Greetings By Angels And The Honour Of Communicating With The Lord Of Universe

When the righteous people will reach their respective places in paradise. God Almighty will appoint one thousand angels for visiting them. They will give them greetings. There will be a palace for the Momin and that palace will have a thousand doors. There will be an angel at every door to salute the faithfuls.

Wal Malaaikatu…baab (Surah Ibid: 23-24)

The highest honour available to the faithful will be the honour of communicating with the Lord of the universe. There are many narrations in this respect. But what is mentioned by the Lord in Surah Ya Sin of the Holy Quran is sufficient that: Salaam…Raheem.

In tafseer Minhajus Sadiqeen a narration of Jabir bin Abdullah has been quoted according to which the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has said that the people of paradise will be drowing (fully enjoying) in the bounties of gardens when a Noor (Radiance) will suddenly flash on then giving out a voice As Salaam Alaikum Yaa Ahlal Jannah. Hence it is said that all those bounties which were available only to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) in the world, including having a word with the Almighty Lord, will be made available, to the people of paradise also in the Hereafter.

There are detailed narrations (traditions) about the divine lights in volume two of Biharul Anwar, one of them being Muqaam-e-Rizwan which is mentioned in the Holy Quran too: Yubash Shirhum…Rizwan. (Surah Taubah 9:21) as well as Wa Rizwan…Akbar. (Surah Ibid: 72).

Joining Of The Faithfuls With The Neighbours Of The Holy Prophet And The Members Of The Holy Progeny (a.s.)

Among all other bounties of paradise is the neighbourhood of Muhammad and Aale Muhammad (a.s.) and meeting with them. The Holy Prophet has said: O Ali! Your Shias will be sitting with bright faces on the pulpits of light and all of them will be my neighbours in paradise. Wa Sheea Taka…Jannah (Dua-e-Nudbah)

Also among the said bounties is permanent dwelling in paradise. When the faithful will know that these highly precious bounties will never be retracted from them (nor will they be diminished) they will experience a wonderful delight in their hearts which is undescribable.

One of the spiritual bounties is that one will be meeting frequently with the messengers and the righteous and faithful persons. Almighty God says in the Holy Quran: Ala Sururim Mitaqaabileen (Surah Saffa'at 37: 44) meaning: They will be sitting on thrones facing one another happily.

Daily Feasts Given By The Messengers (a.s.)

It is mentioned that the people of paradise will be going to visit a Messenger (a.s.) daily and they will be their guests. Of course, on every Thursday, they will be the guests of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.), the Last Prophet. On every Friday they will be invited to the nearness of the Highest One. (What is meant by this week long hosting? We could know it because these our worldly weeks will not be there in Hereafter. May be the timing will be according to the length of our weeks).

Admonition – Why Do We Not Make To Get Paradise?

Above was a brief narration of the bounties of paradise. We will have to fairly think, will any wise man want to deprive himself of the said spiritual joys and pleasures and high positions? Fa Habni…Karmatak (Dua-e-Kumayl)

How much trouble a man takes for getting the worldly positions and ranks even though it is not always certain that he will attain the same. Even if he gets them after suffering and undergoing a lot of difficulties and hardships, there is every possibility of being deprived of the same due to his death. But the same person does not make any effort for getting the exalting places and everlasting bounties even though here it is certain that if he strives he will gain his goal. The reason for this carelessness is man's couragelessness and his drowning in the engagement in the world's short lived pleasures and passions and lusts and greed even though there are thousands of impurities in them as is mentioned in the Holy Quran: Bal Yureedul…Amaamah (Surah 75:5) meaning: But man wants to go on indulging in the evil even in front of him.

Paradise As Described By The Ebertruthful Amirul Momineen (a.s.)

