Sins Punishable in the Hellfire
I will mention here some of the sins, which there is evidence for, informing us that those who commit them will be punished by means of the Hellfire.
Splitting Up Into Groups That Oppose The Sunnah
Abu Sufyaan narrated: “The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) stood among us one day and said:
“Indeed those before you from the People of the Book divided into seventy-two groups. And this group (Muslims) will divide into seventy-three. Seventy-two groups will be in the Fire and one of them will be in Paradise. And it is the Jamaa’ah.”
This is an authentic hadith. Al-Haakim, after checking its chains of narration, said about it.
“These chains present evidence in favour of the authenticity of the hadith.”
Imaam ath-Thahabee agreed with this. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said:
“It is a well known authentic hadith.”
It has also been authenticated by ash-Shaatibee in his book Al-Itisaam. Shaykh Muhammad Naasiruddeen al-Albaanee gathered its routes of narration, discussed their chains, and clarified that it is an authentic hadith, there being not doubt concerning it’s authenticity.
However, Sideeq Hasan Khan is of the opinion that the addition to the hadith
“All of them are in the Hellfire except one”
And similar additions, such as;
“Seventy-two are in the Hellfire”
are all weak additions to the hadith. He cites this claim of weakness from his teacher Imaam ash-Shawkaanee and before him, Abu al-Wazeer, and before him, Ibn Hazm. And he has approved of the saying,
“These additions are from the schemes of the apostates. For indeed, in them are a means for turning away from Islam and a reluctance from entering into its fold.”
Shaykh al-Albaanee has refuted those who claim that such additions are weak from two angles:
1. The rules of hadith criticism regarding the additions for the hadith prove its authenticity, for there is no basis in the statement of the one who has claimed that it is weak.
2. That those who have graded it authentic are greater in number and knowledge than Ibn Hazm. This is especially the case, since he is known among the people of knowledge for his severity in such criticism. We should not make use of it (his criticism) when it goes solely among lack of opposition. So how can we use it when it is opposed (by other more knowledgeable scholars)?
As for Abu al-Wazeer, he rejected the additions to the hadith based upon their meaning, not due to the chain. Sideeq Hasan Khan has spoken of this in his book Al-’Ibaarah, clarifying that the one who goes by this addition is stating that those who enter Paradise from this ummah are few. Meanwhile, the authentic and confirmed texts show that those entering Paradise from the ummah will be many, almost reaching half of the inhabitants of Paradise.
This may be refuted in a number of ways:
1. The meaning of the division of this ummah into seventy-three sects is not that the majority of the ummah consists of common folk who do not enter into the fold of these sects. And those who divide into sects and remain in opposition to the Sunnah are fewer in description than those who avoid that in its totality.
2. Everyone who opposes the carriers of the Sunnah in an issue among the many issues of religion does not fall into the category of being in a sect in opposition to the Sunnah. Rather, the correct understanding is that they set up principles by which they become groups divided among themselves, abandoning much of the texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah due to it. This is the case with the Khawaarij, the Mu’tazilah and the Raafidah.
As for those who establish the Qur’an and Sunnah and do not abandon these two, but differ in an issue from the many issues in Islam, they do not fall into any of the sects.
3. The addition in the narrations is evidence that the divided sects will be in the Hellfire. However, this does not imply absolutely that they will reside in the Hellfire forever.
What is well known is that some of the people of these sects are disbelievers who will remain eternally in the Hellfire, such as the hidden extremists. They are the ones who make apparent their eemaan, yet hide their disbelief, such as the Ismaa’ilees, the Drooz, the Naseereeyah and others.
Among the sects are those who oppose Ahl-us-Sunnah in a major important issues. However, their differences are not based upon disbelief. There is not a definite promise for these people that they will enter Paradise. However, they fall under the Will of Allah. If He wills, He will forgive them, and if He wills, He will punish them. Perhaps they may have a great number of righteous deeds that will save them from the Fire.They will also be saved from the Fire by the intercession of the interceders. And they will enter the Hellfire and abide therein as long as Allah wills for them to do so. Then they will be extracted from there, due to the intercession of the interceders and by the mercy of the Most Merciful.
