many good deeds that actually exceed their sins. Allah, His Almighty, overlooks, and forgives their sins because of their good deeds. Allah, His Almighty, says: [249]{فمن ثقلت موازينه فأولئك المفلحون.}(الأعراف: 8)
Allah also says: {فأما من ثقلت موازينه فهو في عيشة راضية. وأما من خفت موازينه فأمه هاوية.}(القارعة: 6-9)[250]
C. A Punishment That Only Allah, His Almighty, Knows of.
Or Allah, His Almighty, decides to punish him. This punishment could take place either in the grave, the place of the Day of the Resurrection (on the Day of Judgement,) or in Hell’s fire. Then, he is lifted, by Allah’s, His Almighty’s, mercy into Heaven, since he died believing in Allah, His Almighty, as the only and sole God[251]. He did not die as an atheist, a quality that repulses a person from Islam.
Those disobedient believers, are the ones who die before repenting, their repentance was not accepted, died while indulging in those sins-I take refuge with Allah, His Almighty from His fury-such as a person who dies while in the act of fornication, stealing, running away from the enemy, dealing in usury, or while indulging in any sin of a lower gravity. Therefore, Allah, His Almighty, decides to punish them, for their sins, in the grave, or in any of the locations on the Day of Judgement that equals fifty thousand days of this life. Or His Almighty decides to punish them in Hell afterwards.
34. Sin and the promise of punishment are inescapable realities, while repentance and forgiveness are negotiable assumptions.
I have found out that sin, whether recognizable by a person or not, considered by him as a sin or not, remembered it or forgot it, is unavoidable. In other words, every sin occurs in life is inscribed, and written, unless Allah, His Almighty, abolishes it through Man’s repentance. I have also discovered that the punishment that Allah, His Almighty has assigned for a sin is certain and unavoidable unless Allah, His Almighty forgives that particular sinner. Consequently, since the sins I have committed are nonnegotiable, then they have been undoubtedly written. Threats, for committing sins are also absolutely true, for Allah, His Almighty, does not state but the truth, and does not threaten but with the truth, unless the slave honestly repents, then Allah, His Almighty, forgives him.
But the acceptance of repentance is still a doubtful matter. So, how would I know, or anybody else for that matter, that Allah, His Almighty, has accepted my excuses, has delivered me from my mistakes, and has forgiven my sins. I entrust Allah, His Almighty, but distrust myself. Have I covered all requirements of repentance. Have I really stopped committing sins, with a real intention not to go back again? Have I regretted committing each sin, a real regret with the full understanding of punishment if Allah, His Almighty, chooses not to accept my repentance? Have I intended not to fall back into sins as long as I live? Have I returned the people’s rights? Have I asked their forgiveness for the rights that I could not return? How would I know, with all the sins that I have committed, against Allah, His Almighty, and other mountains of sins against people, that only Allah, His Almighty, knows of?
I can only say: “My Allah, You are my God, and I am Your slave. And I am strictly adhering to You, and to Your promise as possible as I can. I take refuge with You away from the evils that I have committed. I admit to Your grace upon me, and admit to my sins, so forgive me, for non-forgives sins but You.”[252]
35. The believers’ path to Heaven is a long one, so they should be prepared for it.
I looked at the believer’s path to Heaven and discovered that sinners, like I am, have got a long way to go, a way that is surrounded with dangers, great victories[253], and plenty of obstacles. There are some sinful believers who are cut short before Heaven, remain in Hell as long as Allah, His Almighty, wishes, do not enter Heaven afterwards but burned, and then their skins are replaced with new ones. As for the atheists’ way to Hell, it is very short, starting with the grave. Referring to Noah’s people, Allah, His Almighty says: {مما خطيئاتهم أغرقوا فأدخلوا نارا.}(نوح: 25)[254] using the فاء that indicates the instantaneous response, or result. His Almighty also says, referring to Pharo’s people: {النار يعرضون عليها غدوا وعشيا ويوم تقوم الساعة أدخلوا آل فرعون أشد العذاب.}(غافر: 46 )[255] Then the resurrection, the day of the congregation of the dead, and finally Hell. However, the believers’ way to Heaven is a long one, and they are not allowed into it, until the people of Hell are thrown into Hell. Therefore, let’s begin the journey of belief from its initial steps.
36. Death is unavoidable.
The period from this moment to death could be a minute, and it could be years. Moreover, the life span of Muhammad’s, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, followers is generally from sixty to ninety years, and none but few exceed the previous span.
Today, I am, the writer of those lines, have passed sixty lunar years, therefore I have arrived at the end of my life, and living the extra time given to me by Allah, His Almighty. From this now to the time of departure, no one knows how will the final moment be. Prophet Muhammad, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “A person works as one of Heaven’s people, until there is only a foot between him and entering Heaven, then his destiny takes the precedence, so he works as one of Hell’s people, and falls in it. And, a person works as one of Hell’s people, until there is only a foot between him and entering Hell, then his destiny takes the precedence, so he works as one of Heaven’s people, and falls in it.” He, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, also said: “A person appears as if he works as one of Heaven’s people, while he is one of Hell’s people, and a person appears as if he works as one of Hell’s people, while he is one of Heaven’s people.”[256]
My God, my Allah, I pray to You praising all your attributes, and high qualities, names, and de************************ions. I pray to You to help me hold on to my belief in You until I meet You, to make the last days of my life the best day, and to make my best deeds the final ones. My Allah, I ask Your kindness to make my end, and the end of my brothers a happy end, and fasten our hearts upon faith in You, and do not allow them to go astray after you have showed us the right path.
