A belief in an eternal hell fire made to punish the disbelievers is something I always had a hard time swallowing. Just look at all these beautiful people worshiping God in their own way. All of them have to go to hell, according to Islam (and every other religion out there)
As my friend so eloquently said:
So God who created a universe billions of light years across.
More stars in the known universe than there are grains of sand in all the world.
Black holes that eat entire Suns like volcanoes swallow fleas.
Is waiting to torture poor little humans, these tiny tiny mass of atoms for all time, everlasting eternity, because they didn’t find evidence to believe in him?
On the other hand, you, because you believe in him without even understanding the language he speaks, ‘Bedouin Arabic’ apparently…
You my friend will have virgins, fruits, rivers of wine and ginger water, pomegranates …. For all eternity…. Forever and ever….
photos obtained online via google search. will be removed on request if copyright.
These beautiful humans, why throw them in hell, for ever? Isn’t there something else he could do with them in His ultimate wisdom and judgement?
All these people, sincerely praying to God for happiness, forgiveness, cure for their sick, and other things that they care about, will ultimately be food for the fire. Isn’t it unfortunate that all of them picked the wrong religion?
For this, they will pay the ultimate price. Eternal damnation, not just one life but an eternal life of misery and torture.
Indeed, Allah has cursed the disbelievers and prepared for them a Blaze. (33:64)
Indeed, those who disbelieve in Our verses – We will drive them into a Fire. Every time their skins are roasted through We will replace them with other skins so they may taste the punishment. Indeed, Allah is ever Exalted in Might and Wise. (4:56)
.. But those who disbelieved will have cut out for them garments of fire. Poured upon their heads will be scalding water (22:19)
“So Today those who believed are laughing at the disbelievers,” (83:34)
And when they ask for water they will be given a a boiling water that burns them inside
Indeed , We have prepared for the wrongdoers a fire whose walls will surround them. And if they call for relief, they will be relieved with water like murky oil, which scalds [their] faces. Wretched is the drink, and evil is the resting place. (18:29)
They will be there forever and ever:
Indeed, the criminals will be in the punishment of Hell, abiding eternally.
It will not be allowed to subside for them, and they, therein, are in despair.
And We did not wrong them, but it was they who were the wrongdoers.
And they will call, “O Malik, let your Lord put an end to us!” He will say, “Indeed, you will remain.”
(43:74-77)
When they ask for destruction, God will mockingly tell them not to ask for one destruction but many
But they have denied the Hour, and We have prepared for those who deny the Hour a Blaze.
When the Hellfire sees them from a distant place, they will hear its fury and roaring.
And when they are thrown into a narrow place therein bound in chains, they will cry out thereupon for destruction.
[They will be told], “Do not cry this Day for one destruction but cry for much destruction.”
(25:12-14)
And God, he knew that all these people would end up in hell. 80% or more of the worlds population are not Muslim. He created a creature that would end up eternally tortured.
Abiding eternally therein. The punishment will not be lightened for them, nor will they be reprieved. (2:162)
Thus Allaah will show them their deeds as regrets for them. And they will never get out of the Fire (2:167)
They will long to get out of the Fire, but never will they get out therefrom; and theirs will be a lasting torment (5:37)
(The torment) will not be lightened for them, and they will be plunged into destruction with deep regrets, sorrows and in despair therein (43:75)
This applies to all non-Muslims who heard about Prophet Muhammad
By Him in Whose hand is the life of Muhammad, he who amongst the community of Jews or Christians hears about me, but does not affirm his belief in that with which I have been sent and dies in this state (of disbelief), he shall be but one of the denizens of Hell-Fire. (Sahih Muslim)
And from the hadith literature there is evidence that hell is forever:
Death will come on the Day of Resurrection like a black and white ram, and it will stand between Paradise and Hell. It will be said, ‘O people of Paradise, do you recognize this?’ They will crane their necks and look, and will say, ‘Yes, it is death.’
It will be said, ‘O people of Hell, do you recognize this?’ They will crane their necks and look, and will say, ‘Yes, it is death.’ Then the command will be issued and it will be slaughtered. Then it will be said, ‘O People of Paradise, it is eternal and there is no death. O people of Hell, it is eternal and there is no death.’” Then the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) recited the verse (interpretation of the meaning):
“And warn them (O Muhammad) of the Day of grief and regrets, when the case has been decided, while (now) they are in a state of carelessness, and they believe not” [Maryam 19:39]
(Narrated by Muslim, 5087, from the hadeeth of Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri)
I have a really hard time swallowing this. This is the same God that created this beautiful universe? This is the One True God? Why is he so upset about people not worshipping him? Is he that petty (sorry to say).
