Does the Holy Quran Preach a Literal Burning Hell?
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Peace,
No one wants God's punishment, that is clear, is it not?
Literal fire or not; it is probably a very unpleasant experience.
God bless you
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Peace Israfeel.
I believe the descriptions of hell are allegorical.
What is the basis for such a belief that the description of Hell is allegorical? Do you have any evidence from the text of the Holy Quran for this assertion?
In my opening post I quoted from two verses of the Pure Quran which clearly proves that Jahannam is a literal punishment of fire. What is your response to or understanding of those verses?
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If you cannot do this - and you can never do this - then beware of the Hellfire, whose fuel is people and rocks; it awaits the disbelievers.Besides Hell has not yet been created.It does not exist yet(It will be created on the day of judgement0
You say that Hell has not been created yet, but you just quoted a verse from the Quran which clearly proves Hell exists right now. Tell me what is the meaning of "awaits the disbelievers". Here Allah has said that Hell is waiting and prepared to receive the disbelievers. So Hell exists right now according to the Quranic verse you yourself have quoted.
But can you show me any proof from the Quran that Hell does not exist and will only come into existence on Judgment Day?
8923] On that day, Gehenna will be brought forth. On that day, the human being will remember - but what a remembrance - it will be too late.
This verse only says Hell will be brought forth, it does not say that Hell will be created.
In fact there are several proofs from Quran that Hell exists right now, and there are already people who are tasting a portion of its punishment, even though Judgment Day has not come yet
Regarding the false prophets and liars, the Quran says that the Angels will take their souls...
the angels stretch forth their hands, (saying),"Yield up your souls this day shall ye receive your reward,- a penalty of shame, for that ye used to tell lies against Allah" (surah 694)
This verse proves that they receive the punishment on the very day their souls are taken (i.e. the day they die)
Similarly another verse If thou couldst see, when the angels take the souls of the Unbelievers (at death), (How) they smite their faces and their backs, (saying) "Taste the penalty of the blazing Fire" (Surah 851)
And yet another proof from the Quran that the Hellfire exists now
The Fire; they are exposed to it, morning and afternoon, and on the Day when the Hour will be established (it will be said to the angels) "Cause Fir'aun's (Pharaoh) people to enter the severest torment! (Surah 4047)
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Peace Israfeel.
So you believe some go straight to hell when they die?
Why is there a day of judgement then?
Like I said 224 means "awaits " i.e the future.
That is also " the day of resurrection"in the future.
As for this verse
It means a continuous nightmare! while they are dead! until the day of judgement
That is why God adds- When the hour comes enter "Firawn "and his tribe to.the worst punishment.
Remember Qoran teaches that death is like sleep. Sleep has dreams and nightmares.
May GO guide us and saves us in the future.When " Gehenna" is brought forth on the day of judgement.
Peace to you.
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Peace Israfeel.
So you believe some go straight to hell when they die?
Why is there a day of judgement then?
Like I said 224 means "awaits " i.e the future.
That is also " the day of resurrection"in the future.
As for this verse
It means a continuous nightmare! while they are dead! until the day of judgement
That is why God adds- When the hour comes enter "Firawn "and his tribe to.the worst punishment.
Remember Qoran teaches that death is like sleep. Sleep has dreams and nightmares.
May GO guide us and saves us in the future.When " Gehenna" is brought forth on the day of judgement.
Peace to you.
I believe that the disbelievers are given a taste of the punishment of Hell at death. This is our belief in the punishment of the grave. Our Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) has explained that the grave of the disbelievers turns into a fire from the fire of Hell for the disbeliever (and likewise it turns into a heavenly garden for the soul of the believer).
On the day of resurrection, the body will be resurrected, and people will enter heaven and hell respectively in both body and soul.
You yourself have partially acknowledged this belief because you say that at present pharaoh and his people are experiencing a kind of hellish nightmare, but when they are awakened on the Judgment Day they will be made to enter the burning Hellfire completely in both body and soul. This is quite similar to our Sunni Muslim belief in the punishment of the grave, and our belief in a partial exposure to Hell which we call the punishment of Sijjeen.
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Those hadiths are confusing. The Prophet said people of Hell and Paradise is not in their grave, but they are with Adam.