A believer will always be afraid of the changes that go on within his heart. After all why was it called a heart but because of its changes?[257] Prophet Muhammad, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, whose faith and belief was as steady as a motionless mountain, who is Allah’s best creatures, and worshipers, non-negotiable, used to say: “O, You are the shifter of hearts, fasten my heart on your religion.”[258] Abd-Allah Ibn Masa`ood narrated also that of prophet Muhammad’s, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, most swearing was “No, by the shifter of hearts.”[259]
Therefore, how would others or I guess the end? We are living the age that the Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, urged to: “ Conquer with good deeds, tests as dark as the night. A man is a believer at night, and in the morning he becomes a non-believer. A believer in the morning, and becomes a non-believer at night. A person sells his religion for a meager earthly gain.”[260] {ربنا لا تزغ قلوبنا بعد إذ هديتنا وهب لنا من لدنك رحمة إنك أنت الوهاب.}(آل عمران: 8)[261]
37. Does a believer suffer the agony and pains of death?
Death is a dreadful moment, that everybody fears, and hates, the believer, and the non-believer. There is no escape from it, for it is a must for everyone, along with the pulling off of the soul, and the pains. Everyone has to taste it, a believer or a non-believer. Allah, His Almighty, says: {كل نفس ذائقة الموت}(آل عمران: 185 الأنبياء: 35)[262] His Almighty Also says: [263]{إنك ميت وإنهم ميتون}(الزمر: 30 ) A believer does not suffer of death pains but a little; however, death struggle is the non-believer’s first torture.
In his the compilation of true Hadeeth, Al-Bukhari narrates: A`esha, may Allah, His Almighty, be pleased with her, used to say: “Some of Allah’s grant upon me is that Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, has died in my house, during my day, and between my chest and my throat, and that Allah has joined my saliva to his at the moment of his death. Abd-Al-Rahman (her brother) came in with a miswak[264] in his hand, while Allah’ Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, was leaning on me. I saw him[265] looking at it, I knew that he liked al-sewak, so I said: ‘Should I take it for you?’ So he nodded, meaning yes. I gave it to him but it was hard for him. So I asked: ‘Should I soften it for you?’ He nodded meaning yes. So I softened it. There was a rokwah, or a box-O`mar was not certain-that has water, so he started dipping his hands in the water and wiping his face with them saying: ‘There is no God but Allah, death has agonies.’ Then he raised his hand saying: ‘With the high God.’ Until he died and his hand leaned down, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him.”[266]
38. The moment of death is the moment of realizing the final result.
The moment of death of every slave of Allah’s, His Almighty, is the revelation of the final result; the believer is welcomed with the good news of Heaven, and the non-believer is welcomed with the good news of Hell. Allah, His Almighty, says: {إن الذين قالوا ربنا الله ثم استقاموا تتنزل عليهم الملائكة[267] ألا تخافوا ولا تحزنوا وأبشروا بالجنة التي كنتم توعدون. نحن أولياؤكم في
الحياة الدنيا وفي الآخرة ولكم فيها ما تشتهي أنفسكم ولكم فيها ما تدعون نزلا من غفور رحيم}(فصلت: 30-32)[268]Yet the non-believer receives slaps, and blows at death. Allah, His Almighty, says: {فكيف إذا توفتهم الملائكة يضربون وجوههم وأدبارهم.}(محمد: 27)[269]
The non-believer is also informed of “the good news” of Hell, and severely blamed, at the moment of death. Allah, His Almighty, says: {الذين تتوفاهم الملائكة ظالمي أنفسهم فألقوا السلم ما كنا نعمل من سوء. بلى إن الله عليم بما كنتم تعملون. فادخلوا أبواب جهنم خالدين فيها فلبئس مثوى المتكبرين.}(النحل: 28-29)[270]
39. The final moments of the lives of the believer and the non-believer.
The Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, has described those last moments of the believers’, and the non-believers’ life. He, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “When the believer is in the transient stage of leaving life and approaching the life after death, white-faced angels whose faces look like the sun descend upon him from the sky, with a cloth from Heavens, and Hanoot[271] from Heavens. They sit at an eyesight distance from him. Then the angel of death comes, until he is at his[272] head, and says: ‘O, you! The virtuous soul! Come out to forgiveness from Allah, and satisfaction.’ So, it comes out, flowing like a flowing drop from the mouth of the water-skin. So, he takes it. Then, the moment he takes it, they[273] do not leave it in his hand, not even for an eyewink. They place it within that cloth, and[274] that Hanoot. It gives out the best smell of misk[275] on the face of earth. They take it up.
Not a single group of angels but says: ‘What is this chaste soul?’ They[276] respond: ‘He is a man, the son of a man,’ calling him with his best names that he was used to be called with in life, until they end up at the lowest sky. They ask for permission, for him, to enter, so he is permitted, and the closest[277] from each sky escort him to the next, until he ends up at the seventh sky. Then Allah, His Almighty, says: ‘Write my slave’s book at A`llieen[278], and take my slave back to earth. I have created them from it, to it I return them, and from it I resurrect them once more.’
Therefore, his soul is returned[279] and two angels come to him, and raise him into a sitting position. They ask him: ‘Who is your God?’ He says: ‘My God is Allah.’ They ask him: ‘What is your religion?’ He says: ‘My religion is Islam.’ They ask him: ‘Who is that man who was sent to you?’ He says: ‘He is Allah’s messenger.’ They ask him: ‘What is your knowledge?’ He says: ‘I have read Allah’s book so I have believed in it and have trusted it.’ Consequently, a caller from the sky calls: ‘My slave has told the truth. So, provide him with ground coverings from Heavens, dress him up from Heavens, and open to him a door to Heavens.’ So, he receives of its fresh air and gracious smell, and his grave is widened as far as his eyesight. A nice looking man, nicely dressed, and smells nice comes to him and says: ‘Be happy, for I carry to you pleasant news. This is the day you’re promised.’ So, he asks: ‘Who are you, for your face is the kind that delivers good news?’ So he says: ‘I am your good deed? So he says: ‘My God! Let it be the Hour[280]! My God! Let it be the Hour! So I can go back to my family and my possessions.’
