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Ibn Mas‘ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “A time will surely come upon Hell when no one will be in it, after they have remained therein for ages.” (1)
Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported the same. (2)
According to Ahl al-Sunnah, if this report is authentic, its meaning is that none of the people of faith will remain in it. As for the places occupied by the disbelievers, they will remain filled forever.
(1) See al-Shawkani, Fath al-Qadir, 2:527.
(2) Al-Suyuti attributed it to Ishaq ibn Rahawayh. Al-Durr al-Manthur, 4:478. See also Fath al-Qadir, ibid., where al-Shawkani refutes al-Zamakhshari.
وَعَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ ﵁ قَالَ: لَيَأْتِيَنَّ عَلَى جَهَنَّمَ زَمَانٌ لَيْسَ فِيهَا أَحَدٌ، وَذَلِكَ بَعْدَمَا يَلْبَثُونَ فِيهَا أَحْقَابًا (١) .
وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ﵁ مِثْلَهُ (٢) .
وَمَعْنَاهُ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ إِنْ ثَبَتَ: أَنْ لَا يَبْقَى فِيهَا أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْإِيمَانِ. وَأَمَّا مَوَاضِعُ الْكُفَّارِ فَمُمْتَلِئَةٌ أَبَدًا.
(١) انظر: فتح القدير للشوكاني: ٢ / ٥٢٧.
(٢) عزاه السيوطي لإسحاق بن راهويه. الدر المنثور: ٤ / ٤٧٨، وانظر: فتح القدير، الموضع نفسه، وفيه رده على الزمخشري.