So what about Hell then? How long will the worst of the creation reside in it?
Notice in the conversation between Allah Almighty and Satan, which obviously took place way before any Revelation from Allah Almighty, that Allah DID NOT use the word "forever" or "eternity" when He promised to burn Satan and his followers in Hell.
This is very important, and you will see why shortly!
Only in Allah Almighty's Revelations or Noble Books to Mankind we see the word "eternity" or "forever" used by Allah Almighty when promising to burn His disobedient creation in Hell. This means that the word "eternity" used in the Noble Quran for Hell represents a limited amount of time as we clearly see in the two sub sections below.
"Eternity" or "forever" in life for us humans is basically the time when a promise was made until either the person who made the promise dies, or until the promise had been fulfilled. When a loved one for instance dies, we usually say "I won't see such and such forever!". This literally means that "I won't see such and such until I die."
So basically, it is quite possible that the worst of the creation of GOD will be punished in Hell for as long as they lived in life, depending on how Allah Almighty likes or dislikes the person, because "life" is the "forever" or the "eternity" of Mankind on earth.
So if the person burning in Hell lived for 30,000 human days on earth for instance, then it is highly possible that Allah Almighty would punish him for 30,000 Allah-Days in Hell.
Note: One Day from Allah Almighty is equivalent to 1,000 human years here on Earth (Noble Verses 22:47 and 32:5). So that's a lot of days (approximately 365,000)!!!
Allah Almighty Said that time in Hell is limited:
The following Noble Verse and quote are from brother Cyber Janissary; may Allah Almighty always be pleased with him:
"[28:84] If any does good, the reward to him is
better than his deed; but if any does evil, the doers of evil are only punished (to the
extent of) their deeds.
(Yusuf Ali's translation)
If the evildoers are only to be punished to the extent of their deeds, they can't get an infinite punishment in Hell for finite sins."
The following article/section was written by brother Abdul Haleem; may Allah Almighty always be
pleased with him.
A corollary to this is the widely accepted view in Islam that MANY - MAYBE ALL SINNERS - DO NOT END PERMANENTLY SUFFER IN HELL! The Quran suggest hell has a remedial - not a purely punitive purpose! In Quran 57:15, Hell is described as the sinner's "maula" - i.e. "friend" or "patron"!
PICKTHAL: So this day no ransom can be taken from you nor from those who disbelieved. Your home is the Fire; that is your patron, and a hapless journey's end.
SHAKIR: So today ransom shall not be accepted from you nor from those who disbelieved; your abode is the fire; it is your friend and evil is the resort.
The reason "no ransom is accepted," is that the Unrepentant Sinner must suffer in Hell to be spiritually purified. This view also finds support in the Quran 11:106-108:
11:106
So as to those who are unhappy, they shall be in the fire; for them shall be sighing and
groaning in it:
11:107
Abiding therein so long as the heavens and the earth endure, except as your Lord please;
surely your Lord is the mighty doer of what He intends.
11:108
And as to those who are made happy, they shall be in the garden, abiding in it as long as
the heavens and the earth endure, except as your Lord please; a gift which shall never be
cut off.
Note that Heaven is "a gift which shall never be cut off" (11:108), whereas Hell lasts only so long "as your Lord please" (11:107).
Further additions by me, Osama Abdallah:
"Khalidin: This is the word which is usually translated "dwell forever" or "dwell for aye". Here it is definitely connected with two conditions, viz: (1) as long as the heavens and the earth endure, and (2) except as Allah wills. Some Muslim theologians deduce from this the condition that the penalties referred to are deeds of a life that will end should not be such as will never end." [3]
Prophet Muhammad said that time in Hell is limited:
The following article/section was written by brother Abdul Haleem; may Allah Almighty always be pleased with him.
Note from me, Osama Abdallah: The Hadiths (Sayings) were taken from the best two authentic resources of our Prophet's Sayings: Sahih Muslim and Sahih Bukhari.