When the non-believer is in the transitory stage of leaving the earthly life and approaching life after-death, black-faced angels with them is Al-Masooh[281] descend upon him from the sky. They sit at an eyesight distance from him. Then the angel of death comes, until he is at his[282] head, and says: ‘O, you! The evil soul! Come out to a wrath from Allah, and a hatred.’ So, it scatters within his body. So, he pulls it out, like pulling Al-Safood[283] off wet wool. Then, the moment he takes it, they[284] do not leave it in his hand, not even for an eye wink, but quickly put it in that Al-Masooh. It gives out the smell of the most rotten dead body on the face of earth. They take it up. Not a single group of angels but says: ‘What is this evil soul?’ They[285] respond saying: ‘He is a man, the son of a man,’ calling him with his worst names he was used to be called with in life. They ask for permission, for him, to enter, but he is denied, then he[286] recited: {لا تفتح لهم أبواب السماء}(الأعراف: 40 )[287]
Then Allah, His Almighty, says: ‘Write his book at Sejeen[288]. So, his soul is thrown down, and back into his body, and two angels come to him, and raise him into a sitting position. They ask him: ‘Who is your God?’ He says: ‘Ha[289]. Ha. I don’t know.’ They ask him: ‘What is your religion?’ He says: ‘Ha. Ha. I don’t know.’ They ask him: ‘Who is that man who was sent to you?’ He says: ‘Ha. Ha. I don’t know.’ Then, a caller from the sky calls: ‘My slave has lied. So, provide him with ground coverings from Hell, and open to him a door to Hell.’ So, he receives of its heat, and roasting wind, and his grave is tightened until his ribs are crisscrossed. An ugly looking man, dressed in rags, and smells very rotten, who comes to him and says: ‘Be satisfied with the bad news I carry to you. This is the day you are promised.’ So, he asks: ‘Who are you, for your face is the kind that delivers evil news?’ So he says: ‘I am your evil deed?’ So he says: ‘My God! Let it not be the Hour!’”[290]
40. Some sinners, of the believers, are tortured in their graves for small and great sins.
Sinful believers might be punished in their graves for small, or great sins, some are punished for Namimah[291], some for not protecting themselves from their urine, and some for debts that they have not paid back. In Emam Ahmed’s, may Allah, His Almighty, bless his soul, compilation of true Hadeeth, referring to Jabber Bin A`bd-Allah Al-Ansari who said: “A man died, so we washed him, and applied Al-Hanoot to his body, and put him in the Kafan[292], then we carried him to Allah’s prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, to pray on him. We asked: ‘Would you pray on him.’ He[293] stepped forward, then asked: ‘Has he got a debt?’ We said: ‘two Dinars.’ So he left.
Then Abu Q`atadah promised to pay the debt, so we went to him.[294] Abu Q`atadah said: ‘I will pay the two Dinars.’ Then the prophet of Allah, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘Will the lender receive his right, and the dead be free of his obligation?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ So, he prayed for him[295]. A day later, he[296] asked: ‘what happened to the two Dinars?’ Abu Q`atadah said: ‘He has died only yesterday.’ The following day he[297] went to the prophet and said: ‘I have paid them off.’ Allah’s prophet responded: ‘Now his skin cools off.”[298] His statement, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, “Now, his skin cools off,” indicates that he was being tortured in the grave until his debt was paid off.
Another, is a person who died as a martyr, near the Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, but since he has snatched a headscarf, that was not worth even four Derhams, he got into torture immediately after his death. In Sah`eeh` Al-Bukhari[299], may Allah bless his soul, according to Abu-Horairah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: “We left with Allah’s messenger, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, on the day of Khaieber, and have not gained neither gold nor silver, but money, clothes and commodities, so a man of the people of “Al-Debaib,” who was called “Rafae`ah Bin Zaid,” presented Allah’s messenger with a boy called “Moda`am.”
Then, Allah’s prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, headed towards Al-Qu`ora valley. When He was in Al-Qu`ora valley, and “Moda`am” was lifting Allah’s prophet’s, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, belongings, a stray arrow killed him. The people said: ‘Delighted he is to be in Heavens.’ Allah’s messenger, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘No! By the One who owns my life. The scarf he took on the day of Khaibar[300] from the spoils of war that were not divided yet is burning him!’ When the people heard such a statement, a man brought a shoelace, or two, to the Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. He, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him said: “A shoe-lace of fire, or two shoe-laces of fire.”[301]
The following Hadeeth is narrated by Moslem according to Abu-Horairah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: “We left with the Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, to Khaibar. Allah has awarded us, with victory. We have not gained gold nor silver, but commodities, food, and clothing. Then we headed towards the valley, while the messenger of Allah, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, was accompanied by a slave of his, who was given to him as a gift from a man of “Jetham,” called “Rafaa`ah Bin Zaid,” of “Bani[302] Al-Dubaib.”
When we descended the valley, the slave of Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, started unloading the Prophet’s, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, belongings, but was shot with an arrow, that caused his death. So, we said: ‘Delighted he is win martyrdom, O, messenger of Allah.’ Allah’s messenger, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘No. By The One who holds my soul in his hand! The scarf is burning him, he unlawfully took it from the spoils of war before the it was divided.’ He said: ‘So, the people were alarmed, and a man came with one or two shoe-laces, and said: ‘Messenger of Allah, I got[303] on the day of Khaibar.’ So, Allah’s messenger, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘A shoelace of fire, or two shoelaces of fire.”[304]
Therefore, reconsider, my Muslim brother. Taking a shoelace from the spoils of war undoubtedly belongs to the small sins class, for a shoelace is nothing, will be given away freely, and whoever loses it will not ask about it, yet, since it was a theft, it was not forgiven. This previous Hadeeth is the best indicative example of the probability of the believer’s punishment in his grave for small sins.