'Welcome! O pious Prophet and pious son.' I asked Gabriel, 'Who is he?' He replied, 'He is Adam and the people on his right and left are the souls of his offspring. Those on his right are the people of Paradise and those on his left are the people of Hell and when he looks towards his right he laughs and when he looks towards his left he weeps.'; Sahih Bukhari Volume 001, Book 008, Hadith Number 345
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That's why I said it is confusing... since the hadith said
'He is Adam
and the people on his right and left
are the souls of his offspringThose on his right are the people of Paradise
and those on his left are the people of Helland when he looks towards his right he laughs
and when he looks towards his left he weepsand of course, there are no verses supporting the punishment of the grave... none, and it is unjust.
His companion will say
"Our Lord, I did not make him transgress, but he was in extreme error."
will say, "Do not dispute before Me
while I had already presented to you the warning.
The word will not be changed with Me
and never will I be unjust to the servants."
(5027-29)
(+ 79.6-12)Between believing those facts, I rather believe in certain part from the idea of reincarnation because at least there are many verses that support people brought back to life after death.... "the forerunners". This idea are better than punishment of the grave and supported by the Quran.
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Peace be upon you.
There is no verse in the entire Quran which supports the concept of 'punishment in the grave'.
Sunnis, just like Israfeel, usually quote this verse to justify their point
The Fire; they are exposed to it, morning and afternoon, and on the Day when the Hour will be established (it will be said to the angels) "Cause Fir'aun's (Pharaoh) people to enter the severest torment!" (4046)
And to me, I think that they have thrown their logic and reason to the trash, because if you read the above verse in context with the next verse, it becomes absolutely clear that this is a reference to the Day of Judgement
And when they shall contend one with another in the fire, then the weak shall say to those who were proud Surely we were your followers; will you then avert from us a portion of the fire? (4047)
The very next verse provides further clarity
Those who were proud shall say Surely we are all in it surely God has judged between the servants (404
Therefore, 4046 cannot be used to prove the concept of punishment in the grave.
Peace.
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In response to Scribbler, I actually quoted three different verses of the Quran to prove punishment immediately after death before judgment day (i.e. punishment in the grave)
the angels stretch forth their hands, (saying),"Yield up your souls this day shall ye receive your reward,- a penalty of shame, for that ye used to tell lies against Allah" (surah 694)
This verse proves that they receive the punishment on the very day their souls are taken (i.e. the day they die)
Similarly another verse If thou couldst see, when the angels take the souls of the Unbelievers (at death), (How) they smite their faces and their backs, (saying) "Taste the penalty of the blazing Fire" (Surah 851)
According to the two verses above, the disbelievers taste the punishment of hellfire the exact same day the Angels seize their souls (i.e. at the moment of death). This proves a punishment of hell before Judgment Day since Judgment day hasn't occurred yet. This is a clear proof for punishment of the grave.
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Greetings and Peace, all group
Given descriptions, it would seem that Hell will be a place with fire.
935 On the Day when they will be seared in the fires of Hell, and their foreheads and sides and backs will be branded with it "This is what you have hoarded for yourselves, so taste what you have hoarded!"
963 Did they not know that whoever is hostile towards GOD and His messenger, he will have the fire of Hell, abiding therein. Such is the greatest humiliation.
968 GOD has promised the hypocrite males and the hypocrite females and the rejecters a Fire in Hell, in it they will abide; it will be enough for them. And GOD has cursed them and they will have a lasting retribution.
981 Those who have remained are happy with their position of lagging behind the messenger of GOD, and they disliked striving with their money and lives in the cause of GOD; and they say "Do not mobilize in the heat." Say "The fire of Hell is much hotter," if they could only understand.
1797 Whoever GOD guides is the truly guided one. And whoever He misguides then you will not find for them any allies except for Him. And We gather them on the Day of Resurrection on their faces, blind, mute, and deaf; their abode will be Hell. Every time it dies down, We increase for them the fire.
3536 As for those who have rejected, for them is the fire of Hell, where they do not terminate and die, nor is its retribution ever reduced for them. It is such that We requite every rejecter.
3859 Here is another group to be thrown into Hell with you. "We have no welcome for them, for they shall burn in the Fire."
