O Brothers and Sisters, We need to realise, and understand, that our purpose
in this life is only to worship Allaah as He has commanded, hoping in His
Mercy and Reward and fearing His Anger and punishment. Many of us know about
the Paradise, we often talk about it, have many good thoughts about it, are
amazed with the delights that await therein for the believers, and have much
hope in Allaah to attain it. But how many of us think about the Hellfire, a
horrifying and severe punishment that awaits the wrong doers and
disbelievers.About this life, Allaah says:
“And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion”
[26:77-81]
And Is it not the case today, that so many of us Muslims have given in to
following our desires and have turned away from following the true religion
of Islaam, deluded by the temporary enjoyment of this world? It is not
surprising then, that we find so many of us Muslims openly sinning without
regret and remorse, and so many of us not realising that what we are doing
is
even wrong.Allaah says in the Quran
“And on the Day when those who disbelieve are exposed to the Fire (they will
be asked): “Is this not the truth?” They will say: Yes, by our Lord!.
(Allaah) will say: Then taste the Punishment, because you disbelieved.”
[al-Ahqaf:34]So now what if we knew the consequences for the wrong that we do, the
punishment of Allaah for those who do wrong and disbelieve in Allaah? Often
we will find that, when people fear something, or know the consequences of
doing something wrong, they think twice about doing it.Allaah (SWT) says in the Quran:
“O You who believe, save yourselves and your families from a fire whose fuel
is men and stones, over which are set angels, ruthless, violent. Who do not
flinch (from executing) the commands of Allaah, but do so (precisely) what
they are commanded.” [at-Tahreem:6]And He warns us of the Fire, when He says:
“Therefore I have warned you of the Flaming Fire” [92:14]
We all know there are many warnings in Islaam about Allaah’s punishment. And
we should also know, that whilst we are still alive, we have the opportunity
to change for the better, to obey Allaah and worship Him as He deserves to
be
worshipped, before the appointed time arrives, before death comes to us,
after which, there will be no more chances to do good, or to repent for our
sins.Allaah has Promised in the Quran, whether you are ready for it or not, that:
“Everyone is going to taste death, and We shall make a trial of you with
evil
and good, and to Us you will be returned” [21:35]and He the Most High also says:
“O You who believe! Let not your properties or your children divert you from
the remembrance of Allaah; whoever does that, they are the losers. And spend
of that which We have provided you, before death comes to one of you and he
says. “My Lord! If only You would defer me for a little while, then I should
give sadaqah and be among the righteous.” But Allaah defers no soul when its
appointed term arrives. Allaah is well acquainted with all that you do”
[63:9-11]So brothers and sisters, what will tell you what the Fire of Hell is and
what
awaits therein for those whose good deeds are not enough when the death
comes
to them, and for those who disbelieved? Allaah the Most High describes it
with a description that is so powerful, so eloquent and fear-inspiring so as
to render fear into one’s heart and make one’s flesh creep, and to give one
insight into it.The Fire of Hell is a place where one part of it consumes others, a canopy,
all enveloping, similar to a confinement in a large tent with walls covering
everything. In it people will burn, an evil resting place. In it is boiling
water and a bitter cold drink. (Those already in the Fire will say): No word
of welcome for them. Indeed, they will roast in the Fire [38:53-59]WAllaahi O Muslims, the Fire will throw up sparks (huge) as castles [77:32].
And Allaah says about the people therein:
"Sighing and wailing will be there portion there, abiding there so long as
the heavens and earth endure save that which your Lord wills, Indeed! Your
Lord is doer of what He wills. [11:106-107]Allaah says:
“Indeed We have prepared for Unbelievers chains and neck irons and a raging
Fire” [76:4]"When the irons are around their necks, and chains, they are dragged through
boiling waters; therein they are thrust into the Fire [40:71-72]“(It will be said): Seize him and chain him, and burn him in Hellfire. And
then march him in a chain whereof the length is seventy cubits.” [69:30-32]Allaah says about those who deny:
“Leave me to deal with the deniers, lords of ease and comfort (in this
life);
and bear with them for a while. Indeed with us are heavy chains and a raging
fire; And food that chokes and a painful doom.” [73:13]and what will they eat? These inhabitants of the Fire?
“Indeed the tree of zaqqoom, the food of the sinner! Like molten brass it
will boil in their insides, like the boiling of scalding water. (A voice
will
say): Take him and drag him into the midst of Hell, then pour over his head
the torment of boiling water (saying): Taste! Truly you were mighty, noble!”