Those Who Hold Back From Hijrah (Migration)
It is not permissible for the Muslims to reside in the lands of the disbelievers when there are Muslim lands that exist. This is especially so if his residence in the lands of disbelief will involve him in fitnah (trouble for his religion). Allah does not accept the excuse of those refrain from making Hijrah (migration). Thus, Allah informs us that the angels will reproach this group of people at the time of death and they will not accept their excuses when they plead to them saying that they were oppressed in the land.
Allah says (which means):
“Verily, as for those who the angels take in death while they are wronging themselves, they say to them: ‘In what state were you?’ They reply: ‘We were weak and oppressed in the land.’ They (angels) say: ‘Was not Allah’s Earth spacious enough for you to migrate?’ Such men will find their abode in Hell – what an evil destination! Except the weak among men, women and children who cannot devise a plan nor are they able to make their way.”
Allah does not accept the excuses from such individuals, except for those who are weak and cannot find the method to leave, and they are not able to make a way by which they will be directed to the land of Islam. [Note: this is a general rule that has been under-explained here. One is encouraged to see what the great wise scholar Ibn ‘Uthaymeen explained about related guidelines in the book Explanation of the Three Fundamental Principles of Islam]
Injustice In Passing Judgment
Allah has revealed His Shari’ah (Divine Law) for passing judgment between mankind with equity. And He has commanded His servants with justice and fairness.
Allah says (which means):
“Verily, Allah enjoins al-’adl (justice) and al-ihsaan (beneficence).”
Thus He has made it obligatory upon the rulers and the judges that they rule with justice and avoid injustice.
Allah says (which means):
“Allah commands that you should render back the trusts to those who they are due, and that when you judge between men, you judge with justice. How excellent is the teaching that He (Allah) gives you! Truly, Allah is the Hearer of all, the Seer of all.”
Allah threatens those who do not judge in truth with the Hellfire. Buraidah bin Haseeb has narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“The judges are of three types: One in Paradise and two in the Hellfire. As for the one in Paradise, he is the one who knows the truth and judges by it. For the one who knows the truth and does not do justice in his ruling, then he is in the Fire. And as for the one who passes judgment between people out of ignorance, then he also is in the Fire.”
Lying Upon The Messenger of Allah
Ibn al-Atheer has compiled a chapter in his book Jaami’ al-Usool in which he lists many ahadith which warn against lying upon the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam). Among them, is that which has been recorded by Imams al-Bukhari, Muslim and at-Tirmithi, on the authority of ‘Alee who said that the Messenger of Allah said:
“Do not lie upon me. For indeed, the one who lies upon me will be tormented by the Hellfire.”
In another hadith the Prophet said:
“Whoever attributes a statement to me of which I did not say, then let him find his seat in the Hellfire.”
Also, the Messenger of Allah said:
“Whoever lies upon me intentionally, then let him find his seat in the Hellfire.”
Among the other hadiths is the one where Allah’s Messenger said:
“Indeed a lie upon me is not like a lie upon anyone else. So whoever lies upon me intentionally, then let him find his seat in the Hellfire.!”
PRIDE
Among the major sins is pride. Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: “Allah said: ‘Pride is my cloak and greatness is my lower garment. Whoever disputes with me regarding any of these will be cast into the Fire.’”
And he (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) also said: “The one who has a speck of pride in his heart will not enter Paradise.”
So a man said to him: “Indeed a man likes to have nice clothes and nice sandals.” He (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “Allah is beautiful and He loves beauty. Pride is disregarding the truth and belittling the people.”
KILLING AN INDIVIDUAL WITHOUT DUE RIGHT
Allah says (which means): “And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell to abide therein, and the wrath and the curse of Allah are upon him, and the great punishment is prepared for him.”
The killing of an individual Muslim is not permissible in Islam except for one of three cases as has been stated in the following hadith, in which the Messenger of Allah said: “The blood of an individual who testifies that there is nothing worthy of worship besides Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah, is not lawful, except for one of three cases. They are: A life for a life, a married person who commits adultery, and the one who abandons his religion and breaks away from the Jamaa’ah.”
