THE LEVELS (DARAJAT) OF HELL
The Levels (darajat) of Hell, How it is Earned and its Description (sifat)
Allah, the Most High said:
“Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire—and never will you find a helper for them. “ (Al- Nisa’ (4): 145)
Allah, the Most High said:
“And for all are degrees [i.e., positions resulting] from what they have done. And your Lord is not unaware of what they do. “ (Al-An’am (6): 132)
Allah, the Most High said:
“So is the one who pursues the pleasure of Allah like one who brings upon himself the anger of Allah, whose refuge is Hell? And how vile a journey’s end!They are on [entirely] different levels in the sight of Allah, and Allah is Seeing of whatever they do.” (Al-Imran (3): 162-163)
‘Abdu’l-Rahman Ibn Zayd Ibn Aslam said: ‘The levels (darajat) of Paradise ascend while those of Hell descend.’
When commenting on the verse:
“It has seven gates; for every gate is of them [i.e., Satan’s followers] a portion designated. “ (Al-Hijr(15): 44)
‘Ikrimah said: ‘It has seven levels and when commenting on the same verse.’
Qatadah said: ‘By Allah, it is their abode for what deeds they committed.’
Yazid Ibn Malik al-Hamdani said: ‘Hell has seven fires that radiate. Each one looks away from the other in the fear that it will be eaten up by another.’
Ibn Jazij said regarding the afore-mentioned verse: ‘The first level is Jahannam, then Laza then Hutamah then Sa’ir then Saqr then Jahim and lastly Hawiyah wherein dwells Abu Jahl.’
Ibn Mas’ud (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) once asked: ‘Who is the most tortured in Hell?’ His companions replied: ‘The Jews and the Christians.’He corrected them saying:‘No. But it is the hypocrites who dwell in the lowest level of Hell that is its pit where they are walled in and there are no doors to it.’
Abu Hurayrah (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) in explaining the dwelling of the hypocrites in Hell said: ‘Fire will be lit on top of them and below them.’
Allah says:
“They will have canopies [layers] of fire above them and below them, canopies. By that Allah threatens[and warns] His servants. O My servants, then fear Me.” (Al-Zumar (39): 16)
Ibn Mubarak said: ‘The darkness (zula) of Hell has seventy corners (zamiya) and each corner there is a type of torture ( ( adhab) that is not found elsewhere.’
“But he has not broken through the difficult pass. “ (Al-Balad (90): 11)
Ibn Abi Hatim narrated that Ka’b said: ‘The steep path has seventy levels in Hell.’
In another narration it mentions that ascension on the steep path is a distance of seven thousand years and descending it is equally long.
Ibn ‘Umar (radi Allahu ‘anhuma) described, ‘the steep path as a mountain and advised will you not spare yourself from it by freeing slaves?
It was reported by Bukhari on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar (radi Allahu ‘anhuma) said: ‘I saw in my dream two Angels who came to me armed with an iron hammer in each of their hands. Another Angel then came to me who was similarly armed. They said: ‘Do not fear! You are a fine man. If only you would increase the duration of your night prayer.’ They left with me tagging along until I was brought to the periphery of Hell. It was enclosed like a well and had nooks like the nooks of a well. Standing between every two horns was an Angel who was armed with an iron hammer. Therein were men who were strung up-side down with chains. I recognised one of them who were of the Quraysh tribe. They then departed with me following towards the right. I narrated this dream to Hafsah (radiyAllahu ‘anha) who in-turn related it to the Prophet (pbuh) who remarked: “Verily ‘Abdullah is a pious man ‘ ‘“ (Bukhari, #440, Muslim, #2478-2479 and others.)
By Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali
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