41. A tortureless grave.
A grave, even if there were no torture in it, is a terrifying home. It is loneliness, dreariness, darkness, and tightness incarnated. Prophet Muhammad, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “These graves are enclosed, upon the people inside them with darkness, and Allah fills them with light through my prayers for them.”[305]
I pray to you The Almighty to bless, and save your slave and Prophet Muhammad. I pray to you to save me, along with my brothers, the believers from grave’s torture. I pray to you to fill our graves with light, and to save us from blasphemy after you have already showed us the right path and lead us to Islam.
Not a single believer but will be welcomed with a hug and a squeeze. Muhammad, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said, referring to Sae`d Ibn Maa`athe: “This is the one to whom the throne has shaken, and the gates of the skies have opened, and who was witnessed by seventy thousand angels, he was hugged[306], then released.”[307] Therefore, if this is the case with Sae`d Ibn Maa`athe, the man of a high authority and recognition of The Ous[308], and the leading in belief, whose accomplishments are unaccountable, and to his death Allah’s throne has shaken, then how about anybody else?
The believer, the non-believer, and the hypocrite are all treated in the grave according to their deeds. Moreover, the barzakh[309] life is a full life, with all the feelings, and the senses that are of life before death; there is happiness, delight, and anticipation for a better situation, and there is also sadness, calamity, pain, and suffering.
42. The day of the congregation of the dead of all human beings, and the standing before Allah, the longest, heaviest, gloomiest, and most terrifying day.
What comes after the grave is even greater. It is the heaviest, the longest, the gloomiest, and the most terrifying day. It is the Day of Resurrection; the day people are out of their graves. It is one day, but it equals fifty thousand years of the days we know in life. It is a day without a sunset, until after fifty thousand years. It is a day when people stand up for the God of all, in their own sweat that reaches half of their ears. Some of them are as deep in their own sweat up to their heels, some up to their knees, some up to their breasts, some are silenced with it, and some are totally covered with it. Allah, His Almighty, has already warned about that day, for His Almighty says: {يا أيها الناس اتقوا ربكم إن زلزلة الساعة شئ عظيم. يوم ترونها تذهل كل مرضعة عما أرضعت وتضع كل ذات حمل حملها وترى الناس سكارى وما هم بسكارى ولكن عذاب الله شديد.}(الحج: 1-2)[310]
Allah, His Almighty has ordered His Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, to pray in the middle of the night, in preparation for that certain day, and to be alerted by it. In the Holly Qu`oran, Allah, His Almighty, says: {ومن الليل فاسجد له وسبحه ليلا طويلا إن هؤلاء يحبون العاجلة ويذرون وراءهم يوما ثقيلا.}(الإنسان: 26-27)[311] Allah, His Almighty also says: {فكيف تتقون إن كفرتم يوما يجعل الولدان شيبا. السماء منفطر به.}(المزمل: 17-18)[312] His Almighty also says: {سأل سائل بعذاب واقع. للكافرين ليس له دافع من الله ذي المعارج. تعرج الملائكة والروح إليه في يوم كان مقداره خمسين ألف سنة. فاصبر صبرا جميلا.}(المعارج: 1-4)[313] Allah, His Almighty, after narrating the deaths of the prior nations, He says: {إن في ذلك لآية لمن خاف عذاب الآخرة ذلك يوم مجموع له الناس وذلك يوم مشهود.}(هود: 103)[314] Allah, His Almighty, also says:
{أمن هو قانت آناء الليل ساجدا وقائما يحذر الآخرة ويرجو رحمة ربه. قل هل يستوي الذين يعلمون والذين لا يعلمون إنما يتذكر أولو الألباب.}(الزمر: 9)[315]
The Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, has described some of the features of that day, its length, its pains and horrors, some of its devastating scenes that cause the heart to shatter, drive tears to the eyes, and devote the whole meditation around it, leaving everything else. The Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “On the Day of Judgement, the sun gets very close to the people, until it is about a mile over them, so the people are in their own sweat as deep as their deeds. Some of them are as deep as their own ankles, some as deep as their knees, some as deep as their hips, and some are silenced by their own sweat.” He said: “And the Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, pointed with his hand to his mouth.”[316]
On this tremendously horrible day friends see each other, but they run away from each other, and each is busy with his own problems. Allah, His Almighty, says: {ولا يسأل حميم حميما.}(المعارج: 10 )[317] His Almighty also says: {يوم يفر المرء من أخيه وأمه وأبيه وصاحبته وبنيه لكل امرئ منهم يومئذ شأن يغنيه.}
[318](عبس: 34-37)
On this day the non-believer is in a tremendous torture of fear and worry, despair of Allah’s mercy, and is awaiting the definite torture in Hell. His face becomes as dark as night, due to his great grief and devastating melancholy. His Almighty says: {كأنما أغشيت وجوههم قطعا من الليل مظلما.}(يونس: 27)[319] His Almighty also says in the Holly Qu`oran: {يوم ينفخ في الصور ونحشر المجرمين يومئذ زرقا يتخافتون بينهم إن لبثتم إلا عشرا نحن أعلم بما يقولون إذ يقول أمثلهم إن لبثتم إلا يوما.}(طه: 102-104)[320] As for the faithful people, on the land of the Day of Resurrection, they are classified and the tensity of their sadness, grief, sorrow, and worry depends on their own faith, their good deeds, and the sins that they have committed.
43. A Zakat withholder is punished for fifty thousand years.
Some people of faith, who have sins that Allah, His Almighty, wishes not to forgive, are tortured on the land of the Day of Resurrection[321], for those sins until justice is established among the people-I take refuge with Allah, His Almighty from His Anger and fury.
