The Gates of Hell
Allah has told us that Hell has seven gates, as He (swt)
said:
"And surely, Hell is the promised place for them all. It
[Hell] has seven gates, for each of these gates is a [special] class [of
sinners] assigned". (15:43-44)
Ibn Katheer commenting on this aayah, said: "This means that
each gate has been allotted its share of the followers of Iblees who will
enter it, and the will not be able to avoid it. May Allah (swt) protect
us from it. Each will enter a gate according to his deeds, and will be
assigned to a level of Hell according to his deeds."
It
was reported from 'Ali ibn Abi Taalib (ra) that he said, during a khutbah
(sermon): "The gates of Hell are such and-such". Abu Harun said,
"They are in layers, one above the other". It is reported that he also
said, "The gates of Hell number seven, one above the other. The first will
be filled, then the second, then the third, until all of them are filled."
(Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 4/162)
When the disbelievers come to Hell, its gates will be opened,
and they will enter it, to remain there forever:
"And those who disbelieved will be driven to Hell in groups,
till, when they reach it, the gates thereof will be opened [suddenly like
a prison at the arrival of the prisoners]. And its keepers will say, "Did
not the Messengers come to you from yourselves - reciting to you the
Verses of your Rabb, and warning you of the Meeting of this Day of yours".
They will say, "Yes" but the Word of torment has been justified against
the disbelievers". (39:71)
After they are admitted, they will be told:
"Enter you the gates of Hell, to abide therein. And [indeed]
what an evil abode of the arrogant!"
(39:72)
These gates will be shut upon the evildoers, and they will have
no hope of ever escaping from them after that, as Allah (swt) says,
"But those who reject Our Signs, they are the [unhappy] Companions of
the Left Hand. On them will be Fire vaulted over [all round]."
(90:19-20)
Ibn 'Abbaas said, "vaulted" (literally: "shut over them") means
that the gates will be locked". al-Mujaahid pointed out that the word used
(mu'sadah) is the word used in the dialect of Quraysh to mean "locked" or
shut" (Tafseer Ibn Katheer 7/298)
In
the Qur'an Allah (swt) says:
"Woe to every [kind of] scandalmonger and backbiter, who
piles up wealth and lays it by. Thinking that his wealth would make him
last forever! By no means! He will be sure to be thrown into that which
Breaks to Pieces. And what will explain to you that which breaks to
pieces? The Fire of [the wrath of] Allah, kindled [to a blaze], which
mounts [right] to the heart. It shall be made into a vault over them, in
columns outstretched." (104:1-9)
Allah (swt) states that the gates of Hell will be locked
behind them. Ibn Abbaas said, "In columns outstretched" means that the
gates will be stretched out". 'Atiyah said, "It is a pillar of
iron". Muqaatil said, "The gates will be closed firmly behind them
and locked with a bolt of iron, so that the pain and heat will be
intensified. The expression "stretched forth" applies to the "pillar",
meaning that the bolts with which the gates are locked will be very long,
because a long bolt is stronger than a short one" (Ibn 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 gates of Hell are locked
during the month of Ramadhan. at-Tirmidhi reported that Abu Hurayrah said
the Prophet (saw) said: "When the first night of Ramadhan comes, the
Shayaateen and evil jinns are chained up. The gates of Hell are closed and
not one of them is opened. The gates of Paradise are opened and not one of
them is closed." (Ibid, p.66)
Fuel of Hell
Stones and the rebellious disbelievers are the fuel of Hell, as
Allah says:
"O you who believe! Save yourselves and your families from a
Fire whose fuel is men and stones!" (66:6)
"...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 stone that will fuel
the Fire, Allah (swt) knows best what it really is. Some of the Salaf
thought that this stone was brimstone or sulphur. 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'oud
said, "It is a stone of sulphur which Allah (swt) created in the first
heaven the day He created the heavens and earth and prepared it for the
disbelievers". This was reported by Ibn Jareer, Ibn Abi Haatim and
Haakim in al-Mustadrak. Ibn 'Abbaas, 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 hesitation or argument. If it is the matter of
ijtihaad, based on knowledge of the nature and qualities of stones, then
we cannot accept it without question. There may be other stones that are
superior to sulphur in strength and flammability. The first Muslims saw
that sulphur has qualities that do not exist in other stones, so they
thought that it would be the fuel of Hell. Ibn Rajab said, "Most of the
mufassireen suggest that what is meant by stones is sulphur, with which
the Fire of Hell will be fuelled. It was said that it includes five kinds
of torment that are not found in other stones: it catches fire quickly, it
has an unpleasant odour, it produces a lot of smoke, it sticks to flesh,
and it is very hot when it is heated" (Ibn Rajab, at-Takhweef min an-Naar,
p.107). Allah may create other kinds of stones that are superior to
sulphur, and we can be sure that whatever exists in the Hereafter will be
different from this world.
Another fuel for the Fire will be the gods, which were
worshipped instead of Allah (swt);
"Certainly! You [disbelievers] and that which you are
worshipping now besides Allah, are [but] fuel for Hell! [Surely] you will
enter it. Had these [idols etc] been aaliha [gods] they would not have
entered there [Hell] and all of them 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, "Everything that you
throw into the Fire is fuel for it" (Yaqazah uli al-i'tibaar,
p.61)
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