Hell in Islam is the place of punishment prepared by Allah for those whom He judges deserving after perfect justice. The Fire of Hell is far more intense than the fire of this world. No one enters Paradise or Hell until after the resurrection and Allah’s final judgment.
The ultimate goal of a believer is to seek Allah’s pleasure, be protected from Hell, and enter Paradise through His mercy. Allah is the Most Just and the Most Merciful, and He accepts sincere repentance before death. (Qur’an 39:53)
Table of Contents
What is Hell?
Hell means Jahannam. Jahannam is an Arabic word. It is the place of punishment for sinners in Islam. A sinner is one who does actions which are not allowed in islam and does not believe in Allah, His messengers, His books, His angels, or the hereafter. The
Qur’an teaches that both mankind and jinn are accountable to Allah, and those who persist in disbelief without repentance face the punishment of Hell. After death, the soul enters Barzakh, then is resurrected on the Day of Judgment, where Allah decides whether it will enter Paradise or Hell.
Allah says:
“Surely Allah condemns the disbelievers, and has prepared for them a blazing Fire,”
(Qur’an 33:64)
Another verse states:
“Indeed, Hell is lying in ambush, as a home for the transgressors.”
(Qur’an 78:21–22)
These verses show that Hell is real and has been prepared by Allah.
The Qur’an repeatedly describes Hell not to inspire despair, but to encourage people to:
- Believe in Allah.
- Worship Him alone.
- Follow His messengers.
- Repent sincerely.
- Avoid injustice and major sins.
- Hope in Allah’s mercy while fearing His punishment.
Allah combines warnings with promises of forgiveness throughout the Qur’an, emphasizing both His justice and His mercy.
Why did Allah create it?
Hell is a manifestation of Allah’s justice. It is for those who knowingly reject the truth or persist in wrongdoing without repentance. Allah repeatedly calls people to repent and promises forgiveness to those who sincerely return to Him before death.
Allah says:
“Whoever chooses to be guided, it is only for their own good. And whoever chooses to stray, it is only to their own loss. No soul burdened with sin will bear the burden of another. And We would never punish ˹a people˺ until We have sent a messenger ˹to warn them˺.”
(Qur’an 17:15)
Allah says:
“Say, ˹O Prophet, that Allah says,˺ “O My servants who have exceeded the limits against their souls! Do not lose hope in Allah’s mercy, for Allah certainly forgives all sins.1 He is indeed the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
(Qur’an 39:53)
When was it created?
Allah alone created Hell.
The Qur’an does not state exactly when Hell was created, but it clearly indicates that it already exists.
Allah says:
“Fear the Fire which has been prepared for the disbelievers.”
(Qur’an 3:131)
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“When Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari 1899), (Sahih Muslim 1079)
Is Hell Alive?
The Qur’an and Sunnah describe Hell in ways that show it responds to Allah’s command, though Muslims do not speculate about how.
For example, Allah says:
“On the Day We will say to Hell, ‘Are you filled?’ and it will say, ‘Are there any more?'”
(Qur’an 50:30)
The Prophet ﷺ also narrated that Paradise and Hell “argued” by Allah’s permission.
” Paradise and the Fire (Hell) argued, and the Fire (Hell) said, “I have been given the privilege of receiving the arrogant and the tyrants.’ Paradise said, ‘What is the matter with me? Why do only the weak and the humble among the people enter me?’ On that, Allah said to Paradise. ‘You are My Mercy which I bestow on whoever I wish of my servants.’ Then Allah said to the (Hell) Fire, ‘You are my (means of) punishment by which I punish whoever I wish of my slaves. And each of you will have its fill.’ As for the Fire (Hell), it will not be filled till Allah puts His Foot over it whereupon it will say, ‘Qati! Qati!’ At that time it will be filled, and its different parts will come closer to each other; and Allah will not wrong any of His created beings. As regards Paradise, Allah will create a new creation to fill it with.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari 4850), (Sahih Muslim 2846)
This shows that Allah enables Hell to speak, just as He enables other parts of creation to speak on the Day of Judgment.
Allah says:
“Once it sees them from a distance, they will hear it fuming and growling.”
The above verse explains that Hell will be able to see.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The (Hell) Fire complained to its Lord saying, ‘O my Lord! My different parts eat up each other.’ So, He allowed it to take two breaths, one in the winter and the other in summer, and this is the reason for the severe heat and the bitter cold you find (in weather).”
(Sahih al-Bukhari 3260), (Sahih Muslim 617)
The above hadith is teaching us that hell has two breaths, i.e., extreme heat and extreme cold.
How Big Is Hell?
