—up to his very heart—and so it will remain forever. Concerning this Allah, the Exalted, says:
“Allah’s kindled Fire, [6]
which rises over the hearts.” [7] (Qur’an 104:6–7)

We have refrained from citing many other verses for fear of lengthy digression; what we have quoted is sufficient to indicate what we have omitted. Allah’s help is sought. The hadiths that describe Jahannam—may Allah protect us from it, ameen—will follow, arranged in a sound order; success is granted only by Allah.

Ibn al-Mubarak said: Maʿmar informed us, from Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir, who said: When the Fire was created the angels were seized with terror and their hearts fluttered; but when Allah created Adam that feeling left them and what they had been experiencing subsided.

Ibn al-Mubarak also said: Muhammad ibn Muṭarrif narrated to us, from a reliable authority, that a young man from the Anṣār was overcome with fear of the Fire. Whenever it was mentioned he would weep until that fear confined him to his house and kept him from attending the mosque. This was mentioned to the Prophet ﷺ, so he went to the youth’s home. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered, the young man embraced him and at once fell dead. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Prepare your companion for burial, for dread of the Fire has split his liver.” (1)

Al-Qurtubi said: It is related that Jesus (peace be upon him) once passed by four thousand women whose complexions had altered and who were dressed in garments of hair and wool. He asked them, “Womenfolk, what has changed your colour so?” They replied, “The remembrance of the Fire, O son of Mary; whoever enters the Fire will taste therein neither coolness nor drink.” Al-Kharāʾiṭī recorded this in his book Al-Qubūr. (2)

It is reported that when Salman al-Fārisi heard Allah’s words, “Surely Jahannam is their appointed place, all of them; [43] it has seven gates” (Qur’an 15:43–44), he fled in terror for three days, bereft of his senses. He was brought to the Prophet ﷺ and said, “O Messenger of Allah, this verse has been revealed—‘Surely Jahannam is their appointed place, all of them’—and by Him who sent you with the truth, it has torn my heart.” Thereupon Allah revealed: “Indeed, the God-fearing will be amid gardens and springs. [45] ‘Enter therein in peace…’ ” (Qur’an 15:45–46). Al-Thaʿlabi reported this incident.

[On Jahannam and the intensity of its blackness—may Allah protect us from it]

Allah, Exalted, says: “They said, ‘Do not march out in the heat.’ Say, ‘The Fire of Jahannam is far hotter—if only they understood.’ ” (Qur’an 9:81)

And He says: “But as for the one whose scales are light, [8] his refuge will be the Abyss. [9] And what will make you understand what it is? [10] A blazing Fire.” (Qur’an 101:8–11)

And He says: “They will be given to drink from a scalding spring.” (Qur’an 88:5)

And He says: “This is Jahannam… They will go back and forth between it and scalding water.” (Qur’an 55:43–44)—water whose heat has reached the utmost extreme.

And He says: “Every obstinate tyrant is ruined. [15] Behind him lies Jahannam, and he will be given to drink of putrid water, [16] gulping it but hardly able to swallow it, and death will come upon him—”