from every side, yet he will not die, and beyond him lies a relentless punishment. (Qur’an 14:15–17)
Malik ibn Anas (may Allah have mercy upon him) said in his Muwatta’: Abu’l-Zinad narrated to us, from al-Aʿraj, from Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The fire which the children of Adam kindle is but one part of seventy parts of the Fire of Jahannam.” They said, “O Messenger of Allah, that alone would have been enough!” He replied, “It surpasses it by sixty-nine parts.” Al-Bukhari transmitted it from Ismaʿil ibn Abi Uways, from Malik with this chain, and Muslim recorded it through Qutaybah, from al-Mughīrah ibn ʿAbd al-Rahman al-Hizami, from Abu’l-Zinad with a similar wording.⦗1⦘
Ahmad said: Sufyan related to us, from Abu’l-Zinad, from al-Aʿraj, from Abu Hurayrah, from the Prophet ﷺ: “This fire of yours is one of seventy parts of the Fire of Jahannam. It has been cooled twice by the sea; had that not been the case, Allah would not have placed any benefit in it for anyone.” The isnad meets the criteria of the two Sahihs.⦗2⦘
Another route: Ahmad said: ʿAbd al-Rahman related to us, Hammad related to us, from Muhammad ibn Ziyad. I heard Abu Hurayrah say: I heard Abul-Qasim ﷺ say, “The fire which the children of Adam kindle is but one part of seventy parts of the Fire of Jahannam.” A man said, “Indeed, that would have sufficed!” He replied, “It exceeds it by sixty-nine parts.”⦗3⦘
Another route: Ahmad said: ʿAbd al-Razzaq related to us, Maʿmar related to us, from Hammam, from Abu Hurayrah, who said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “This fire of yours, the very one the children of Adam ignite, is only one of seventy parts of the heat of Jahannam.” They said, “By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, it surely would have sufficed!” He said, “It is nevertheless greater than it by sixty-nine parts, each equal to its heat.”⦗4⦘
Another route: Abu Bakr al-Bazzar said: Bishr ibn Khalid al-ʿAskari related to us, Saʿid ibn Maslamah related to us, from ʿAsim ibn Kulayb, from his father, from Abu Hurayrah, who said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ remarked, “Indeed, this fire of yours, and every fire