Ali (a.s.) says in one of his sermons in Nahjul Balagha: ” (O Lord!) I believe You are pure and clean of all those things which are not be fitting Your greatness. You are the Creator of all the creation and You are, in the sight of Your creation, the Owner of all secrets (Maknoonaat) concerning nice taste. Accordingly You have created a place named Bihisht (paradise). There in You have provided, for Your guests, all nicities of feasts and of dining and beautiful hoories and handsome lad servants and highly comfortable apartments, extremely pure and clean springs and rivers of tasty drinks and green fields and gardens and delicious fruits. Then You raised Your representative Muhammad Mustafa (s.a.w.s.) who goes on inviting people to the said paradise of lasting pleasures. So (it was the ill luck of mankind that) they neither responded to the true caller towards Truth nor did they incline towards the things You called them to nor did they like what You desired them to like and long for. On the contrary, they remained stick to fraudlent and dead world as a result of which they became disgraced. They befriended one another on the basis of their connection with this valueless world. So whoever befriended this untrustworthy world and became mad after it, became totally blind, so blind that he does not understand what is a detriment and a loss for him. His heart became sick for what was beneficial to him and befitting to him. So he sees with weak and sickly eyes and hears with unhealthy ears. Doubtlessly, worldly desires have made his heart and soul dead and destroyed his intelligence. He has become a slave of this world and also of every one who owns anything from the worldly wealth. (Nahjul Balagha).

Inspite of the fact that there are only two paths before us - no third alternative - man will either to go to Paradise or to hell - Now if one does not take and follow God's path He will not only be deprived of all the bounties mentioned by us above briefly, his dwelling place forever will also be only hell which is full of pains. Only an iota of its pain is and troubles is given below”-

The Hell

Hell is a fathomless, wide and spacious pit. God's anger will turn into fire in it. It is the last jail wherein will be various kinds of punishments, chastisements, pains, troubles, hardships and calamities. They will be such that we cannot even imagine them. We cannot even understand them. In fact it is exactly opposite to paradise. In paradise, there will be every kind of comfort and pleasure and joy and not even an iota of pain or trouble. But in hell, there will be nothing except hardships, troubles, sorrows, griefs and sufferings. There will be no room at all for peace and happiness and comfort. Here are some of the tortures (punishments) being meted out to offenders in hell as mentioned in the Holy Quran: Summa…Zaqqoom. (Surah Waqiah 56:51-52), meaning: Verily, O Misguided! And O deniers! You will have to, surely and certainly, eat Zaqqoom (fruit and leaves of the thorny thoohar). Fa Ma Li Ooo Na…Buttoon (Surah Ibid: 53) meaning: So, due to sheer hunger you will have to fill your stomachs with it. Fa Shaa Ri Boon…Hameem. (Surah Ibid: 54) Meaning: Then you will have to drink extremely hot water (due to extreme thirst you will have no alternative but to drink it).

Punishment Of Hunger And Thirst In Hell

It is mentioned in traditions that the people of hell will be given the punishment of hunger so that they will willy-nilly eat the fruit of the Thoohar tree (balanites). Thereafter they will be made of taste the chastisement of thirst so they may drink more and more from hameem (boiling water): Wa Shqoo…Amaaihim (Surah Muhammad 47: 15). That water will be so hot that it will tear their intestines into bits. It is mentioned that even a drop of it shall break worldly mountain into particles if dropped on them.

Fa Shaariboo Na Shurbal Heem (Surah Ibid: 55) meaning: They will drink this hot water like those camels which had remained thirsty for years. (Heem is plural of Aheem. It means a camel suffering from an illness called Khiyaam. It is like the illness called Marz Istiquaa (in which man remains ever thirsty). No amount of water satisfies them).

Haazaa…Deen (Surah Ibid: 56) meaning: On the Day of Judgement, these sinners will be offered Zaqqoom and Hameem. This will be only the initial punishment. Later chastisement in hell is beyond description.

Zaqqoom – Burning Food For Sinners

The Lord of the universe says: Inna Shaja Rata…Hameem (Surah Dukhan: 43-46) meaning: Verily the (fruit and leaves of Zaqqoom tree) will be the food of those who are great sinners. It is said that they will be deniers and inimical fellows and that Zaqqoom is a thing which will be melted in fire like copper. It is also said that Muhl will be the boiling oil of Zaitoon (Olive) which will boil in stomach like boiling water.