4047 And when they argue in Hell, the weak will say to those who were arrogant "We used to be your followers, can you take from us any portion of the Fire?"
4049 And those who are in the Fire will say to the guardians of Hell "Call upon your Lord to reduce for us the retribution, by just one day!"
7223 It is but an announcement from GOD, and His messages. And whoever disobeys GOD and His messenger, then he will have the fire of Hell to dwell eternally therein.
986 Those who rejected from the people of the Book and the polytheists are in the fires of Hell abiding therein, those are the worst of creation.
This being said, some descriptions are allegorical.
9109 Is he who founds his building on obtaining righteousness from GOD and His acceptance better, or he who founds his building on the edge of a cliff which is about to crumble, so that it crumbled with him into the fires of Hell? And God does not guide the wicked people.
1335 The example of the Paradise which the righteous are promised, is that rivers flow beneath it, and its provisions are continuous as is its shade. Such is the abode of those who were righteous, while the abode of the rejecters is the Fire.
4715 Is the example of the Paradise; that the righteous have been promised with rivers of pure water, and rivers of milk whose taste does not change, and rivers of wine that are delicious for the drinkers, and rivers of strained honey, and for them in it are all kinds of fruits, and a forgiveness from their Lord; like that of those who abide in the Fire, and are given to drink boiling water that cuts-up their intestines?
7215 And as for the compromisers, they are firewood for Hell.
ALLAH knows best.
peace
~Abdul-Hadi
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What is the basis for such a belief that the description of Hell is allegorical? Do you have any evidence from the text of the Holy Quran for this assertion?
Salam,
37 (The Book He has sent down, bears an important Principle.) He is the One Who has revealed to you (O Prophet!) the scripture. In it some verses are literal, while some verses are allegorical. The verses that pertain to Permanent Values have been presented literally. These verses, Muhkamat, are the essence of the Divine law. On the other hand, abstract phenomena, some historical events, and the World of the Unseen are described in similes, metaphors and allegories (Mutashaabihaat) for your understanding. But those who are given to crookedness in their hearts pursue the allegories and try to give them literal meanings, thus creating dissension of thought. None encompasses their final meaning (of such as the Essence of God, His Throne, His Hand, His Book of Decrees, the exact mode of revelation on the heart of the messengers, the Eternity) but God. Those who are well founded in knowledge understand why the allegories have been used and they keep learning from them. They proclaim the belief that the entire Book is from their Lord. As the human knowledge evolves, more and more allegories will unfold their literal meaning. But only the men and women of understanding will bear this fact in mind.
Many of the Qur'anic verses are allegorical. Apart from being a book of guidance, the Qur'an is a book of high literature and scientific facts.
The consequences of our actions produce our paradise or hell. Burning literally in fire is nothing compared to psychologically burning in despair, hopelessness, sadness, anguish, failure and loss. Sometimes people would wish literal burning.
8712 He who will be cast into the great fire.
8713 Wherein he neither dies nor lives. -
Greetings and Peace, all group
By the way, according to physics, Heaven is gonna be pretty warm, too!
http//www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/hell.htm
snerk
)
peace
~Abdul-Hadi
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Salam,
37 (The Book He has sent down, bears an important Principle.) He is the One Who has revealed to you (O Prophet!) the scripture. In it some verses are literal, while some verses are allegorical. The verses that pertain to Permanent Values have been presented literally. These verses, Muhkamat, are the essence of the Divine law. On the other hand, abstract phenomena, some historical events, and the World of the Unseen are described in similes, metaphors and allegories (Mutashaabihaat) for your understanding. But those who are given to crookedness in their hearts pursue the allegories and try to give them literal meanings, thus creating dissension of thought. None encompasses their final meaning (of such as the Essence of God, His Throne, His Hand, His Book of Decrees, the exact mode of revelation on the heart of the messengers, the Eternity) but God. Those who are well founded in knowledge understand why the allegories have been used and they keep learning from them. They proclaim the belief that the entire Book is from their Lord. As the human knowledge evolves, more and more allegories will unfold their literal meaning. But only the men and women of understanding will bear this fact in mind.
Many of the Qur'anic verses are allegorical. Apart from being a book of guidance, the Qur'an is a book of high literature and scientific facts.