From Sahih Muslim:
Book 001, Number 0359:
Abdullah b. Mas'ud reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace
be upon him) said: I know the last of the inhabitants of Fire to be taken out
therefrom, and the last of the inhabitants of Paradise to enter it. A man will
come out of the Fire crawling. Then Allah, the Blessed and Exalted will say to him: Go and
enter Paradise. So he would come to it and it would appear to him as if it were full. He
would go back and say: O my Lord! I found it full. Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, would
say to him: Go and enter Paradise. He would come and perceive as if it were full. He would
return and say: O my Lord! I found it full. Allah would say to him: Go and enter Paradise,
for there is for you the like of the world and ten times like it, or for you is ten times
the like of this world. He (the narrator) said. He (that man) would say: Art Thou making a
fun of me? or Art Thou laughing at me. though Thou art the King? He (the narrator) said: I
saw the Messenger of Allah laugh till his front teeth were visible. And it was said: That
would be the lowest rank among the inhabitants of Paradise.
Book 001, Number 0355:
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported: Verily the Messenger of Allah (may
peace be upon him) said: Allah will admit into Paradise those deserving of Paradise, and He
will admit whom He wishes out of His Mercy, and admit those condemned to Hell
into the Fire (of Hell). He would then say: See, he whom you find having as much faith in
his heart as a grain of mustard, bring him out. They will then be brought out burned and
turned to charcoal, and would be cast into the river of life, and they would sprout as
does a seed in the silt carried away by flood. Have you not seen that it comes out yellow
(fresh) and intertwined?
Book 001, Number 0368:
Jabir reported that he had heard with his ears the Apostle (may
peace be upon him) saying: Allah will bring out people from the Fire and admit
them into Paradise.
From Sahih Bukhari:
Volume 9, Book 93, Number 597:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Apostle said, "A man who never did any good
deed, said that if he died, his family should burn him and throw half the ashes
of his burnt body in the earth and the other half in the sea, for by Allah, if Allah
should get hold of him, He would inflict such punishment on him as He would not inflict on
anybody among the people. But Allah ordered the sea to collect what was in it (of his
ashes) and similarly ordered the earth to collect what was in it (of his ashes). Then
Allah said (to the recreated man ), 'Why did you do so?' The man replied, 'For being
afraid of You, and You know it (very well).' So Allah forgave him."
Volume 9, Book 93, Number 598:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
I heard the Prophet saying, "If somebody commits a sin and then
says, 'O my Lord! I have sinned, please forgive me!' and his Lord says, 'My slave has
known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for it, I therefore have forgiven
my slave (his sins).' Then he remains without committing any sin for a while and then
again commits another sin and says, 'O my Lord, I have committed another sin, please
forgive me,' and Allah says, 'My slave has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and
punishes for it, I therefore have forgiven my slave (his sin). Then he remains without
Committing any another sin for a while and then commits another sin (for the third time)
and says, 'O my Lord, I have committed another sin, please forgive me,' and Allah says, 'My
slave has known that he has a Lord Who forgives sins and punishes for it I therefore have
forgiven My slave (his sin), he can do whatever he likes."
Volume 9, Book 93, Number 599:
Narrated Abu Said:
The Prophet mentioned a man from the people of the past or those who
preceded you. The Prophet said a sentence meaning: Allah had given him wealth and
children. When his death approached, he said to his sons, "What kind of father have I
been to you?" They replied, "You have been a good father." He told them
that he had not presented any good deed before Allah, and if Allah should get hold of him
He would punish him.' "So look!" he added, "When I die, burn me, and when I
turn into coal, crush me, and when there comes a windy day, scatter my ashes in the
wind." The Prophet added, "Then by Allah, he took a firm promise from his
children to do so, and they did so. (They burnt him after his death) and threw his ashes
on a windy day. Then Allah commanded to his ashes. "Be," and behold! He became a
man standing! Allah said, "O My slave! What made you do what you did?" He
replied, "For fear of You." Nothing saved him then but Allah's Mercy (So
Allah forgave him).
Volume 9, Book 93, Number 600:
Narrated Anas:
I heard the Prophet saying, "On the Day of Resurrection I will
intercede and say, "O my Lord! Admit into Paradise (even) those who have faith equal
to a mustard seed in their hearts." Such people will enter Paradise, and then I will
say, 'O (Allah) admit into Paradise (even) those who have the least amount of
faith in their hearts." Anas then said: As if I were just now looking at the
fingers of Allah's Apostle.