The God of the Quran and Bible is like a king that asks people to stand for him, and one man refuses. So the king orders that an oven be made, and he orders that it is made blazing hot, and he orders that burning hot rocks be taken from the oven and the man should be burned alive, but not killed. If he asks for mercy, he should not be given it. If he asks for water,he should be given scalding water. If he asks for food, he should be given rotten flesh and foul food that will poison him and make him sick. This punishment should be continued on until finally the man dies. Except with God’s punishment, he will not let the person die. This could have been a man that had a family, he was a good father, a good neighbour. He used to care for the poor, yet he rejected this king, so this was his punishment. This is God? I can’t believe this God is like this.
I forget the exact verse, but in the Quran God mentions how every soul has the choice of coming into existence. i.e. each and every one of us had the choice, and we chose to exist.
Secondly, it’s not like people aren’t given guidance. If Hell exists if we don’t be a certain way, then if we didn’t know what that way is it would be extremely unfair/unjust. So it would be necessary for God to give us directions on how to live. And that is exactly what we see with the prophetic tradition. As your quoted verses point out God is telling each and every one of us in no uncertain terms what is going to happen. It is 100% crystal clear. So after reading those verses, not following them, and then you end up in Hell, what excuse will you have?
Thirdly, the concept of punishment is a fundamental part of existence. For example, if it’s -40c outside and you go out naked you’re going to have a bad time. Bad decisions = bad consequences. And there are many situations where it’s nobody’s fault but your own. So again, our own experience makes the concept of punishment concrete.
Putting it all together: The concept of punishment on its own is not evil. Punishment without warning is evil. Every human that has access to the Quran has AMPLE warning. And every human has made that choice (in our souls).
Predetermined destiny.
May I also drop this verse here for you:
16:93 “If Allah so willed, He could make you all one people. But he leaves straying whom he pleases and He guides whom He pleases…”
Does that sound like free will to you?
The problem with your argument is that the prophets whom you find credible, others do not find believable. This is particularly true with regards to Muhammad. Some people may read the entire Koran, but ultimately refuse to believe Muhammad’s messages simply because Muhammad was a slave-owner who married a six-year old girl.
Now do you torture those who refuse to believe your messages? If not, why do those who refuse to believe Muhammad’s messages deserve to be horribly tortured with fire?
If you were God and had instructions that you wanted humans to follow, would it make more sense to tell all humans your instructions directly, or to give your instructions to a slave-owner living 1,400 years ago and hope for the best? Before you answer this question, do think about the millions of disbelievers there are in the world.
Peace to you my brother in humanity,
I see your point but hell is not necessarily eternal in the Qur’an.
I appeal to your to read the brief, scholarly, but accessible article at
http://quransmessage.com/articles/is%20the%20punishment%20of%20hell%20eternal%20FM3.htm
And I appeal for you to read the scholarly and accessible book by Mohammad Hassan Khalil…entitled Islam, Salvation, and the Fate of Others.
These two resources above indicate that it is not clear that hell is eternal according to the Qur’an….the article above actually argues that hell is likely not eternal according to the Qur’an.
Of course, God knows best….Finally, God knows not only how we have behaved but He knows how each and every one of us would behave had we lived eternally…thus God will judge us justly.
Peace
In determining whether Hell is eternal, do consider what the Koran itself says: They will long to get out of the Fire, but NEVER WILL THEY GET OUT THEREFROM; and theirs will be a lasting torment (Koran 5:37).
“This is the same God that created this beautiful universe? This is the One True God? Why is he so upset about people not worshipping him? Is he that petty (sorry to say).”
– because these are probably the words of Muhammad, the alter ego of ‘Allah’. He was upset that his own tribe did not accept him as a prophet. He also wanted the Jews to accept him but failed and that explains why he was particularly incensed with the Jews, calling them apes and swines and the mass murder of Jews in Khaybar.
Hasn’t Allah been proven to be the moon god of the pagan Arabs? The name Allah was already in use before Muhammad got his inspiration in the Hira cave. Wasn’t Muhammad’s father’s name Abd-Allah (slave of Allah) and surely Abd-Allah was named before the beginning of islam.
@vedicscience Allah is actually an Arabic word. which is derived from the word “Ilah”. So in fact, Abd-Allah means “slave of god”. Allah is not His only name. In fact he has 99 other names. So therefore, Allah is not the moon god of the pagan Arabs.
The existence of an eternal hell makes perfect sense if you think about it. When Allah (swt) created Adam and Eve in Heaven, they were initially in a state purity and innocence. But once they fell under the guidance of iblis they lost their sanctity and descended on to Earth.
We said, “Go down from it, all of you. And when guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance – there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve. (2.38)
And those who disbelieve and deny Our signs – those will be companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.” (2.39)
The only way to return to the Kingdom of GOD/Heaven is to believe in GOD and follow his message. Heaven is the presence of GOD and Hell is the absence of GOD. How does one expect to be in good conscience with GOD if they refute his existence, worship other deities or associate partners with him.
Mr. Abdullah Sameer, Your my eye opener for my eternal life. Please carry on your good work.. Your already doing a wonderful work. My best wishes to you. For this generation of young blood Muslims or non Muslims you’re insights are very important to understand the essence of Islam.