In response I would to mention several points.
You have implied that the verses in the Quran which speak about the Hell fire are allegorical. According to the verse you quoted (37), the allegorical verses are fewer in number compared to the Muhkamaat (Clear verses) which have been described as foundational and the "mother of the book". Now if you have read the Quran from cover to cover you will definitely know that the Quran speaks very frequently about the Fire of Hell. I would even venture to say that Hell is mentioned more frequently in the Quran than Heaven. The Quran is constantly warning humanity about the torments of Hell. Therefore to say that the verses about Hell are not included in the muhkamaat is illogical and has no basis.
Secondly you say that "Burning literally in fire is nothing compared to psychologically burning in despair, hopelessness, sadness, anguish, failure and loss. Sometimes people would wish literal burning."
This is also logically incorrect. Many human beings live with psychological misery all their lives, and every waking moment they are in psychological pain or sorrow. Some of them reach the point where they cannot bear it anymore and so they commit suicide. Others learn to be patient and live with their psychological pain.
As for physical pain, especially the sensation of burning, this is something which if people experience, they only experience for a very short, fleeting period of time. I mean if you were to just put your fingertip on a burning light bulb, how long could you bear the pain? Five seconds? Ten seconds?
So you cannot compare psychological pain to physical pain. People learn to live with psychological pain all their lives, but no one can tolerate the physical pain of burning beyond a mere few seconds. This is something to really think about!
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Many human beings live with psychological misery all their lives, and every waking moment they are in psychological pain or sorrow. Some of them reach the point where they cannot bear it anymore and so they commit suicide. Others learn to be patient and live with their psychological pain.
If you really believe that hell is a place where fire will consume and burn its dwellers then your belief is against the Qur'an.
Consider this
223 (For the real skeptic, here is a reason-friendly offer.) If you are still in doubt concerning what We have revealed to Our servant (Muhammad), call and set up (a committee, commission, organization, association of the highest order) all your helpers besides God, and then produce just one Surah like this, if you are truthful.
224 And if you fail to do it - and fail you will - yet remain haughty and scornful, then guard yourselves against the fire that has been readied for those who oppose the truth, and its fuel is the masses and their stonehearted leaders alike.
Hell is a society which is based on carnal desires, lies, injustice and untruth. You see in the above verse that the fuel of hell is not fire or hydrocarbons, or woods; its fuel is the groups of wrongdoers and deniers of the truth. What I quoted from you shows that we are already living in mini-hells. And life is a continuation. Those people and societies that don't change themselves, will continue living in an earthly hell and on the next level they will face a higher and more evolved version of hell.
Hell is other people. Hell is a state of stagnation where our "self" or "personality" (Qur'anic NAFS) cannot progress towards higher states of existence.
Consider this
59 God promises the protection of forgiveness and a Great reward to those who attain belief and do works that fulfill the needs of people and increase the well being of society.
510 On the other hand, there are those who oppose Our revelations openly, or deny them. They are the companions of the Insurmountable Barrier.
2251 Whereas those who strive against Our messages seeking to defeat their purpose, they are destined to face the Insurmountable
Barrier.5694 And scorching heat before the Insurmountable Barrier.
8316 Then, they will enter the Blazing fire.
Unless people don't change their mentality and open their minds to other interpretations of the Qur'an; unless we don't free our minds from the shackles of hadiths and lies; unless we don't acquire knowledge of the sciences and evaluate the Qur'an in the light of science, technology and evolution, we are going to blindly follow what our ignorant ancestors preached and practiced.
2170 When it is said to these (satans), "Follow what God has revealed", they say, "Nay! We follow that wherein we found with our ancestors. "What! Even though their ancestors (and the ancient Imams) were lacking in understanding and were not rightly guided?
7185 Can they not see (and correlate what he tells them with) the Dominion of the heavens and earth and what God has created? Does it ever occur to them that the end of their own life may be near (hence the time to make the right decisions is not unlimited)? In what Hadith after this (Quran) are they going to believe then?
7750 In what Hadith, after this, will they believe?
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Welcome back Israfeel!
This is one of few things I agree with you yay
I am actually a skeptic but I believe the hell mentioned in the Qur'an is literal.