It Will Melt The Outer And The Inner Bodies Of The Offenders

Zuqqoom will boil in the stomachs of deniers like water boiling on fire or like olive oil heated on fierce fire. Then this boiling water will be shed on their heads which will melt all the outer and inner organs of the sinners: Yusabbu…Aleema (Surah Hajj 22:19) meaning: We have big size shackles which cannot be unlocked and fiercely leaping fire and foods which will get stuck up in throats and very a painful punishment.

Imam Baqir (a.s.) is reported to have said that the tree of Zaqqoom will rise up from the deep pit of hell. Its leaves, thorns and fruits all will be of fire. It will be bitter than Musabbar (Aloes) and worse than corpse in bad smell and harder than iron.

Ghisleen, Zaree, Sadeed And Ghassaq

Ghisleen is one of the food to be given in hell: Wa Laa…Ghisleen (Surah Haaqqah 69:36). It is mentioned in tafseer Majmaul Bahrain that whatever will come out the stomachs of the people of hell after eating Zaqqoom will their food once again.

One of the hell food will also be Zaree. It is said that it will be like a thorn, bitter than aloes and more bad smelling than a corpse or carcass and more inflammable than fire itself.

One more hell food is Sadeed: Wa Yusqaa…Ghassaqaa (Surah Ibrahim 14:16). It will be the dirty blood and pus flowing from the private parts of the adulterers in hell.

Another hell food will be Ghassaq: Illaa Hameeman Wa Ghassaaqaa (Surah Naba 78:25). Some commentators have written that it is a spring in hell. Poisons of various poisonous animals flow in it.

Clothing Of The People Of Hell

Qutti at…naar. (Surah Hajj 22: 19) clothing of fire have been prepared for the people of hell. It is said that it will be a dress made up of molten copper.

Almighty Allah says: Saraa Beeluhum…Naar (Surah Ibrahim 14:50) meaning: Their dresses will be made of Qitraan and that their faces will be covered with fire.

Qitraan is a black bad-smelling thing which grows in the skin of a camel afflicted by a disease causing itch. It is being burnt along with the afflicted part of the animal's skin, when it burns out very swiftly.

It is mentioned that if such a dress of hell is made to hang between the sky and earth its foul smell and heat will kill all on earth.

Discharge, Shackles And Chains

Yu'rifoonal…Aqdaam. (Surah Rehman 55:41) meaning: The sinners will be identified by their facial signs which will be blue eyes and black cheeks. At that time they will be dragged towards hell by catching hold of their forehead hair and sometimes their legs or that some by their forehead hair and some by their legs and they will be flung into hell.

Izil Aghlaa…Yusjaroon. (Surah Momin 40:71-72). Meaning: When shackles will be put in their necks, they will be dragged by chains towards hell and then they will be burnt in hell-fire.

Taral Lazeena… Muswaddah. (Surah Zumur 39:60) meaning: You will see that the faces of those people are black who were telling lies about God.

Tal Fakhu…Kaalihoon. (Surah Mominoon 23:104) meaning: Fire will burn their faces and they will become very ugly. Like the burnt down heads of sheep their teeth will be visible and their lips will be hanging.

Guardians Of Hell

Alaihaa…Amara Hun. (Surah Tahreem 66:6). Meaning: Guardian hell will be harsh natured angels who will never be kind or soft to people of hell. They will never do anything against the command of God, that is, their duty.

Wa Lahum…Hadeed. (Surah Hajj 22:21) meaning: There will be iron club with which they will hit those trying to flee from hell.

About the weight of the said club it is mentioned that even if all the men and jinns join together to lift that club they will not be able to lift it.

