Jahannam

A depiction of Muhammad visiting Jahannam; artwork from Miraj Nameh.

In Islam, Jahannam (Arabic: جهنم) is the place of punishment for evildoers in the afterlife, or hell.[1] This notion is an integral part of Islamic theology,[1] and has occupied an important place in the Muslim belief.[2] It is often called by the proper name Jahannam.[a] However, "Jahannam" is simultaneously a term specifically for the uppermost layer of Hell.

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The importance of Hell in Islamic doctrine is that it is an essential element of the Day of Judgment, which is one of the six articles of faith (belief in God, the angels, books, prophets, Day of Resurrection, and decree) "by which the Muslim faith is traditionally defined."[1]

Punishment and suffering in Hell, in mainstream Islam, is physical, psychological, and spiritual, and varies according to the sins of the condemned person.[9][10] Its excruciating pain and horror described in the Qur'an often parallels the pleasure and delights of Jannah (paradise).[11][12] It is commonly believed by Muslims that confinement to hell is temporary for Muslims but not for others, although there are disagreements to this view[13][Note 1] and Muslim scholars disagree over whether Hell itself will last for eternity (the majority's view),[15][16] or whether God's mercy will lead to it eventually being eliminated.[17]

The common belief among Muslims holds that Jahannam coexists with the temporal world, just as Jannah does[18] (rather than being created after Judgment Day). Hell is described physically in different ways by different sources of Islamic literature. It is enormous in size,[19][20] and located below Paradise.[21] It has seven levels, each one more severe than the one above it,[22][23][24][25][26] but it is also said to be a huge pit over which the bridge of As-Sirāt crosses and the resurrected walk.[27] It is said to have mountains, rivers, valleys and "even oceans" filled with disgusting fluids;[28] and also to be able to walk (controlled by reins),[29] and ask questions,[30] much like a sentient being.

  1. ^ a b c Thomassen, "Islamic Hell", Numen, 56, 2009: p.401
  2. ^ Lange, "Introducing Hell in Islamic Studies", 2016: p.3
  3. ^ "Islamic Terminology". Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  4. ^ "Surah Al-Baqarah – 119". quran.com. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  5. ^ "Surah Al-Humazah – 4". quran.com. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  6. ^ "Surah Al-Qari'ah – 9". quran.com. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  7. ^ "Surah Al-Mulk – 5". quran.com. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  8. ^ Rustomji, Nerina (2009). The Garden and the Fire: Heaven and Hell in Islamic Culture. Columbia University Press. pp. Shabob118–9. ISBN 9780231140850. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  9. ^ Emerick, Yahiya (2011). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Islam (3rd ed.). Penguin. ISBN 9781101558812.
  10. ^ Tom Fulks, Heresy? The Five Lost Commandments, Strategic Book Publishing 2010 ISBN 978-1-609-11406-0 p. 74
  11. ^ Thomassen, "Islamic Hell", Numen, 56, 2009: p.405
  12. ^ Smith & Haddad, Islamic Understanding, 1981: p.86
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference ReferenceA was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Lange, "Introducing Hell in Islamic Studies", 2016: p.7
  15. ^ Lange, Christian (2016). "Introducing Hell in Islamic Studies". Locating Hell in Islamic Traditions. BRILL. p. 12. ISBN 978-90-04-30121-4. JSTOR 10.1163/j.ctt1w8h1w3.7. 5 While, as noted above, some theologians held that only paradise was eternal, while Hell would eventually perish ( fanāʾ al-nār), the majority agreed that Hell too was eternal unto eternity, that is, a parte post (abad) (cf. Q 4:169, 5:119, passim)
  16. ^ "A Description of Hellfire (part 1 of 5): An Introduction". Religion of Islam. Retrieved 23 December 2014. No one will come out of Hell except sinful believers who believed in the Oneness of God in this life and believed in the specific prophet sent to them (before the coming of Muhammad).
  17. ^ Cite error: The named reference ETISN2009:413 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  18. ^ Lange, Christian (2016). "Introducing Hell in Islamic Studies". Locating Hell in Islamic Traditions. BRILL. p. 12. ISBN 978-90-04-30121-4. JSTOR 10.1163/j.ctt1w8h1w3.7.
  19. ^ Cite error: The named reference discover was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ Cite error: The named reference 500-years was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  21. ^ Cite error: The named reference AYAli-7:50 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  22. ^ "Islamic Beliefs about the Afterlife". Religion Facts. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  23. ^ Q.15:44
  24. ^ Cite error: The named reference ETISN2009:407 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  25. ^ "Surah Al-Hijr – 43–44". quran.com. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  26. ^ "Hell in the Quran". about religion. Archived from the original on 23 December 2014. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  27. ^ Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ, k. al-riqāq 52; Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ, k. al-īmān 299; quoted in |Lange, "Introducing Hell in Islamic Studies", 2016: p.12
  28. ^ Cite error: The named reference CLLHiIT2016:15 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  29. ^ Cite error: The named reference reins-Qurtubi was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  30. ^ Cite error: The named reference qaf-50:30-AYAli was invoked but never defined (see the help page).


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