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“We were in the company of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) that we heard a terrible sound. Thereupon Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ) said: Do you know what (sound) is this? We said: Allah and His Messenger know best. Thereupon he said: That is a stone which was thrown seventy years before in Hell and it has’been constantly slipping down and now it has reached its base.”
Sahih Muslim (2844)
This hadith illustrates its tremendous depth. It should not be taken as a precise measurement in worldly units.
How Hot Is Hell?
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Your (ordinary) fire is one of 70 parts of the (Hell) Fire.” Someone asked, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) This (ordinary) fire would have been sufficient (to torture the unbelievers),” Allah’s Apostle said, “The (Hell) Fire has 69 parts more than the ordinary (worldly) fire, each part is as hot as this (worldly) fire.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari 3265), (Sahih Muslim 2843)
This comparison highlights the severity of Hell’s punishment.
What Is the Color of Hellfire?
Allah says:
“IIndeed, it hurls sparks ˹as big˺ as huge castles, and ˹as dark˺ as black camels.”
(Qur’an 77:32–33)
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The Fire was kindled for one thousand years until it reddened, then it was kindled for one thousand years until it whitened, then it was kindled for one thousand years until it became blackened, so it is dark black.”
Reference:
- Jami’ al-Tirmidhi (2591)
Many scholars classify this narration as weak (da’if).
The Different Names of Hell
| Name | Arabic | Meaning | Qur’anic Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jahannam | جهنم | Hell | 15:43, 39:71 |
| An-Nār | النار | The Fire | 2:24 |
| Al-Jaḥīm | الجحيم | The Blazing Fire | 26:91 |
| Saqar | سقر | A fierce blazing fire | 74:26–30 |
| Sa‘īr | سعير | Burning Blaze | 67:5 |
| Al-Ḥuṭamah | الحطمة | The Crusher | 104:4–9 |
| Hawiyah | الهاوية | The Abyss | 101:9–11 |
| Laẓā | لظى | The Fierce Flame | 70:15–18 |
The Seven Gates of Hell
Allah says:
“and surely Hell is their destined place, all together. It has seven gates, to each a group of them is designated.”
(Qur’an 15:43–44)
The verse tells us with certainty that:
- Hell has seven gates.
- Each gate is assigned to certain groups by Allah’s justice.
Scholars explain that people are assigned according to the nature and severity of their disbelief or sins.
The Guardian of Hell
The chief guardian of Hell is the angel Mālik (مالك).
Allah says:
They will cry, “O Mâlik!1 Let your Lord finish us off.” He will answer, “You are definitely here to stay.”
(Qur’an 43:77)
This verse shows:
- Mālik is the chief keeper of Hell.
- The people of Hell will beg for death.
- Their request will be denied.
The Nineteen Angels
Allah says:
“It is overseen by nineteen ˹keepers˺.”
(Qur’an 74:30)
Then Allah explains:
“We have appointed only ˹stern˺ angels as wardens of the Fire. And We have made their number only as a test for the disbelievers,1 so that the People of the Book will be certain, and the believers will increase in faith, and neither the People of the Book nor the believers will have any doubts, and so that those ˹hypocrites˺ with sickness in their hearts and the disbelievers will argue, “What does Allah mean by such a number?” In this way Allah leaves whoever He wills to stray and guides whoever He wills. And none knows the forces of your Lord except He. And this ˹description of Hell˺ is only a reminder to humanity.”
(Qur’an 74:31)
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Hell would be brought on that day (the Day of Judgment) with seventy thousand bridles, and seventy thousand angels dragging each bridle.”
(Sahih Muslim 2842)
What Does Hell Look Like in Islam?
| Feature | Description | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Reality | Hell (Jahannam) is a real creation of Allah. | Qur’an 2:24, 3:131 |
| Exists Now | Hell has already been created. | Qur’an 3:131; Sahih al-Bukhari 1899, Sahih Muslim 1079 |
| Number of Gates | Hell has seven gates. | Qur’an 15:43–44 |
| Walls | Hell is surrounded by walls. | Qur’an 18:29 |
| Gates Open | Its gates are opened when its inhabitants arrive. | Qur’an 39:71 |
| Fire | The fire of Hell is much hotter than worldly fire. | Sahih al-Bukhari 3265; Sahih Muslim 2843 |
| Heat | A place of intense heat and blazing flames. | Qur’an 56:42–44 |
| Smoke | Thick smoke that gives no cool shade or relief. | Qur’an 77:30–31 |
| Sparks | Sparks as huge as fortresses, like yellow camels. | Qur’an 77:32–33 |
| Fuel | Fueled by people and stones. | Qur’an 2:24; 66:6 |
| Size | Extremely vast and deep. | Sahih Muslim 2844 |
| Guardian | The chief guardian is the angel Mālik. | Qur’an 43:77 |
| Keepers | Nineteen chief keepers are appointed over Hell. | Qur’an 74:30–31 |
| Clothing | The inhabitants wear garments of fire. | Qur’an 22:19 |
| Chains | People are bound with chains and shackles. | Qur’an 69:30–32; 76:4 |
| Food | Zaqqum, Dariʿ, and Ghislīn are mentioned as food associated with punishment. | Qur’an 37:62–68; 44:43–46; 69:36–37; 88:6–7 |
| Drink | Boiling and scalding water. | Qur’an 14:16–17; 22:19–22; 47:15 |
| Skin | Burned skin is replaced by Allah’s decree. | Qur’an 4:56 |
| Death | There is no death to end the punishment. | Qur’an 35:36; 87:13 |
| Speech | Hell speaks by Allah’s permission. | Qur’an 50:30 |
| Roaring | Hell is described as raging and roaring. | Qur’an 25:12 |
| Punishment | Punishment differs according to Allah’s perfect justice and people’s deeds. | Qur’an 6:132 |
Wādī Wayl
the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
“Woe is the valley of Jahannam, the disbeliever shall drop into it for forty autumns before he reaches its bottom.”