The withholder of Zakat, In the true Hadeeth that the Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Any owner of a treasure, who does not give out its right, then it will become plates of fire, heated in Hell’s fire, by which his side, his forehead, and his back will be burned. Until Allah, His Almighty, establishes justice among His creatures, on a day that equals fifty thousand years, of what you count.”[322]
The prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, as narrated by Emam Moslem, said: “Any owner of gold or silver, who does not pay out their rights then on the Day of Judgement they will become plates of fire, heated in Hell’s fire, by which his side, his forehead, and his back will be burned. Whenever these plates get cool off, they are[323] back to him, on a day that equals fifty thousand years, until all judgements are passed onto the slaves and his way is seen whether to Heaven or to Hell.”
Somebody asked: ‘O Prophet of Allah, how about cows and sheep?’ He, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘There isn’t an owner of cows, or sheep who does not give out its right[324], but will come on The Day of Judgement with those on a very flat land, non of them is missing. Non of them has curved horns, without horns, nor broken horns[325]. They will attack him with their horns, and step on him with their hooves, the moment the last one is done, the first one is back again, on a day that equals fifty thousand years, until all judgements are passed onto the slaves, and his way is seen whether to Heaven, or to Hell.”
Somebody also asked: ‘O Prophet of Allah, How about horses?’ He, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘Horses are of three: For a man it is a torture, for a man it is a shelter, for a man it is a reward. As for the one to whom it becomes a torture, he is the one who saddles it in hypocrisy, pride, and to be used against the people of Islam, therefore it is a torture. As for the one to whom it is a shelter, he is a man who saddles it in the sake of Allah, and hasn’t forgotten the rights of its back, or its neck[326], so it is to him a shelter. As for the one to whom it is a reward, he is a man who saddles it for the people of Islam, for the sake of Allah in a green pastor, or a meadow. Whatever it eats from that pastor or meadow, and as much waste it produces, and urinates, is written for him as many rewards. As far as it runs whether mounting one high land or two, Allah will record for him rewards as many as the numbers of its step, and the quantity of its waste, as rewards. Whenever its owner passes by a river and it drinks from it, without forcing it to drink, Allah will write down to him rewards as many as it drinks.”
Someone also asked: ‘O Prophet of Allah, how about donkeys?’ He, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘Non revealed to me concerning donkeys, except the following Ayah; {فمن يعمل مثقال ذرة خيرا يره. ومن يعمل مثقال ذرة شرا يره.}(الزلزلة: 7-8)[327]
The previous Hadeeth is authenticated in The Holly Book of Allah, His Almighty, when He says: {يا أيها الذين آمنوا إن كثيرا من الأحبار والرهبان ليأكلون أموال الناس بالباطل ويصدون عن سبيل الله والذين يكنزون الذهب والفضة ولا ينفقونها في سبيل الله فبشرهم بعذاب أليم. يوم يحمى عليها في نار جهنم فتكوى بها جباههم وجنوبهم وظهورهم هذا ما كنزتم لأنفسكم فذوقوا ما كنتم تكنزون.}(التوبة: 34-35)[328]
44. Believers under the shade of Allah on the day of Judgement.
Some believers will be under the shadow of Allah, His Almighty, on the Day of Judgment. Those people were chosen because they have worshipped Allah, His Almighty, with a great, and an absolute devotion. Allah, His Almighty, says: {إن الأبرار يشربون من كأس كان مزاجها كافورا. عينا يشرب بها عباد الله يفجرونها تفجيرا. يوفون بالنذر ويخافون يوما كان شره مستطيرا. ويطعمون الطعام على حبه مسكينا ويتيما وأسيرا. إنما نطعمكم لوجه الله لا نريد منكم جزاء ولا شكورا. إنا نخاف من ربنا يوما عبوسا قمطريرا. فوقاهم الله شر ذلك اليوم ولقاهم نضرة وسرورا.}(الإنسان: 5-11)[329] Prophet Muhammad, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Seven are going to be shaded by Allah’s shade, when there is no shade but His: A just Emam, a young man grew up worshipping Allah, His Almighty, a man whose heart yearns to mosques, two men liked each other for the sake of Allah, they gathered for Him, and separated for Him, a man who was called[330] by a beautiful woman, but he said: ‘I fear Allah.’ A man, secretly, gave a charity to the point that his left hand was not aware of the amount that his right hand gave away, and a man who only mentioned the name of Allah, and his eyes were instantly flowing of tears.”[331]
45. Al-Serat, the straight path, is the greatest dilemma for the believers. The persistently obeying Allah passes, and the sinner falls.
The last stage, before the final one, on this particular day, The Day of Judgement, is the most difficult, and of its hardest times; it is crossing over Hell, from the land the people gathered on, to another bridge, before Heaven. It is crossing over Hell in its entirety. Well, how wide is this Hell? To bring its width closer to our perception, then we would say that it is a crossing over the sun! Yet, the sun is only a small planet in Hell.
Therefore, have you, Allah’s slave, considered walking over something that is as wide, and as severely hot as the sun? Yet, the sun with its entire exploding surface that reaches two million degrees is only a very small amount of Hell’s fire. So, if we visualize Hell as Allah, His Almighty, has portrayed to us in the Qu`oran, and as His Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, has related in many of his Hadeeth, then we would realize that it is a great deep hole, beyond the human mind’s conception, unless we refer to the distances between planets in this whole wide universe. It is as blazing as the sun, even severer. It is so wide that the sun, and the moon that we know are only two small stones in a very wide desert. Prophet Muhammad, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The Sun and the Moon are rolled into Hell, on the Day of Judgment.”[332]
Therefore, if the believers are in a great distress, in that great place and tremendous scene, when standing for The God of all creatures, and the sadness of each is as heavy as his sins and disobedience. Some of the believers are tested in their graves, and tortured until the blow in the Soor. Some are tested with fire, in their own location, on this heavy, hard, and long day, until Allah, His Almighty, establishes justice among the slaves.