It is also mentioned that both the eyes of the said guards of hell will be dazzling like lightning flashes and their pointed teeth will be as big as mountains and flames of fire will be leaping out of their fearsome mouths. The distance between their two shoulders will be equal to a one year journey. They are able to throw seventy persons in hell with one hand at a time.

Hell And Its Gates

Lahaa Sabatu…Maqsoom. (Surah Hijr 22:21) meaning: There are seven gates in hell. Every of the sinners will enter hell through these gates as fixed for them. As informed by Ali (a.s.) the names of the these seven gates of hell are as under: -

The last and the lowest floor is 'Jahannum'. The zone above it is Lazzaa, above it Hutamaa, above it Hutamaa, above it Saqar and above it Jaheem. Above it is Saeer and above it Haaviyah. There is no doubt that chastisements in all of them will be different in harshness and pain.

Hellfire Has Intelligence

The words of the Holy verses indicate that, contrary to this world's fire, the fire in hell possesses sense and intelligence. Almighty Allah says: Yawma Naqoolu…Mazeed (Surah 50:30) meaning: The Day when We will ask hell: Are you full? It will reply: Are there more worthy of punishment still? It means: I still have room to accommodate them and a wish to burn these who are worthy of being burnt.

Moreover, hellfire recognizes those who are deserving punishment. It will attack them. It has power of drawing (magnetic attribute). It will also screem.

Almighty Allah says: - Izaa Ra Athum…Zafeera (Surah Furqaan 25:12), meaning: When hellfire will see the people of hell from a distance it will, out of anger screem fiercely and it will be heard by the sinners.

The Noor (Light Or Radiance) Of The Faithfuls Will Lower Flames Of Hell

Takkaadu…Ghaiz (Surah Mulk 67:8) meaning: It is about to crash angrily on the deniers.

It is mentioned in narrations that, when a faithful will be passing over the Siraat Bridge he or she will hear the voice of hell. O faithful! Please pass away quickly from above me as your light is cooling my flames. Since a Momin has kindness and hellfire has anger, the Mercy of the Lord overtakes His anger. Yaa Man Saba Qatrah Mata Husband Ghaza Bahu (ya man sabaqat rahmatahu ghadabahu) (Dua-e-Kuamyl). In short, there are many evidences with us to show that hellfire too, like all other substances in the Hereafter, possesses life and wisdom and intellifence. It is the friend of the friends of God and the enemy of the enemies of God.

Sinners Will Live In A Very Congested Place

On of the attributes is also that despite its ability to accomadate all men and jinn and even them remaining empty, the sinners will live in extreme congestion like a nail in a wall: Wa Izaa Ulqoo…Suboora. (Surah Furqaan 25:23) meaning: When the sinners will be hurled in the congested corner of hell, bound by chains of fire. Being harshly pressed they will desire death and say: Waa Asfaah (Oh Alaas!) As the righteous will be in ease and comfort and spaciousness and in light, those in hell will be in darkness and eternal terror quite like the one who is caught in the bottom of a see engulfed by layers of darkness over darkness.

Almighty Allah says: Awka Zulu Maatin…Yaraahaa. (Surah Noor 24:40) meaning: The darkness will be so grave that he will not be able to see his own hand despite trying.

Mental Or Spiritual Toture

For the people of hell, there will be mental and spiritual tortures too in addition to physical punishments and pains. One of them will be that they will always remember and realize that they have to remain in this terrible condition forever and to bear these troubles endlessly. They will never be saved from this chastisement. This will be the most unbearable thing for the sinners. There is no doubt that those Kuffar and Munaafiqeen who died faithlessly despite the fact that arguments were completed before them, will forever remain in hellfire torture.

Lord Almighty says: Innal…Abadaa (Surah Baiyinah 98:8) and at another place: Zaalika…Khuld (Surah 41:28).

So the punishment for the enemies of God is hellfire in which they will dwell forever.