[44:43-49]and you should know O Muslims, that if one drop of this zaqqoom was dropped
onto the earth, it would destroy it, so imagine having it as a source of
food
in the Hellfire!.The inhabitants of the Fire will drink as Allaah has described, like
diseased
camels, raging with thirst. They will be given boiling water to drink which,
when drank, will cut up their bowels (to pieces)If they ask for showers therein, they will be showered with water like
molten
lead which burns their faces.We should also know, that in the Hereafter, there will be no more death. As
the Prophet (saw) said:"When the people of Paradise have entered paradise, and the people of
Hellfire have entered Hellfire, death will be brought (in the form of a ram)
and will be placed between the Fire and paradise, and then it will be
slaughtered, and a call will be made: O People of Paradise, no (more) death!
O people of the Fire, no (more) death! So the people of Paradise will have
happiness added to their (previous) happiness, and the people of the Fire
will have sorrow added to their (previous) sorrow. [Bukhari & Muslim]So, we know of some of the punishments in the Fire, and we know of that the
inhabitants will never die, so what will be their condition thereafter?In one hadith, the prophet (saw) said, the molar tooth of a kafir
(disbeliever) or the canine tooth of a kafir, will be like 'Uhud (a mountain
in saudi arabia) and the thickness of his skin (the distance of) a three day
journey. {Muslim]The distance of his shoulders will be a three day journey for a swift rider.
His skin will be forty two times fore-arms thick, and his seat in Hell will
be like the distance between makkah and Madinah.And speaking of their skin, Allaah says:
“Truly, those who disbelieve Our revelations, We shall fling into the fire:
As often as their skins are roasted through, We shall exchange them for
fresh
skins, that they may taste the punishment..” [4:56]Indeed the people in the Fire will have 'extreme remorse until one is
fatigued from repenting: similar to fatigue which increases during a long
journey".And the Messenger of Allaah (saw) said,
“Truly the people of the Fire will cry to the extent that a ship could sail
on their tears, and they will cry tears of blood” [al-Hakim]And what will their cries be, O Muslims?, they will cry out to the dwellers
of the Garden (Paradise): Pour on us some water or anything that Allaah has
provided for you. They will say: Verily, Allaah has forbidden both to
unbelievers who took their faith as a sport and pastime and were deceived by
the life of the world. So this day we have forgotten them just as they
forgot
the meeting of this day and as they used to reject Our signs. [22:19-22]So How many of us today have become deceived by this life and forgotten our
meeting with our Lord on a Day as Hasan al Basri, one of our pious
predecessors (rahimahullaah) described as, when he said“What do you think of a day when people will stand up on their feet for
50,000 years without having a bite to eat, a drop to drink, until their
necks
break from thirst and their stomach will burn of hunger?”And Wallahi, these people, once they have been thrown into the Fire, will
desire much to come out of it, they will say: Our Lord! Our evil fortune
conquered us, and we became a people astray, Our Lord! Oh bring us out of
this: If ever we return (to evil) then indeed we shall be wrongdoers.How these people will beg of Allaah to be removed from this great torment,
how they will ask Allaah to give them another chance, but in reply, what
will
Allaah say to these people?"He will say: begone therein and speak not to Me! [23:106-108].
Wallahi, they will not utter a word after that except moaning and sobbing in
the Fire of Hell with a sound similar to that of donkeys, firstly with their
moans and lastly with their sobs.So Brothers and Sisters know, that Allaah does not burden a person beyond
his
scope. He gets reward for whatever good he earns and is punished for
whatever
evil he earns. Allaah says:“..We did no injustice; But they have been unjust to themselves…”
[43:74-78]The people of the Fire will: "..cry aloud for help there (saying) “Our Lord!
