DESCRIPTION OF HELL - [11] Tears of Denizens of Hell

[Illustration Only]

It is narrated on the authority of Saiyidina Anas ibn Malik (رضي الله عنه) that the Holy Prophet (Muhammad Rasulullahﷺ) observed : 

“QO, Men! You should weep; and if you do not weep, try to weep because the people in Hell would shed tears so much that their tears would mark drains on their faces. When their tears come to an end, blood begins to flow from their eyes, causing deep injury to them. In short, there will be so abundant blood and tears that if boats were to be set on them they would begin to sail.” 

(Sharah Sunnah).

Tongue of the Denizens of Hell

The Holy Prophet (Muhammad Rasulullahﷺ) observed: ‘Verily, the sinner would stretch out his tongue to the length of three kos and even six kos.!. The people will trample on his tongue and step on it.”” 

(Tirmidhz).

Bodies of the Denizens of Hell

The Holy Prophet (Muhammad Rasulullahﷺ) observed: 

“In Hell, the part between the shoulders of an infidel would be equal to a distance of three days’ journey, by a horse-rider. His jawtooth would be as big as the mountain of Uhud and the thickness of his skin would come up to a distance which can be covered in three days.”

One of the ahadith of Tirmidhi tells that the Holy Prophet (Muhammad Rasulullahﷺ) stated: ‘The jaw-tooth of an idolater would be at level with the mountain of Uhud and that his thigh as big as the mountain of Baida. His sitting place in Hell would cover a space which can be traversed in three days equal to the distance between Holy Madinah and the village of Zubdah.” 

(Mishkat Al Musobih).

There is in Mishkat another narration that points out that in Hell the sitting place of an infidel would be as long as the distance between Makkah and Madinah.

Some of the ahadith reveal that the thickness of the kin of an infidel would be equal to the length of forty-two hands. Another narration from Muslim Sharif states that this length would be equal to the journey of three days. All this is not difficult to understand, because torture would vary from sinner to sinner, according to the nature of his sins. .

Some of the ahadith reveal that the Holy Prophet (Muhammad Rasulullahﷺ) observed:

“Some of my followers would be in Hell so tall and big a single man will occupy the entire space in the corner of Hell.” 

(Targhib and Tarhtib).

It is narrated on the authority of Mujahid (رضي الله عنه) that Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas (رضي الله عنه) said: ‘‘Do you know the width of Hell?” I replied in the negative. He said: “Yes, by God! verily there would be a distance of seventy years between the shoulder and the ear-lobe of a sinner, and therein would be running the streams of pus and blood.” 

(Targhib).

State of the Sinners’ Entrance (Into Hell)

The Holy Qur’an reveals at various places the state of the sinners’ entrance into Hell. Some verses indicate that they would be thirsty while they are thrown into Hell, and the angels would ask them at the door of Hell many questions before they step in. The following verses also throw light on these points : 

وَنَسُوقُ ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ إِلَىٰ جَهَنَّمَ وِرْدًۭا ٨٦

““And drive the guilty unto hell, a weary herd,"

— M. Pickthall

(Surah Maryam : Ayat 86)

يَوْمَ يُسْحَبُونَ فِى ٱلنَّارِ عَلَىٰ وُجُوهِهِمْ ذُوقُوا۟ مَسَّ سَقَرَ ٤٨

*‘AOn the day when they are dragged into the Fire upon their faces (it is said unto them): Feel the touch of hell."

— M. Pickthall 

(Surah Al Qamar: Ayat 48 )

فَكُبْكِبُوا۟ فِيهَا هُمْ وَٱلْغَاوُۥنَ ٩٤

‘“‘" Then they were thrown into hell lying down, falling up and down again and again, - they and the misguided people.” 

(Surah Shu‘ara’: Ayat 94)

يُعْرَفُ ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ بِسِيمَـٰهُمْ فَيُؤْخَذُ بِٱلنَّوَٰصِى وَٱلْأَقْدَامِ ٤١

“Sinners can be identified by their signs, then grabbed from the head and feet (and dragged to hell);).”

(Surah Rahman: Ayat 41)

It is recorded in Yarghib and Tarhib that Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas (رضي الله عنه) said that the feet and hands of a sinner would be twisted and joined together, and then after breaking them like wood, they would be thrown into Hell.

Angels would be directed to gather the oppressors and their accomplices and their idols (whom they used to worship) and show them the way to Hell. Then the angels would be directed to stop them a while. They (sinners) would be asked : 

خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًۭا ۖ لَّا يَجِدُونَ وَلِيًّۭا وَلَا نَصِيرًۭا ٦٥

يَوْمَ تُقَلَّبُ وُجُوهُهُمْ فِى ٱلنَّارِ يَقُولُونَ يَـٰلَيْتَنَآ أَطَعْنَا ٱللَّهَ وَأَطَعْنَا ٱلرَّسُولَا۠ ٦٦

‘‘Wherein they will abide forever. They will find (then) no protecting friend nor helper, On the day when their faces are turned over in the Fire, they say: Oh, would that we had obeyed Allah and had obeyed His messenger!"

— M. Pickthall.

(Surah Ahzab: Ayat 65-66).