Kafir Will Not Enter Paradise

Rather, God has termed the exit of a denier from hell as impossible. He says in the Holy Quran: Walaa…Khiyaat. (Surah A'raaf 7:40) meaning: They (unbelievers) will not enter paradise until a camel passes through the hole of a needle. That is, it is impossible, for a denier to enter paradise. There are many hadiths in this connection. Anyone who will have even an iota of Faith (Eemaan) will not remain in hell forever.

Deprivation From Divine Bounties Is The Worst Punishment

Another Roohani Azaab or spiritual torture is that a sinner in hell will always remember and lament that he has been deprived of innumerable Divine bounties of various kinds. Not only that, he wil never get God's mercy but only His anger.

Says the Holy Quran: Kallaa…Mahjooboon (Surah 83:15) meaning: Doubtlessly, on that Day, people will be veiled from their Lord, that is, they will not obtain Divine mercy and grace and reward. At another place: Laa Khalaaqa…Aleem (Surah Aale Imraan 3:77) meaning: For them there is no reward in Hereafter (Aakerat) and God will not even communicate with them and will have no mercy or kindness for them.

Deadly Regrets In Hell

One of the spiritual or mental tortures in hell will be the regret and sorrowfulness which will make one desirous of death had it been possible to die there daily. The Lord of the universe says about their grief pointing to their deeds: Kazaa Lika…Sabeela. (Surah Baqarah 2:167) and also Wayawma…(Surah Furqaan 25:27)

On that Day, the unjust oppressor will bite his hands with his teeth and say: Alas, how nice would it have been had I took the path of the Holy Prophet.

Imam Sadiq (a.s) is reported to have said that when the people of paradise and the people of hell will be settled in their respective places windows will open up between paradise and hell. An announcer will announce: O people of Paradise! Just look at the satations of the people of hell and their condition. Had you also disobeyed Divine Commands you too would have been in this state in hell. Then will come another voice: O people of Hell! Look at the highrise apartments of the people of Paradise. Had you obeyed Allah this comfort would have been for you also. This will make the sinners so gloomy that had it been possible to die in the Hereafter they would have died of their sorrow.

Scoldings And Spiritual Punishment In Hell

Among various tortures is the scolding, threating and humiliating. All of theses will be meted out to the hell dwellers not only by God and Angels but by the people of paradise also, even by satans as is mentioned in the Holy Quran: Alam…Anfusanaaa. (Surah Anaam: 30) meaning: “Had messengers not come to you? Did they not inform you to Our signs and did they not frighten you about Our Anger? They will reply: Yes, we are witnssess against ourselves.” Again God says: Awalam…Nazeer. (Surah 35:37) meaning: Did We not give you enough respite in the world so that you would have alerated when a warner (of this Day) had come to you. So now taste the chastisement. Today ther is no helper for the unjust oppressors.

There are many other similar addresses: The angels guarding hell will also scold them as is mentioned in the Holy Quran: Kullamaa…Saeer. (Surah Mulk 67:8-11) meaning: When any army or a group will be hurled in hell the angel in charge of hell will ask them: Had no warner ever come to you? They will reply: Yes, they did come but we denied him and we had said: God has not revealed anything; that you yourselves are in big waywardness. And they will say: Had we heard and listened to their say and had we used our intelligence we would have never been in hell. So they will confess their sins.

Taunting By Satans And Wihtholding Of Weeping By Hell Dwellers

Even Satans (devils) will taunt people of hell and they will make a mockery of them. It is mentioned that the sinners will not weap and cry and complain loudly for fear of being mocked by devils. Says the Lord: “When the hell dwellers will be dealt with and when they willl reach their destination in hell Satan will tell them: Verily, God had given you a true promise. I had also given you a promise but it was false. Yet I had no binding pwer over you. Of course, I dropped a doubt in your hearts and you, wrongly using your freedom, believed in my false promise. So, now, do not scold me but scold your ownselves. Today neither I can help you nor you can assist me. I am fed up with you now, as you made me a partner of God in the world. Doubtlessly a painful chastisement is fixed for the unjust oppressors.” (Surah Ibrahim 14: 22)

You Too Found It True What Was Promised To You

The people of paradise will also scold the hell dwellers. In Surah A'raaf: 44, God Almighty says: “The people of paradise will give a call to the hell-dwellers and say: We have got all the things promised to us by our Lord. Did you also get the punishments about which you were warned by your Lord? They will say: Yes, we have received those chastisements. Then an announcer will arrive to annonce: Curse of God on the unjust oppressors.”