“The Messenger of Allah said: ‘Seek refuge with Allah from the pit of grief.’ They said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, what is the pit of grief?’ He said: ‘A valley in Hell from which Hell itself seeks refuge four hundred times each day.’ It was said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, who will enter it?’ He said: ‘It has been prepared for reciters of the Qur’an who want to show off their deeds. The most hateful of reciters of the Qur’an to Allah are those who visit the rulers.”
Fuel of Hell
Allah says:
“But if you are unable to do so—and you will never be able to do so—then fear the Fire fuelled with people and stones, which is prepared for the disbelievers.”
And:
“O believers! Protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, overseen by formidable and severe angels, who never disobey whatever Allah orders—always doing as commanded.”
The Qur’an explicitly states that people and stones are among the fuel of the Fire.
Allah says:
“Proceed into the shade ˹of smoke˺ which rises in three columns, providing neither coolness nor shelter from the flames.”
This “shadow” is explained in the verses as smoke that offers no comfort.
Is There Water in Hell?
Yes, but it is not refreshing.
The Qur’an describes boiling water:
“These are two opposing groups that disagree about their Lord: as for the disbelievers, garments of Fire will be cut out for them and boiling water will be poured over their heads, melting whatever is in their bellies, along with their skin.”
The Food of Hell
The Qur’an mentions several kinds of food associated with punishment.
1. The Tree of Zaqqum
Allah says:
“Surely ˹the fruit of˺ the tree of Zaqqûm will be the food of the evildoer. Like molten metal, it will boil in the bellies like the boiling of hot water.”
He also says:
“Indeed, it is a tree that grows in the depths of Hell, bearing fruit like devils’ heads. The evildoers will certainly ˹be left to˺ eat from it, filling up their bellies with it.”
The exact appearance of its fruit belongs to the unseen. The comparison emphasizes how terrifying it is.
2. Dariʿ (A Thorny Plant)
Allah says:
“They will have no food except a foul, thorny shrub, neither nourishing nor satisfying hunger.”
3. Ghislīn
Allah says:
“nor any food except ˹oozing˺ pus, which none will eat except the evildoers.””
Another verse says:
“Awaiting them is Hell, and they will be left to drink oozing pus, which they will sip with difficulty, and can hardly swallow. Death will overwhelm them from every side, yet they will not ˹be able to˺ die. Awaiting them still is harsher torment.”
“those who will stay in the Fire forever, left to drink boiling water that will tear apart their insides?”
Clothing of the People of Hell
Allah says:
“These are two opposing groups that disagree about their Lord: as for the disbelievers, garments of Fire will be cut out for them and boiling water will be poured over their heads, melting whatever is in their bellies, along with their skin.”
This shows that even their clothing is part of the punishment.
