Mariam(19):71 is described by the prophet (pbuh) and also by the
companions ibn Masood and Sulaiman ibn Murrah among others. The verse is a description of
how all mankind shall have to pass over Hellfire upon the "sirat" (path) in
order to reach Heaven. Only the pious make it across. The prophet (pbuh) was quoted by the
Companion Sulaiman ibn Murrah as saying that for the pious this traversal shall not harm
them since God shall make it safe for them just as He made the fire of earth safe for
prophet Abraham (pbuh). This traversal shall be at speeds directly proportional to that
person's piety and obedience on earth, with some of them passing as fast as lightning,
some as fast as a swift wind, some running, some walking, some crawling, etc. All of this
information can be found in various hadeeths of the prophet.
Back to Responses to the so called "Contradictions" in the Noble Quran.