God says: Fal Yawma…Yaz Hakoon (Surah Mutaffifeen: 34) meaning: Doubtlessly, today the Momineen (faithful) will laugh over the Kuffar (unbelievers) and make them targets of mockery and humiliation. It will be an answer to what the deniers were doing to the believers in the world.

Stay With Satans In Hell Will Be A Painful Punishment

Among all spiritual punishments is also that of living with Satans and with all other hell dwellers. While the people of paradise will enjoy one another's company. The hell dwellers will abhor one another and they will be hating one another strongly. This has been hinted at in the Holy Quran: Wa Man…Qareen (Surah Zukhruf: 36-37) meaning: “Those who will close their eyes from remembering Allah, We will make Satans overpower them who will be their permanent companion. Those Satans will restrain them from adopting the true path. But such people will (falsely) imagine that they had found the true path until the denier will, along with his same devil fellow traveller come before Us in the place of punishment. Then he will say to the Satan: Alas! How nice had there been a distance of east and west between you and me because you are a bad companion.”

It is narrated that both will be bound in one and the same chain and hurled into hell.

They Will Deny One Another

Iztabarra…Minnaa. (Surah Baqarah 2: 166-167) meaning: Regarding the enmity between the helpers of oppressors and the followers of misguiding leaders, the Lord says: “When those who were followed will deny any connection with them (that is the leaders will deny their followers) and all of them will witness chastisement. Means of their salvation will be cut off. Then the followers will say: Alas, how nice had we were allowed to return to the world once again so that we may also acquit them as they are now acquitting us.”

Regarding to enmity between hell dwellers, God Almighty says at another place in the Holy Quran: Summa…Ba'zaa. (Surah Ankabut 29:25) meaning: Then, on the Day of Resurrection, some of you will declare some as deniers and some of you will curse some of you.

Again He says: Al Akhillaaa…Mutta Queen (Surah Zukhruf: 67) meaning: “Those who were friends in the world will become enemies, except faithful and righteous people. They will be friendly with one another as they were in the world.”

It is mentioned that a friendship which was not for the sake of God in the world will turn into enmity in the Hereafter. Almighty Allah says: Wa Inna…Azwaaj. (Surah Saad 38:55-58) meaning: Verily, there will be a very bad return for the rebels and the deviators from truth. They will be hurled in hell and their bed therein will be fire and it is a very bad resting place. The rebels should taste it and they should also drink Hameem and Ghassaq (burning and foul smelling water) and they should taste various other chastisements too which will amount to terrible torture.

Blaming One Another In Hell

It is mentioned that when the misguiding leaders will be thrown into hell and when their followers will also be made to join them therein, the leaders will ask: Who are these people? (The guardian of helll will reply): This is a group which will remain with you in all the hardships of hell. The leaders will say: Bad indeed (ominous) is their arrival. They are people of hell. The followers will reply: But you are ominous because you are the cause of our chastisement. So hell is a bad dwelling place. Then they will say: O our Lord! Give double punishment to those who caused this chastisement to us because they themselves were misguided and they misguided others also. (Surah 38:59).

The events, condition and dialogues quoted above are doubtlessly true. That is how the people of hell will quarrel with one another.

Will This Weak Body Be Able To Bear Such Sentences?

Some doubts can possibly rise, in people's minds. We are briefly hinting to them here with their replies. One such question can be how man will be able to bear so much hard and painful punishment the lowest degree of which cannot even be imagined in the world?! He will be finished in the first strike. How hard is the punishment and how weak is man's body?!

