So I set out with them, and we came upon a man lying flat on his back, while another stood over him holding a stone. The man standing would hurl the stone at the other’s head, smashing his skull; the stone then rolled away, and he would chase after it, pick it up, and not return until the man’s head had been restored to its original state. He would strike him again, doing exactly as he had done the first time.

I said to them, “Glory be to Allah! Who are these two?” They replied, “Move on.” So we moved on.

We next came to a man lying on his back, and another was standing over him with an iron kilub (hook). He would reach one side of the man’s face and rip open his mouth to the back of his neck, and his nostril to the back of his neck, and his eye to the back of his neck. Then he would turn to the other side and do to him what he had done to the first. By the time he finished with that side, the first had healed and returned to its former state; then he would go back and do to him as he had done the first time.

I said, “Glory be to Allah! Who are these two?” They said to me, “Move on, move on.” So we moved on.

We came upon something like a tannur (large clay oven);—I think he said—and inside it was a tumult of voices. When we looked in, we saw naked men and women, and flames were rising up at them from beneath. Whenever the flames reached them they would cry out in confusion. I asked, “Who are these people?” They told me, “Move on, move on.” So we moved on.

We then came to a river—I think he said it was as red as blood—and in the river was a man swimming, while on the bank stood another who had piled up many stones. Each time the swimmer covered a stretch, he would come to the one with the stones; the man on the bank would force open his mouth and cram a stone into it. The swimmer would then go back into the river, swim again, and return to him; every time