Yet, there is a greater and a harder situation waiting for them, which is crossing over the Serat[333] into Heaven. It is either a safe pass, a long lasting suffering, or a fall into Hell’s fire to an end that only Allah, His Almighty, knows its whereabouts, until they receive the benefit of mediation, and Allah’s mercy at the end. The Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Then the Serat is erected over Hell, and my followers and I, are the first to pass. On that Day, nobody speaks but the messengers, whose prayers then are: ‘Our Allah, save us, save us.’ In Hell, there are hooks that look like Al-See`dan’s. Have you seen Al-See`dan? They said: ‘Yes. O prophet of Allah.’ He said: ‘They look like Al-See`dan’s, except only Allah knows how great they are, that will snatch people according to their deeds. Some of them are the believers, who are saved by their deeds, and some are the passers, until they are saved.”[334]
He, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, also said: “Then the bridge is erected on top of Hell, and the mediation is permitted, and they say: ‘Our Allah, save us, save us.’ They[335] asked: ‘O, prophet of Allah! What is the bridge?’ He said: ‘It is very narrow, sharp[336], and very slippery, it has hooks, claws, and thorns. In Najd is a small thorn called Al-See`dan. The believers will pass like eyewink, lightning, wind, birds, the best horses, and other mounted animals. So it is either a safely unharmed, a released wounded, or on his head, down in Hell.
Then, when the believers are saved from Hell, by The One who owns me, non of you is as consistent in asking Allah, for tracing the rights, than the believers on the Day of Judgement for their brothers, who are in Hell. They say: ‘Our God! They used to fast, pray, and perform pilgrimage with us!’ So, they were told to: ‘Take out whomever you know!’ So, Hell is forbidden from hurting them[337]. They take out a huge number of people, who were burned up to half of their legs and knees. Then they say: ‘Our God! Non of the ones You have ordered us to save is left.’ He says: ‘Go back! Take out whomever you find with as much as a Dinar’s worth of faith in his heart.’ So, they take out a huge number of people. Then they say: ‘Our God! Non of the ones You have ordered us to save is left.’ He says: ‘Go back! Take out whomever you find with as much as an atom of faith in his heart.’ So, they take out a huge number of people. Then they say: ‘Our God! We haven’t left any goodness.’”
Abu-Sae`eed Al-Khodri used to say: “If you do not believe me, concerning that Hadeeth, then recite, if you wish: {إن الله لا يظلم مثقال ذرة وإن تك حسنة يضاعفها ويؤت من لدنه أجرا عظيما.}(النساء: 40)[338] Then Allah, His Almighty, says: “The angels have mediated, the prophets have mediated, the believers have mediated, yet the most merciful hasn’t yet. So, He seizes a part of Hell, and takes out people who have never done any good at all, who have turned into lava, and throws them into a river in the very beginning[339] of Heavens, which is called, the river of life. So, they grow as the seed grows in the stream of a flood[340]. Don’t you see how it looks like a stone or a tree, the part exposed to the sun is yellowish, or grayish, and the shaded part is white?” They said: ‘O Allah’s messenger! It sounds as if you were a shepherd in the desert!’ He said: ‘So they come out like pearls with signets in their necks, recognized by the people of Heavens. Those are Allah’s pardoned who are allowed into Heavens having neither deeds they have done, nor goodness they have offered.’
Then He says: ‘Enter Heavens, and whatever you see is yours.’ They say: ‘Our God! You have given us something that You haven’t given to anybody else.’ So He says: ‘I have much better than this to award you with.’ They say: ‘Our God! What could be better than this?’ He says: ‘My blessings, so I will never be angry at you.’”[341] Nobody remains there, but the ones who are restrained by the Qu`oran, so who are they?
46. Who are the ones restrained by the Qu`oran?
The ones restrained by the holly Qu`oran are plenty? Those are the ones that Allah has stated that they will remain in Hell forever. The first are the non-believers, who do not devote worship to Allah only. Allah, His Almighty, says: {إن الله لا يغفر أن يشرك به ويغفر ما دون ذلك لمن يشاء.}(النساء: 116)[342] Allah, His Almighty, also says: {وما هم منها بمخرجين.}(الحجر: 48 )[343] His Almighty says also about them: {إنكم ماكثون.}(الزخرف: 77)[344] The Ayat concerning the eternal residency of the non-believers in Hell are plenty. Prophet Muhammad, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Be ware that only a Muslim soul will enter Heaven.”[345]
Some of the ones who are restrained by the Holly Qu`oran, and sentenced to a permanent imprisonment, are the killers of the human beings with no right. The ones who have not repented are up against Allah, His Almighty, Who says: {ومن يقتل مؤمنا متعمدا فجزاؤه جهنم خالدا فيها وغضب الله عليه ولعنه وأعد له عذابا عظيما.}(النساء: 93)[346] Allah, His Almighty, also refers to the usurer, who had died before repenting, in the following Ayah saying:
{الذين يأكلون الربا لا يقومون إلا كما يقوم الذي يتخبطه الشيطان من المس ذلك بأنهم قالوا إنما البيع مثل الربا وأحل الله البيع وحرم الربا فمن جاءه موعظة من ربه فانتهى فله ما سلف وأمره إلى الله ومن عاد فأولئك أصحاب النار هم فيها خالدون.}(البقرة :275)[347]
Those people are judged only by Allah, His Almighty, The God of all, and they are not released from Hell but by permission from The Wisest of all rulers. How long are they going to remain in Hell before His, mercy delivers them? This knowledge is of Allah’s, His Almighty, only. Undoubtedly the everlasting imprisonment of those sinners is not as the ever-lasting imprisonment of the non-believers, yet it is tremendously long, for this is the meaning of an everlasting imprisonment.