Man’s Body Will Also Become As Hard As His Heart

The answer to the above mentioned querry (doubt) is that though it is quite true that man will have this same body in the Hereafter too, but, by the power of God the Almighty, it will be made so strong that it cannot be compared with its worldly (previous) form. In fact, in the Hereafter, the physical condition of man will be subject to his spiritual condition, both in hardness and softness. Just as the soul of the faithful was very soft and smooth in the world and it was being affected while confronting every truth (as has been said by the Amiral Momineen (a.s) in Nahjul Balagha: “Al Mominoona….” Similarly, in the Aakherat too his body will be soft and smooth like their souls. Likewise bodies of deniers will be as hard and tough as their souls were in the world.

God says in the Holy Quran: Quloobukum…Qaswah. (Surah Baqarah 2: 74). Just as it is not bending before truth in the world it will remain harsh and stiff in Hereafter too (like his heart).

In The Hereafter, Truth Will Overtake Appearance

It is mentioned that, in the Hereafter, the teeth of deniers become as big as the mountain of Uhad (then like what will be his body?!). In other word, in Aakherat, meaning: (reality) will overcome face (appearance). All facts will come out in the open and the inner and outer will become manifest.

Yawma Tublas Saraait (Surah 86:9)

Qiyamat is the Day of the unveiling of secrets. It is also mentioned that when the inner and outer organs of body will disintegrate and tear up by chastisement (such as eating Zaqqoom and drinking Hameem) all these body parts will recover soon again (rather the skin will be changed a number of times).

The Holy Qurans mentions clearly: Kul Lamaa…Azaab (Surah Nisaa 4:59) meaning: Whenever their skins will burn up We will change them so that they may continue to taste the chastisement adequately.

Is Painful Punishment Becoming Divine Justice?

Another doubt which can come to man's mind is: Are such severe punishments communstrate with Divine Justice?

Such doubt is the result of thinking that the Divine punishment is like the tortures inflicted by the despotic rulers of this world. But this imaginary likeness is in no way correct because what the worldly tyrants to is for taking personal revenge and for pleasing themselves by punishing their offenders. They want to cool their anger in that way. They frown upon those who oppose them; they boil in anger. In order to subside their wrath they order their imprisonment, torture and even killing etc. But the Divine punishment will not be like that. There, whatever will happen will be caused by what had happened in the world. If the sin is serious its punishment will also be serious and if the error was light its punishment will also be proportionately light. The result of faithlessness will be to remain in perpetual darkness Turning away from God will result in permanent sandwitching and pressure. The result of every trampled right will be everlasting blindness and deafness. The consequence of following devilish leaders will be dwelling with them forever. The essential result of eating the property of an orphan will be flaring of fire in the devilish devourer's stomach. This makes it clear that man will get hell fire by way of his own earning. He will be liable to various punishments in hell only because of his own misdeeds and evil character and misbehaviour. In the light of what is said in the Holy Quran the fuel of hell fire also will be wrongdoer persons: Fattaquo…Hijaarah. (Surah Baqarah 2: 24)

Self Prepared Punishment

It can be understood from the above that the reasons of getting punishments in hell will have been provided by the sinner man himself. He had behaved wrongfully unjustly and oppressively with himself. God never oppresses anyone: Innallaah La…Yazlimoon. (Surah Yunus 10: 44)

How at all a Kafir denier ever be given entrance to paradise which is extremely Holy and soft place when that fellow had indulged in dirtiness, harshness, rebellion, deviation and disobedience to God?! Bihisht (Paradise) is a very very secure and peaceful place where only healthy people can enter who does not have any foul illnss. How can a man whois full of internal illnesses like envy, malignness, enmity, stinginess, pride, egotism, be allowed engrance to paradise? The residence of such ill people is a hospital (Beemaaristaan) of hell, not the paradise which is a place of permanent peace.

Adoration Before The Blind And Singing Before The Deaf?!

