About Jahannam

The Year from Jahannam references various descriptions of Jahananam (Hell)

What does it look like?

Jahannam is the equivalent of Hell and is mentioned in the Qur’an, which is the direct word of God, as being created by God together with Jannah, which is Heaven.

According to the Qur'an only God knows who will go to Jahannam and who will go to Jannah. Muslims believe that unfaithful Muslims not true to their religion will be punished in Jahannam. They also believe that a disbeliever or non-Muslim may remain in Jahannam for eternity. However each person is judged by God according to their own circumstances.

What Jahannam looks like has been quite clearly described.  It is so deep that if a stone were to be thrown into it, it would travel for 70 years before reaching the bottom. The breadth of each of the four walls around it is equivalent to a distance covered by a walking journey of 40 years. It has 7 gates and to each of those gates is assigned to specific class of sinners. It is said that even the fiercest fire of this world is 70 times cooler than the fire of Jahannam.

How are people punished there?

According to Muslim beliefs the suffering in Jahannam will be completely unbearable. The descriptions of these punishments in Jahannam are equally frightening.

The dwellers of Jahannam would be lashed with heavy clubs of iron; they would be burnt 70 thousand times every day only for the skin and flesh to be restored to life so that they can continuously taste this punishment. Scalding boiling water will be poured over their heads and this will cause their internal organs to melt and leak out through their feet.

It is said that the least-suffering person in Jahannam will have their brain boiling from standing on hot embers and that if somebody commits suicide by any method then they will be tortured by repeating that act over and over again.

What is Pul (Bridge) Sirat?

It is mentioned in the Quran, in Surah Maryam, Chapter 19 verse 71:

"Not one of you but will pass over it: this is, with thy Lord, a Decree which must be accomplished."

Some refer this verse to the Bridge over Hell, the Bridge Sirat, over which all must pass to their final Destiny. This Bridge is not mentioned in the Quran but is found in the authentic traditions of the Holy Prophet (pbuh). Some authentic sayings of the Prophet are quoted below:

Sahih Bukhari-Volume 8, Book 76, Number 577:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

....Then a bridge will be laid over the (Hell) Fire." Allah's Apostle added, "I will be the first to cross it. And the invocation of the Apostles on that Day, will be 'Allahukka Sallim, Sallim (O Allah, save us, save us!),' and over that bridge there will be hooks similar to the thorns of As Sa'dan (a thorny tree). Didn't you see the thorns of As-Sa'dan?" The companions said, "Yes, O Allah's Apostle." He added, "So the hooks over that bridge will be like the thorns of As-Sadan except that their greatness in size is only known to Allah. These hooks will snatch the people according to their deeds. Some people will be ruined because of their evil deeds, and some will be cut into pieces and fall down in Hell, but will be saved afterwards, when Allah has finished the judgments among His slaves, and intends to take out of the Fire whoever he wishes ....

Sahih Bukhari-Volume 9, Book 93, Number 532B:

Narrated Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri:

..... Then the bridge will be laid across Hell." We, the companions of the Prophet said, "O Allah's Apostle! What is the bridge?'

He said, "It is a slippery (bridge) on which there are clamps and (Hooks like) a thorny seed that is wide at one side and narrow at the other and has thorns with bent ends. Such a thorny seed is found in Najd and is called As-Sa'dan. Some of the believers will cross the bridge as quickly as the wink of an eye, some others as quick as lightning, a strong wind, fast horses or she-camels. So some will be safe without any harm; some will be safe after receiving some scratches, and some will fall down into Hell (Fire). The last person will cross by being dragged (over the bridge)." .....

Sahih Muslim-Book 001, Number 0353:

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri: ......Abu Sa'id said: I have come to know that the bridge would be thinner even than the hair and sharper than the sword;......

Sahih Muslim - Book 031, Number 6090:

Umm Mubashshir reported that she heard Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying in presence of Hafsa: God willing, the people of the Tree would never enter the fire of Hell one amongst those who owed allegiance under that. She said: Allah's Messenger, why not? He scolded her. Hafsa said: And there is none amongst you but shall have to pass over that (narrow Bridge). Thereupon Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, has said: "But We shall save those who guarded against evil, and We shall leave the wrong-doers therein, (humbled) to their knees."(19:72)