47. Have the believers considered falling off the straight path, Al-Serat.
Therefore, consider, whether reading those lines, or listening to them, and contemplate on the importance of this Day[348], for it’s the destiny of all Allah’s, His Almighty’s, creatures not to enter Heaven but by crossing over Hell, on the Al-Sirat. Allah, His Almighty, says: {وإن منكم إلا واردها كان على ربك حتما مقضيا ثم ننجي الذين اتقوا ونذر الظالمين فيها جثيا.}(مريم: 71-72)[349]
Al-Serat, as I have learned, is an extremely long, long, long bridge, on top of Hell. When it is erected, Honesty will stand on one side, and Womb will stand on the other, informing, and announcing that whoever delivered Honesty as should be, and kept a close relationship with the family relatives is saved and goes to Heaven. Yet whoever betrayed Honesty or destroyed his relationship with his relatives, his feet will not be able to carry him, so he falls, and his hope of entering Heaven is lost. How long is this person, who falls in Hell, is going to remain in Hell, until His Almighty’s mercy reaches him? Well, If he remains for one day, then he has stayed there for a thousand years! If he remains for half a day, then he has stayed for fifty years! Allah, His Almighty, says: {ويستعجلونك بالعذاب ولن يخلف الله وعده وإن يوما عند ربك كألف سنة مما تعدون.}(الحج: 47)[350]
48. A single moment in Hell causes the punished to forget all pleasures he enjoyed before.
A single moment or actually a single dip in Hell is enough to cause you to forget all the pleasures you have enjoyed on earth. Prophet Muhammad, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The most pampered person in life, of the people of Hell, is brought on the Day of Judgement, and is dipped in Hell, then he is asked: “O Adam’s son! Have you ever enjoyed any prosperity? Have you ever encountered any pleasure?” So he says: “No. I swear by You, my Allah.” Then the most miserable person in life, of the people of Heaven, is brought and dipped in Heaven, then he is asked: “O Adam’s son! Have you ever felt any misery? Have you ever encountered any harshness?” So he says: “No. I swear by You, my Allah, I have never suffered any misery, neither have I seen any harshness, ever.”[351]
49. And they are up against what they have not anticipated from Allah.
Inform those who are confident[352]-who consider their sins as flies that come over a person’s nose, which he could easily fling away if he only waves his hand-of Mohammed’s Hadeeth, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, when he said: “I stood at the gate of Hell, where the most who entered were women.”[353] Also his, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, Hadeeth, saying: “O, Women! Give charities, for I have seen you to be the most of Hell’s people.” So, they responded: “Why is that. O, Prophet of Allah?” He said: “You curse a lot, and do not appreciate your husbands. And I have never seen of so short in reasoning and in religion who will drive a determined man out of his senses than anyone of you.” They said: “Why is our reasoning and religion so short?” He said: “Isn’t the testimony of a woman equals half of the testimony of a man?” They said: “Yes.” So, he said: “This is the reason for her to be short in reasoning. Doesn’t she abstain from praying and fasting, when she goes through the monthly period?” They said: “Yes.” So, he said: “This accounts for her being short in her religion.”[354]
So, think about habitual cursing, isn’t it considered to be a trivial sin? Isn’t denying the husband’s bountiful providing is to say: “I haven’t seen anything good from you?” Isn’t the woman’s capability of misleading a strict man, and changing his decisions, in order to commit a sin, or not to perform a duty, is also a sin? Then, since women enter Hell for such disobedience, and whoever commits such sins is far off Allah’s, His Almighty’s, mercy until after entering Hell, so could a person be secured of being punished for a sin? Since the woman, who is originally, in the very beginning of creation, is of a lower degree than the man, regarding wisdom and reason, is tortured in Hell for such sins. Then, how about the habitual sinner, committing sins, and never repenting, or those who think of their sins as small sins and do not worry about them at all. How about those who think they are safe just because, they feel it within their hearts, without actually exercising it with their senses, and deeply believing in it within their hearts?
50. The Final Stage (The Final Classification.)
After this hard and tiresome stage, which is crossing over Hell on the bridge, Al-Serat, and the safety of whoever is safe of the disobedient believers, then there is the compensation among the believers, and the final settlement of accounts among them. Emam Al-Bukhari, Allah bless his soul, narrated, according to Qatadah, according to Abi Al-Mutawakel Al-Naji, that Abu Saa`eed Al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, said that Allah’s Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The believers are saved from Hell, then they are held back on a short bridge between Heaven and Hell. Then some rights are given to some of them, from those who have taken them away in life, until they are purged of all guilt and purified of all blemishes, then they are allowed to enter Heaven. I swear by The One Who owns Mohammed’s life, that each one will be able to recognize his home in Heaven, more than he does in life.”[355]
This restriction on this particular bridge, between Hell and Heaven could last for a long time for some sinners, for there are plenty of rights that some believers have taken away from their brothers in Islam, honesty they have betrayed, money they have stolen, along with so many injustice and tyranny.
