Guardians of Hell

Alaihaa…Amara Hun. (Surah Tahreem 66:6). Meaning: Guardian hell will be harsh natured angels who will never be kind or soft to people of hell. They will never do anything against the command of God, that is, their duty.

Wa Lahum…Hadeed. (Surah Hajj 22:21) meaning: There will be iron club with which they will hit those trying to flee from hell.

About the weight of the said club it is mentioned that even if all the men and jinns join together to lift that club they will not be able to lift it.

It is also mentioned that both the eyes of the said guards of hell will be dazzling like lightning flashes and their pointed teeth will be as big as mountains and flames of fire will be leaping out of their fearsome mouths. The distance between their two shoulders will be equal to a one year journey. They are able to throw seventy persons in hell with one hand at a time.

Hell And Its Gates

Lahaa Sabatu…Maqsoom. (Surah Hijr 22:21) meaning: There are seven gates in hell. Every of the sinners will enter hell through these gates as fixed for them. As informed by Ali (a.s.) the names of the these seven gates of hell are as under: - The last and the lowest floor is 'Jahannum'. The zone above it is Lazzaa, above it Hutamaa, above it Hutamaa, above it Saqar and above it Jaheem. Above it is Saeer and above it Haaviyah. There is no doubt that chastisements in all of them will be different in harshness and pain.

Hellfire Has Intelligence

The words of the Holy verses indicate that, contrary to this world's fire, the fire in hell possesses sense and intelligence. Almighty Allah says: Yawma Naqoolu…Mazeed (Surah 50:30) meaning: The Day when We will ask hell: Are you full? It will reply: Are there more worthy of punishment still? It means: I still have room to accommodate them and a wish to burn these who are worthy of being burnt.

Moreover, hellfire recognizes those who are deserving punishment. It will attack them. It has power of drawing (magnetic attribute). It will also screem.
Almighty Allah says: - Izaa Ra Athum…Zafeera (Surah Furqaan 25:12), meaning: When hellfire will see the people of hell from a distance it will, out of anger screem fiercely and it will be heard by the sinners.

The Noor (Light Or Radiance) Of The Faithfuls Will Lower Flames Of Hell
Takkaadu…Ghaiz (Surah Mulk 67:8) meaning: It is about to crash angrily on the deniers.

It is mentioned in narrations that, when a faithful will be passing over the Siraat Bridge he or she will hear the voice of hell. O faithful! Please pass away quickly from above me as your light is cooling my flames. Since a Momin has kindness and hellfire has anger, the Mercy of the Lord overtakes His anger. Yaa Man Saba Qatrah Mata Husband Ghaza Bahu (ya man sabaqat rahmatahu ghadabahu) (Dua-e-Kuamyl). In short, there are many evidences with us to show that hellfire too, like all other substances in the Hereafter, possesses life and wisdom and intellifence. It is the friend of the friends of God and the enemy of the enemies of God.

Sinners Will Live In A Very Congested Place
On of the attributes is also that despite its ability to accomadate all men and jinn and even them remaining empty, the sinners will live in extreme congestion like a nail in a wall: Wa Izaa Ulqoo…Suboora. (Surah Furqaan 25:23) meaning: When the sinners will be hurled in the congested corner of hell, bound by chains of fire. Being harshly pressed they will desire death and say: Waa Asfaah (Oh Alaas )

As the righteous will be in ease and comfort and spaciousness and in light, those in hell will be in darkness and eternal terror quite like the one who is caught in the bottom of a see engulfed by layers of darkness over darkness.
Almighty Allah says: Awka Zulu Maatin…Yaraahaa. (Surah Noor 24:40) meaning: The darkness will be so grave that he will not be able to see his own hand despite trying.

Mental Or Spiritual Toture

For the people of hell, there will be mental and spiritual tortures too in addition to physical punishments and pains. One of them will be that they will always remember and realize that they have to remain in this terrible condition forever and to bear these troubles endlessly. They will never be saved from this chastisement. This will be the most unbearable thing for the sinners. There is no doubt that those Kuffar and Munaafiqeen who died faithlessly despite the fact that arguments were completed before them, will forever remain in hellfire torture.

Lord Almighty says: Innal…Abadaa (Surah Baiyinah 98:8) and at another place: Zaalika…Khuld (Surah 41:28).
So the punishment for the enemies of God is hellfire in which they will dwell forever.

Kafir Will Not Enter Paradise

Rather, God has termed the exit of a denier from hell as impossible. He says in the Holy Quran: Walaa…Khiyaat. (Surah A'raaf 7:40) meaning: They (unbelievers) will not enter paradise until a camel passes through the hole of a needle. That is, it is impossible, for a denier to enter paradise. There are many hadiths in this connection. Anyone who will have even an iota of Faith (Eemaan) will not remain in hell forever.

Deprivation From Divine Bounties Is The Worst Punishment

Another Roohani Azaab or spiritual torture is that a sinner in hell will always remember and lament that he has been deprived of innumerable Divine bounties of various kinds. Not only that, he wil never get God's mercy but only His anger.

Says the Holy Quran: Kallaa…Mahjooboon (Surah 83:15) meaning: Doubtlessly, on that Day, people will be veiled from their Lord, that is, they will not obtain Divine mercy and grace and reward. At another place: Laa Khalaaqa…Aleem (Surah Aale Imraan 3:77) meaning: For them there is no reward in Hereafter (Aakerat) and God will not even communicate with them and will have no mercy or kindness for them.

Deadly Regrets In Hell

One of the spiritual or mental tortures in hell will be the regret and sorrowfulness which will make one desirous of death had it been possible to die there daily. The Lord of the universe says about their grief pointing to their deeds: Kazaa Lika…Sabeela. (Surah Baqarah 2:167) and also Wayawma…(Surah Furqaan 25:27)

On that Day, the unjust oppressor will bite his hands with his teeth and say: Alas, how nice would it have been had I took the path of the Holy Prophet.
Imam Sadiq (a.s) is reported to have said that when the people of paradise and the people of hell will be settled in their respective places windows will open up between paradise and hell. An announcer will announce: O people of Paradise! Just look at the satations of the people of hell and their condition. Had you also disobeyed Divine Commands you too would have been in this state in hell. Then will come another voice: O people of Hell! Look at the highrise apartments of the people of Paradise. Had you obeyed Allah this comfort would have been for you also. This will make the sinners so gloomy that had it been possible to die in the Hereafter they would have died of their sorrow.

By: Ayatullah Shaheed Sayyid Abdul Husain Dastghaib

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