Release us; We will do right, not the wrong that we used to do”.And Allaah will Say to them [and take heed of this ayah]
“Did not We grant you a life long enough for him who reflected to reflect
therein? And (moreover) the Warner came to you. Now taste (the fruits of
your
deeds), for the astray there is no helper.” [35:37]So let us take heed of Allaah’s punishments and His warnings, and let us
strive heard to learn His religion and implement it, for indeed, the Coming
of the Hour, the Day of Judgement, is but very close.So we need to now come to terms with the fact, that the only way to save
ourselves from the Hellfire is to obey Allaah and Worship Him as He deserves
to be worshipped. We need to understand that this life is nothing but a test
for the believers, and that everything we do in our lives, we will be asked
about it, and judged accordingly.We should know that the entire religion is based upon two things:
That we should not worship anything except Allaah, and that we should not
worship Him except in the manner that He has prescribed for us in the
sharee’ah, (the islamic law), and that we should not worship Him by means of
reprehensible innovations (bid’ah)As Allaah says:
“..whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and, in the
worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner.” [al-Kahf:110]This is the realisation of the shahadatayn, the witness that there is no God
except Allaah, and that Muhammed is the messenger of Allaah. The first part
tells us that we should worship none but Him, and the second part tells us
that Muhammed is His messenger who conveyed the Message from Him, so we must
believe what he has told us and obey what he has told us to do.The Prophet (saw) has explained how we should worship Allaah, and has
forbidden us from doing newly invented things, which he has told us are a
going astray. Allaah says:" Nay - whoever submits his whole self to Allaah and is a doer of good - he
will get his reward with his Lord: on such shall be no fear nor shall they
grieve." [2:112]Now just as we are commanded not to fear anything except Allaah, not to put
our trust in anything except Allaah, not to turn to anything except Allaah,
not to seek the help of anything except Allaah and not to worship anything
except Allaah, so we are also commanded to follow and obey the Messenger and
to take him as our example. The Halaal is that which he has permitted and
the
Haraam is that which he has forbidden. The religion is that which he has
prescribed. As Allaah says:“If only they had been content with what Allaah and His Messenger gave them,
and had said, ‘Sufficient unto us is Allaah! Allaah and His Messenger will
soon give us of His bounty: to Allaah do we turn our hopes!’ (That would
have
been the right course).”Allaah and His Messenger are and should be, for all of us, the point of
reference, since Allaah says:“So take what the Messenger gives to you, and deny yourselves that which he
withholds from you..” [59:7]And we should also put our trust in Allaah alone, as regards everything, for
Allaah says:“[if only they had been content with what Allaah and His Messenger gave
them,
and had said, 'Sufficient unto us is Allaah”[9:59]“O Prophet! Sufficient unto you is Allaah - (unto you) and unto those who
follow you among the believers.” [8:64]“Is not Allaah enough for His slave?..” [39:36]
Allaah says:
“‘To Allaah do we turn our hopes!’” [9:59]
So our hope should be placed in Allaah, alone, as Allaah says:
“Therefore, when you are free (from your immediate task), still labour hard,
and to your Lord, turn (all) your attention.” [94:7-8]The Prophet (saw) said to Ibn 'Abbas:
“If you ask, then ask from Allaah, and if you seek help, seek help from
Allaah.” [Ahmad & al-Tirmidhi]The Quran also says the same thing in several places.
Worship, fear and piety are only for Allaah, but obedience and love are for
Allaah and His Messenger. Prophet Nuh said to his people:“‘that you should worship Allaah, fear Him and obey me,’” [71:3]
Allaah says in the Quran:
“It is such as obey Allaah and His Messenger, and fear Allaah and do right,
that will win (in the end).” [24:52]So,Brothers and Sisters, know that the Messengers of Allaah commanded people
to worship Allaah alone, to focus only on Him, to put their trust only in
Him, but to obey Him and them. Shaytaan led the Christians and others
astray,
so that they associated partners with Allaah and disobeyed His messenger.
They took their priests and anchorites, and the Messiah son of Maryam, as
lords instead of Allaah, and started to turn to them and put their trust in
them, asking them for things whilst disobeying their commandments and going
against their examples. Allaah guided the believers who are sincere towards
Him, the followers of the Straight Path, who know the truth and follow it,
so
they are not those whose portion is wrath or those who go astray.So they submitted sincerely to Allaah and turned to their Lord, loving Him,
putting their hope in Him, fearing Him and asking from Him, focusing all
their attention on Him and delegating all their affairs to Him, putting
their
trust in Him, and they obeyed and honoured His Messengers, taking them as
their friends, following them and adhering to their teachings and guidance.This is the religion of Islaam, with which Allaah sent all his Messengers,
earlier and later alike. And Know, O Brothers and Sisters, that this is the
only religion which Allaah will accept, and it is true worship of the Lord
of
the Worlds.We ask Allaah Almighty to help us to be steadfast and perfect in following
His religion, and to cause us and all our Muslims brothers and sisters to
die
in a state of Islaam.Allaahumma sali 'Ala
Allaahum baraki 'Ala
“I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving creature, but He has a grasp of its forelock. Verily, my Lord is on the straight path. (The truth)”
(11:55-56)
“…Indeed my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allaah, the Lord of the worlds” (6:162)