51. Finally, Heaven opens its gates: The poor enter, and the rich are delayed.
Finally, after all those long stages, and great obstacles, the believers wait at the still-closed gates of Heaven. These gates do not open until the person whose rank was raised higher in life and after-death by Allah, His Almighty, and who is the Emam of all arrives. How can the believers enter Heaven unless their Emam, and prophet enters first. Prophet Muhammad, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, the closest human being to Allah, His Almighty, is the first to knock on Heaven’s gate, while everybody is looking, and the believers are waiting. Then a voice from the inside, Redwan’s voice, its keeper responds: “I was ordered to open to you, nobody else before you.”[356] Prophet Muhammad, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “I am the first holder of the right of pre-emption in Heaven.”[357] He also said: “I am the first to hold on to the Heaven’s gate knockers, and knock them.”[358]
All of the eight gates of Heaven will open up; the width of each is as the distance between Mecca and Hajer[359]. Each gate is specified for a certain type of worship: Prayers gate, Zakaht’s gate, Al-Rayan gate which is the fasting gate, Jehad’s gate, and Parents’ gate. Then the people of faith are classified according to their degrees in worshipping, and the Angels, who are lined up at each gate, call all people belonging to that gate to enter from it. There are believers who will be gratified, and will be called from all of those gates because they performed all of those worships: They were the speediest to comply with Allah’s orders, His Almighty, to do every good deed, and to be devoted sons to their parents. Prophet Muhammad, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The father is the middle gate of Heaven.”[360] The earliest for prayers, the most honest in fasting, and the most generous in Zakat.
The poor people are the first to enter, as a make-up for a period of need in life, while the rich are restrained, and held back (they are held back for half a day, which is fifty years.) Prophet Muhammad, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “I stood at the gate of Heaven, where most of the people entering are the poor, and the people of authority are held back, except the people of Hell, for they are ordered to Hell. I also stood at the gate of Hell, where most of the people entering are women.”[361] He, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, also said: “Good news for you, the poor people of the Mohajereen, you precede the rich into Heaven in period of half a day.”[362] Moreover, when the people of Heaven enter, each one will go to his home without a guide or anyone leading him to it, or pointing at it. In another Hadeeth, Muhammad, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “I swear by The One who owns my life that a person will recognize his home in Heaven more than he does in life.”[363] In the Holly Qu`oran, Allah, His Almighty, says: {والذين قتلوا في سبيل الله فلن يضل أعمالهم سيهديهم ويصلح بالهم ويدخلهم الجنة عرفها لهم.}(محمد: 4-6)[364]
52. The past security was a temptation.
I have looked at my situation in this period and found out that I have lived a conceited period of my life. I discovered that the security I have felt was only a temptation.
I have discovered the truth when I put few items together, that helped to uncover a fact hidden from my eyes, though in fact, it wasn’t hidden. The Qu`oran has talked about it a lot, and the Prophet has preached about it from on top of his pedestal for a long time, and when the Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, saw Hell with his own naked eyes, he, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “If you knew what I know, you would laugh a little and weep a lot.”[365] Whenever he, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, preached about Heavens and Hell, his face turned very red, his fury was higher, and his voice was louder, as if he were warning of an approaching army, saying: “In the mornings, and in the evenings.”[366] Moreover, whenever the Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, happened to hear a companion saying any of the comforting, trusting, and assuring words concerning Heavens, to whom who is known for his goodness, he says: “By Allah I do not know-being Allah’s prophet-what will happen to me.”[367]
In Al-Bukhari, it says that Umm Al-A`lae’ was a woman from AlAnsar[368] who pledged the Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, an allegiance and declared her acceptance of Islam, told him that ‘O`thman Bin Matho`oon’ was their choice when the Al-Ansar distributed Muhajereen[369] among them. Umm Al-A`lae’ said: “O`othman fell ill when he was with us, so I nursed him until he died, and we wrapped him in his clothes. The Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, came in, so I said: ‘Allah bless you Aba Al-Sae’b’ I testify for you. Allah has gratified you.’ So, the Prophet, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘How would you know that Allah has gratified him?’ He said: ‘I said: ‘I don’t know. I ransom you with my father’s and mother’s lives, then whom?’ He said: ‘As for him, By Allah, he has received the undeniable truth[370]. By Allah, I wish him good but, by Allah, I do not know, while I am Allah’s messenger, what would happen to me!’ She said: ‘Then, by Allah, I will never testify for anyone after him.’ She said: ‘So I was sad because of that[371]. I slept and saw a flowing fountain for O`othman. I went to Allah’s messenger, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, and told him. He said: ‘That is his deeds.’”[372] Therefore, could a believer entrust his deeds? Could he enjoy a comfortable sleep not knowing his place, whether it is in Heavens, or in Hell?
53. A call, a plea, and an advice to my Muslim brothers.
Dear Muslim brothers:
Prophet Muhammad, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever owes any of his brothers a claim upon him, be it money or anything else, let him give it back today, before that certain day when he cannot give back a Dinar or a Derham. Consequently, if he has good deeds then some of them, an amount that equals the claim upon him, will be taken from him on that Day, and if he hasn’t got any, then some of the sins of the person, to whom he owes the claim, will be dumped over him.”[373]
I have scanned backward over my life’s records and found many rights and debts I owe to my Muslim brothers, that I cannot pay back. It is a long list of people’s rights that I repent of, and would like to make up for right now, in this life, before the life after death. I call upon everyone who has a right over me to forgive me now, in this life, and may Allah, His Almighty reward him the best for it, or claims his rights now, as soon as possible in this life, and may Allah rewards him the best for it, and by doing so he is a true brother and a true friend. I appeal to every sympathetic friend and brother, and ask him in the name of Allah, not to postpone his claim until the Day of Judgement.
My God, I pray to You praising all Your names, attributes, and high qualities and de************************ions. I pray for Your overwhelming mercy. I pray to You that You are Allah, God of all creatures, most benevolent, most forgiving, The owner of the high authority and order to overlook my guilt, to forgive my sins, to reward every believer who did good with goodness from You, and to forgive everyone who hurt me or took away from me any of my rights, whatever it could be.
My God, I appeal to You to accept my deeds, You are The One Who hears all and knows all. {رب أوزعني أن أشكر نعمتك التي أنعمت علي وعلى والدي وأن أعمل صالحا ترضاه وأصلح لي في ذريتي إني تبت إليك وإني من المسلمين.}(الأحقاف: 15)[374]
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18-01-04, 05:24 PM
العرض العادي