Punishments of Hell
| Punishment | Description | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Blazing Fire | The fundamental punishment of Hell is the Fire. | Qur’an 2:24, 3:131, 4:56 |
| Eternal punishment (for those who die in disbelief) | They will abide in Hell forever. | Qur’an 2:39, 4:169, 98:6 |
| No death | They will not die to escape punishment. | Qur’an 87:13, 35:36 |
| Burning skin | Their skins will be burned. | Qur’an 4:56 |
| New skin created | Allah will replace burned skin so they continue to experience the punishment. | Qur’an 4:56 |
| Garments of fire | Clothing made from fire. | Qur’an 22:19 |
| Boiling water poured over them | Boiling water will be poured over their heads. | Qur’an 22:19–22 |
| Internal suffering | The boiling water melts what is in their bellies. | Qur’an 22:20 |
| Iron maces | Iron clubs are used as punishment. | Qur’an 22:21 |
| Returning after trying to escape | Whenever they try to leave because of anguish, they are returned. | Qur’an 22:22 |
| Scalding drink | They are given extremely hot water to drink. | Qur’an 14:16–17, 47:15 |
| Drinking with difficulty | They sip it but can hardly swallow it. | Qur’an 14:17 |
| Zaqqum tree | They eat from the tree of Zaqqum. | Qur’an 37:62–68, 44:43–46 |
| Dariʿ (thorny plant) | A thorny food that neither nourishes nor satisfies hunger. | Qur’an 88:6–7 |
| Ghislīn | A vile food for sinners. | Qur’an 69:36–37 |
| Hunger remains | Their food does not relieve hunger. | Qur’an 88:7 |
| Chains | Prison-like chains are used. | Qur’an 69:32, 76:4 |
| Shackles | Hands and feet are restrained. | Qur’an 76:4 |
| Enclosing walls | Hell is surrounded by walls. | Qur’an 18:29 |
| Intense smoke | Smoke provides no cool shade. | Qur’an 77:30–31 |
| Massive sparks | Sparks are described as huge as fortresses. | Qur’an 77:32–33 |
| Humiliation | The people of Hell are disgraced. | Qur’an 39:71–72 |
| Despair | They lose hope of relief. | Qur’an 43:75 |
| Constant regret | They regret rejecting Allah and His guidance. | Qur’an 35:37 |
| Crying out for help | They beg Allah to let them return to worldly life. | Qur’an 23:106–108, 35:37 |
| Requesting death | They ask Mālik for death, but it is refused. | Qur’an 43:77 |
| No relief | Their punishment is not lightened. | Qur’an 35:36 |
| Different levels of punishment | Punishment varies according to deeds. | Qur’an 6:132 |
| Least punishment | Sandals of fire causing the brain to boil. | Sahih al-Bukhari 6562; Sahih Muslim 213 |
| Exposure to extreme heat | Hell’s fire is far hotter than worldly fire. | Sahih al-Bukhari 3265; Sahih Muslim 2843 |
Emotional and Spiritual Punishments
These are also described in the Qur’an:
- Separation from Allah’s mercy (e.g., Qur’an 3:77).
- Deep regret over rejecting the truth (Qur’an 35:37).
- Shame and humiliation before all creation (Qur’an 39:71–72).
- Realization that worldly opportunities are gone forever (Qur’an 23:99–100).
- Hearing the roaring of Hell (Qur’an 25:12).
- Seeing the consequences of one’s deeds (Qur’an 18:49).
Who will enter Hell?
| Category | Reference |
|---|---|
| Those who die upon disbelief | 2:161–162, 98:6 |
| Those who die upon shirk (without repentance) | 4:48, 5:72 |
| Major hypocrites | 4:145 |
| Oppressors | 18:29 |
| Those who consume the wealth of orphans unjustly | 4:10 |
| Those who intentionally kill believers | 4:93 |
| Those who reject the Day of Judgment | 74:46 |
| Those who neglected prayer and neglected the poor (as described by the people of Hell) | 74:42–47 |
| The arrogant | Muslim 91 |
| Those who deliberately lie about the Prophet ﷺ | Bukhari, Muslim |
Note: For Muslims who commit major sins, mainstream Sunni belief is that their final outcome depends on Allah’s justice and mercy. Some may be forgiven, some may be punished for a time, and sincere repentance before death erases sins by Allah’s permission.
Ways to Be Saved from Hell
| Action | Reference |
|---|---|
| Believe in Allah alone (Tawḥīd) | 4:48 |
| Follow the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ | 3:31 |
| Pray sincerely | 74:42–43 |
| Repent before death | 39:53 |
| Do righteous deeds | 2:82 |
| Give charity | 2:177 |
| Avoid oppression | 42:42 |
| Seek forgiveness | 3:133–136 |
| Ask Allah for protection from Hell | 25:65 |
Conclusion
Hell (Jahannam) in Islam is a real creation of Allah, described in the Qur’an and authentic Hadith. It is a place of punishment for those whom Allah judges deserving after perfect justice. The Qur’an warns about Hell to encourage faith, repentance, and righteous living. Allah is Most Merciful and accepts sincere repentance before death. Every person should strive to obey Allah, follow the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, seek forgiveness often, and pray for protection from Hell and admission into Paradise. May Allah protect us from the Fire and grant us Jannatul Firdaus. Āmīn.
Islamic teachings about Hell are closely connected with accountability, the soul, death, and the Hereafter. To understand the complete journey described in Islamic teachings, explore Paradise in Islam, the journey of the soul after death, and the chronological order of human life.