The truth is that to allow a denier entrance to paradise is just like pouring scented oil on the head of a man who has lost his faculty of smelling due to severe cold. It is like putting a thing at an inappropriate place. (It is never commensurate with Divine Wisdom). It is called Zulm in Arabic. Therefore hurling a Kafir in hell is in no way opposite of Divine Justice because in Arabic ADL means to put a thing in its appropriate place (God is ADL means Just). That is why entrance of a denier in paradise is impossible. It is totally against divine justice (Adl-e-Ilaahi). He (the Kafir) can never enjoy paradise because it is just like a beautiful bride who adorns herself for a blind fellow or sings before a deaf person.

What Has The Merciful To Do With Punishment?!

Even after all that as been said above, it is likely that some one may ask: How can God, the Most Merciful, Who loves His creation beyond measure, will put his beloved creation to fierce punishments?! The answer is that though God is most soft and lenient, He also is wrathful and mighty. As He is Rehman and Raheem, so also He is Jabbaar and Qahhaar. Just as paradise is the manifestation of extreme kindness, so is the hell the manifestation of extreme anger and wrarh. Yaa man Sabaqat Rahmatahu Ghazabahu is the attribute according to which He is not happy that His creation should become Kafir by disobeying Him and go to hell. (Laa Yarzaa Li Ibadihil Kufr). But when the creation, despite knowing His displeasure, opts for the road leading to hell, He also does not prevent them per force from going in that direction because it is against His wisdom God is absolutely independent of every or any need. He is also not needy of our faith.

Forcible Tawbah (Repentance) Is Useless

Yet He has, on the basis of His mercy and kindness, towards His creation made Tawbah (true repentance) the cause of protection from the above mentioned punishments. He has kept this door open until the last breath of man. But if the creation turns away its face from this kindness also, He also does not force them to repent because a forced tawbah will not be a tawbah at all. Doubtlessly, God is Merciful and Beneficent and it is because of it that He has ordered the creation to follow His commands and to carry out all obligatory and voluntary good deeds leading to paradise and He guided us toward it. Similarly He also commanded us to refrain from all evil, prohibited and indecent things which take one away from God and make him near to Satan and consequently lead to hellfire. Thus it can be understood that all these religious commands and dutied are due to His vast mercy and kindless. Therefore, a faithful person should also take care and he should never lag behind in fulfilling his religious duties. He must realize that failure to do any obligatory duty is his permanent loss which is irrepartable. In this way he will be depriving himself of divine mercy. No other thing can avert this loss.

A Short Lifespan And Permanent Punishment

One more objection can also be that if a Kafir got a lifespan of say fifty or sixty (or more) years. Then, how can it be proper that he should suffer for over ever endlessly in hell? The answer is: The denier who, spent his entire life in disbelief had, in reality, in that very short lifespan by misusing his freedom of action, gathered such a huge and permanent evil that its essential consequence is entrance to everlasting hell. In other words, he opted for such a darkness for himself, where no ray of light can ever reach till eternity. Likewise, the faithful who left this world with piety and God fearingness earnerd in his short life and undiminishing success, that is, he earned and inextinguishable light.

Eternity Will Be Based On The Intention Of Good Or Evil

It is mentioned in Biharul Anwaar that Abu Hashim asked Imam Sadiq (a.s.) why the dwelling in paradise or hell will be permanent? The Imam (a.s.) replied: The people of hell will live in hell forever because their intention in the world was that had they to live in the world forever they would disobey God forever. Likewise the reason of the people of paradise living there in permanently is also that their intention in the world was that if they had to live in the world forever they would always obey God and and would never defy his commandments. So, it is the intention that results in the permanent residents of the people of paradise in paradise and the permanent dwelling if the people of hell in hell. The Holy Quran says:

Everyone acts according to his intention.

Wa Aakhiru Daa Waanaa Ani Hamdu Lillaahi Rabbil Aalameen Wa Sallaallahu Alaa Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) Wa Aalihit Taiyibeen Wat Taahireen