The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) also said: “The believer will remain within the margins of his religion, as long as he does not spill blood illegally.”
Ibn ‘Umar said: “Of those dilemmas which there is no way out for the one who fails, is the shedding of blood without a due reason.”
The Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) has warned the Muslims from killing one another. And he has informed us that the killer and the one killed are both in the Fire.
Abu Bakr reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “When two Muslims face each other with their swords, then the killer and the one killed are (both) in the Fire.”
I said: “I understand the killer, but what of the one who is killed?”
He said: “Indeed, he was intent upon killing his companion.”
Due to this, the righteous servant refrains from killing his brother, fearing that he might be of the dwellers of the Fire. And so the killer will attain his sin and the sin of the one he is killing.
Allah says (which means): “And recite to them (the Jews) the story of the two sons of Aadam in truth; when each offered a sacrifice to Allah. It was accepted from one but not from the other. The latter said to the former: ‘I will surely kill you.’ The former said: ‘Allah accepts only from those who give Him due reverence. If you stretch your hand against me to kill me, I shall never stretch my hand against you to kill you: for I fear Allah the Lord of the worlds. I intend to let you draw my sin on yourself as well as yours, then you will be one of the dwellers of the Fire. And that is the recompense of the wrong doers.”
CONSUMING (RIBAA) INTEREST OR USURY
Among the sins that destroy the individual performing it, is usury. Concerning those who take interest after knowledge has reached them of its prohibition, Allah says (which means), “But whoever returns to ribaa, such are the dwellers of the Fire – they will abide therein.”
And He says, (which means):
“O you who believe! Do not consume ribaa, doubled and multiplied, but fear Allah that you may be successful. And fear the Fire which is prepared for the disbelievers.”
The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) has counted ribaa as one of the seven sins that destroy the one performing it. It is recorded in the Two Saheeh collections that the Messenger of Allah said: “Avoid the seven destructive sins.”
They said: “And what are they, O Messenger of Allah?” So he (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “To associate partners with Allah (shirk), magic, killing an individual which Allah has forbidden except with due right, consuming interest, taking the wealth of the orphan, running away from the battlefield, and slandering chaste believing women.”
TAKING THE WEALTH OF THE PEOPLE UNJUSTLY
Among the greatest forms of oppression bringing a guarantee of the Hellfire is the consumption of people’s wealth unjustly. This is as Allah says (which means): “O you who believe! Do not consume property among yourselves unjustly except it be a trade among you by mutual consent. And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one another). Surely, Allah is Most Merciful to you. And whoever commits that through aggression and injustice, We shall cast him into the Fire, and that is easy for Allah.”
One who unjustly consumes the wealth of people also takes the wealth of the orphan unjustly. Allah has specifically mentioned their wealth, due to their frailty, the ease at which their wealth can be consumed, and the detestableness of such a crime.
“Those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans, they eat only fire into their bellies, and they will be burnt in the Blazing Fire!”
THE PICTURE-MAKERS
The people who will receive the worst punishment on the Day of Judgment are the picture-makers. [Note: There are a number of crimes in addition to this one, for which the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) mentioned they would warrant the worst punishment.] They are the ones who compete with Allah’s ability to create. Ibn Mas’ood reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah say:
“The people with the worst punishment according to Allah are the picture-makers.”
Ibn ‘Abbas said that he heard the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) say: “Every picture-maker is in the Hellfire. A soul will be placed for him into every picture that he fabricated, and Allah will punish him (by it) in the Hellfire.”
‘A’ishah reported that the Messenger of Allah said concerning a cushion that had pictures on it, “Indeed the makers of these pictures will be tormented on the Day of Judgment. It will be said to them: Bring life to that which you have created.”
He (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) also said: “The people who will receive the worst torment are those who try to imitate the creation of Allah.”
Abu Hurairah reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah say: “Allah says: And who is worse than he who tries to create the likes of My creation. Then let them create a seed, or let them create a kernel or grain.”
THOSE WHO RELY ON EVIL-DOERS (DHALIMOON)
From among the means that cause the entrance into the Hellfire, is the reliance on evildoers, the enemies of Allah, and befriending them.
