HELL’S DEPTH
Hell’s Depth
Imam Muslim reported on the authority of ‘Utbah Ibn Ghazwan ( radiyAllahu ‘anhu) said: “We were informed that a stone was thrown from the fringe of Hell and it fell for seventy years without reaching the bottom. Verily it will be filled to the brim even if you are awed. ‘Umar (radijAllahu ‘anhu) used to say, “Think often of Hell for its heat is intense and its pit is far below and (armoury is that of) iron hammers.’” (Muslim, #2968 and Ahmad in his Musnad, 4/174.)
Muslim also reported a narration of Abu Hurayrah (radiyAUahu ‘anhu) who said: “We were with the Prophet (pbuh) one day when we heard a noise. He asked us if we knew what the noise was. We replied that Allah and his Messenger know best. He explained that it was stone cast into Hell and has just reached the (bottom) pit after falling for seventy years.” (Muslim, #2844 and Ahmad in his Musnad.’ 2/371.)
It was narrated by Abu Hurayrah (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “If seven camels with their skin intact were to be thrown into Hell, it will not reach the bottom except after seventy years.” (Muslim, #195 and Hakim in his Mustadark, 4/606.)
‘Abdullah [Ibn Mas’ud] (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Any judge who judges between two men is detained on the Day of Judgment and an Angel takes hold of the back of the judge’s head. He is then made to stand in front of Hell where he raises his head to Allah, the Most High. If it is said: “Throw him!” He is thrown into a pit that has a depth equal to the distance traveled in forty year.” This was related by Imam Ahmad. (Ahmad in his Musnad, 1/430)
‘Umayr (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “The ruler will be brought forth on the Day of Judgment and placed on Hell’s Bridge.The Bridge will shake violently such that all the joints of the ruler’s body will be displaced. If he was obedient to Allah in his deeds, he will be safeguarded. However if he was disobedient to Allah in his actions, the Bridge shall crumble and he will fall into Hell the distance of fifty years. ‘Umar (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) then asked if anyone would dare seek office after hearing this.
In both Bukhari and Muslim, it is narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) made mention that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Verily a slave says a casual word and because of that is flung into Hell (equal to the time taken to travel) a distance far greater than the distance between the east and west, also said: “A man says a word that he finds harmless yet because of it,is thrown into Hell forseventy years. ” (Ahmad in his Musnad, 1/430 ) He (pbuh) ” (Ahmad in his Musnad, 2/379,Tirmidhi, #2315 and Ibn Majah, #3970) Ibn ‘Abbas (radi Allahu ‘anhuma) commented on the verse:
“And they say,‘Never will the Fire touchus, except for [a few] numbered days. ‘“ (Al-Baqarah (2): 80)
Saying, “It is said that the Jews find it written in the Torah that the distance between the two poles of Hell is the distance traveled in forty years. It stops at the tree of Zaqqum having its roots in Jahim”
Ibn ‘Abbas (radiAllahu ‘anhuma) also used to say, Jahim is Saqr wherein is the Zaqqum tree. The enemies of Allah assume that if the days mentioned in their book elapses, that is the time taken to travel to where Jahim originates, life will end, punishment will be no more, Hell will be destroyed and shall vanish.’ He (radijAllahu ( anhuma) also added, “When they are hurled from the doors of Hell, they travel while being tortured until they reach the Zaqqum tree on the last day of the prescribed days which is forty years. When they have eaten the fruit of Zaqqum and their bellies’ are filled, the guardians of Saqr will say, ‘You assumed that when the prescribed days were to elapse, you shall be spared from the Fire. However, you will be in it forever. They will be driven to Hell’s plateau and hurled down.’
We observe from the narration of Ibn ‘Abbas (radiAllahu ‘anhuma) that the depth of Hell is forty years and that is exactly what is written in the Torah. However, the Jews have distorted it to mean the distance between the two poles.They claim that after the prescribed days elapse, Hell will be annihilated and cease to exist. Verily it is lies and fabrication concocted by them. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 1/206-207)
Section One:
The Size of the Dwellers of Hell
Ibn ‘Abbas (radi Allahu ‘anhuma) once asked, ‘Do you know the size of the dwellers of Hell? His companions answered in the negative. He said: “By Allah, do you not know that between his earlobe and his nose is a distance of seventy years where valleys of vomit and blood flow.’
We said that it could be rivers but he corrected us saying they were valleys. He then asked, ‘Do you know the expanse of Hell?’ We said: ‘No.’To which he replied that ‘A’ishah (radiyAllahu ‘anha) related to me that she asked the Prophet (pbuh) regarding the verse:
“They have not appraisedAllahwith true appraisal, while the earth entirely will be [within] His grip on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens will be folded in His right hand…. “ (Al-Zumar(39): 67)
‘A’ishah (radiyAllahu ‘anha) asked the Prophet (pbuh), “Where will the people be on that Day?” He replied, “On the Bridge spanning [over] Hell.” (Imam Ahmad in his Musnad.)
By Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali
Comments
John Doe
23/3/2019Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
John Doe
23/3/2019Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
John Doe
23/3/2019Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.