Volume 9, Book 93, Number 601:
Narrated Ma'bad bin Hilal Al'Anzi:
We, i.e., some people from Basra gathered and went to Anas bin
Malik, and we went in company with Thabit Al-Bunnani so that he might ask him about the
Hadith of Intercession on our behalf. Behold, Anas was in his palace, and our arrival
coincided with his Duha prayer. We asked permission to enter and he admitted us while he
was sitting on his bed. We said to Thabit, "Do not ask him about anything else first
but the Hadith of Intercession." He said, "O Abu Hamza! There are your brethren
from Basra coming to ask you about the Hadith of Intercession." Anas then said,
"Muhammad talked to us saying, 'On the Day of Resurrection the people will surge with
each other like waves, and then they will come to Adam and say, 'Please intercede for us
with your Lord.' He will say, 'I am not fit for that but you'd better go to Abraham as he
is the Khalil of the Beneficent.' They will go to Abraham and he will say, 'I am not fit
for that, but you'd better go to Moses as he is the one to whom Allah spoke directly.' So
they will go to Moses and he will say, 'I am not fit for that, but you'd better go to
Jesus as he is a soul created by Allah and His Word.' (Be: And it was) they will go to
Jesus and he will say, 'I am not fit for that, but you'd better go to Muhammad.' They
would come to me and I would say, 'I am for that.' Then I will ask for my Lord's
permission, and it will be given, and then He will inspire me to praise Him with such
praises as I do not know now. So I will praise Him with those praises and will fall down,
prostrate before Him. Then it will be said, 'O Muhammad, raise your head and speak, for
you will be listened to; and ask, for your will be granted (your request); and intercede,
for your intercession will be accepted.' I will say, 'O Lord, my followers! My
followers!' And then it will be said, 'Go and take out of Hell (Fire) all those who have
faith in their hearts, equal to the weight of a barley grain.' I will go and do
so and return to praise Him with the same praises, and fall down (prostrate) before Him.
Then it will be said, 'O Muhammad, raise your head and speak, for you will be listened to,
and ask, for you will be granted (your request); and intercede, for your intercession will
be accepted.' I will say, 'O Lord, my followers! My followers!' It will be said,
'Go and take out of it all those who have faith in their hearts equal to the weight of a
small ant or a mustard seed.' I will go and do so and return to praise Him with
the same praises, and fall down in prostration before Him. It will be said, 'O, Muhammad,
raise your head and speak, for you will be listened to, and ask, for you will be granted
(your request); and intercede, for your intercession will be accepted.' I will
say, 'O Lord, my followers!' Then He will say, 'Go and take out (all those) in whose
hearts there is faith even to the lightest, lightest mustard seed. (Take them) out of the
Fire.' I will go and do so."' When we left Anas, I said to some of my
companions, "Let's pass by Al-Hasan who is hiding himself in the house of Abi Khalifa
and request him to tell us what Anas bin Malik has told us." So we went to him and we
greeted him and he admitted us. We said to him, "O Abu Said! We came to you from your
brother Anas Bin Malik and he related to us a Hadith about the intercession the like of
which I have never heard." He said, "What is that?" Then we told him of the
Hadith and said, "He stopped at this point (of the Hadith)." He said, "What
then?" We said, "He did not add anything to that." He said, Anas related
the Hadith to me twenty years ago when he was a young fellow. I don't know whether he
forgot or if he did not like to let you depend on what he might have said." We said,
"O Abu Said ! Let us know that." He smiled and said, "Man was created
hasty. I did not mention that, but that I wanted to inform you of it. Anas told me the
same as he told you and said that the Prophet added, 'I then return for a fourth time and
praise Him similarly and prostrate before Him me the same as he 'O Muhammad, raise your
head and speak, for you will be listened to; and ask, for you will be granted (your
request): and intercede, for your intercession will be accepted .' I will say, 'O
Lord, allow me to intercede for whoever said, 'None has the right to be worshiped except
Allah.' Then Allah will say, 'By my Power, and my Majesty, and by My Supremacy, and by My
Greatness, I will take out of Hell (Fire) whoever said: 'None has the right to be
worshipped except Allah.' ''
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