Allah says (which means): “And incline not towards those who do wrong, lest the Fire should touch you and you have no protectors other than Allah, nor will you then be helped.”
THE WOMEN WHO WILL BE CLOTHED YET NAKED AND THE ONES WHO WILL WHIP THE BACKS OF PEOPLE
Among the types of people that will enter the Hellfire, are the evil women who display their beauty indecently. They put the servants of Allah to trial and do not themselves abide in the obedience of Allah. Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “There are two types of people from the dwellers of the Fire that I have never seen before. A people who have whips like the tails of cows by which they will be beating the people. And women who will be clothed yet naked, swaggering and bent over, their heads will be like the slanted humps of the bukht camel. They will not enter Paradise, nor will they sense its odour, even though its odour can be sensed from such and such distance.”
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Concerning those with whips like the tails of cows, al-Qurtubee said: “The description of the ones with whips is visible among us even now, in Morocco.”
Commenting on the words of al-Qurtubee, Sideeq Hasan Khan said: “Rather, they are present in every time, at every place, increasing day by day among the leaders and the notables. Thus, we seek refuge from all that Allah hates.”
I say, we can still see this type of people in many of the lands, whipping the backs of people. May they and their likes perish!
And the women who appear naked in spite of their being clothed are many in our time. Perhaps their evil has not grown so widespread before as it has these days. They are just as the Messenger of Allah has described them, clothed yet naked, bent-over and swaggering, and upon their heads is the hump of the bukht camel.
THOSE WHO TORTURE ANIMALS
The Messenger of Allah said: “The Hellfire was presented to me and I saw in it a woman from the Tribe of Israa’eel who was being punished for a cat she had. She tied it up and did not feed it, nor did she let it go so that it may eat the rodents of the earth, until it died of starvation.”
If this is the condition of the one who tortures a cat, then how is it for the one who is tested by torturing the servants of Allah? And how much more is it, if the torture is for the righteous ones among them because of their eemaan and their Islam?
THE LACK OF SINCERITY IN SEEKING KNOWLEDGE
Al-Haafiz al-Munthiree cited many hadiths which warn against seeking knowledge for other than Allah’s sake. I have chosen only some of them. The Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever acquires knowledge, by which the Face of Allah is sought, and he does not learn it except to attain honour by it in this world, he will not perceive the odour of Paradise on the Day of Judgment.”
Jaabir reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “Do not acquire knowledge in order to compete with the scholars, nor to argue with the ignorant, nor to gain mastery over the gatherings. So whoever does that, then: The Fire, the Fire!”
Ibn ‘Abbaas reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever acquires a knowledge for other than Allah’s sake, or desiring other than that, then let him find his seat in the Hellfire.”
THOSE WHO DRINK FROM GOLD, SILVER VESSELS
Umm Salamah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: “One who drinks from a gold or silver vessel is only gulping the fire of Jahannam into his stomach.”
In another similar narration, he (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “The one who eats and drinks from a gold and silver vessel, is only...”
Huthayfah reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah say: “Do not wear silk garments nor silk brocade. And do not drink from gold and silver vessels, nor eat from such bowls. For, indeed, they are for them (disbelievers) in this world, and they are for you in the next.”
THE ONE WHO CUTS DOWN THE LOTE-TREE WHICH SHADES THE PEOPLE
The Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever cuts down a lote-tree, Allah will pour Fire on his head.”
‘A’ishah reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “Indeed, the ones who cut down the lote-tree, a molten Fire will be poured on their heads.”
THE RECOMPENSE OF SUICIDE
It has been confirmed in the Two Saheehs that the Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever kills himself with a weapon, then that weapon will be in his hand, stabbing him in the stomach in the Hellfire eternally. And whoever kills himself with poison, then the poison will be in his hand, he will be sipping it in the Hellfire eternally. And whoever throws himself from a mountain and kills himself, then he will be falling down in the Hellfire eternally.”
Abu Hurairah said that he heard the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) say: “The one who strangles himself will be strangling himself in the Hellfire. And the one who stabs himself will be stabbing himself in the Hellfire.”