FAQ in the category of Hell

1 Does Hell speak?

The Creator can speak to any being He creates and every creature He creates can answer Him. The following verse can be given as an example: “Moreover He (Allah) comprehended in His design the sky, and it had been (as) smoke: He said to it and to the earth: ‘Come ye together, willingly or unwillingly.’ They said: ‘We do come (together), in willing obedience.’” (Fussilat 11)

When we view the Quranic verses, we see that, fire and Hell hear, see, speak and get angry:

-  “We said, ‘O Fire! Be thou cool, and (a means of) safety for Abraham!’” (al-Anbiya, 69)

- “One Day We will ask Hell, ‘Art thou filled to the full?’ It will say, ‘Are there any more (to come)?’” (Qaf, 30)

- “When it (fire) sees them from a place far off, they will hear its fury and its ranging sigh.” (al-Furqan, 12)

The scholar Shanqiti states the following acting upon the verse above: “This verse proves that Hell is a being that has understanding, will and feelings.” (Adwaul-Bayan 8/232)

According to what is reported from Abu Said al-Khudri, the Prophet (pbuh) said, “Hell and Paradise fell into dispute.

Hell said: I have the proud and the haughty.

Paradise said: I have only the meek and the humble.

Thereupon, Allah settled their dispute as follows:  

O Paradise! You are (the means) of My Mercy whereby I show mercy to those of My servants whom I wish.

O Hell! You are (the means) of punishment whereby I punish those of My servants whom I wish. I will fill both of you.” (Muslim, Jannah 34; Bukhari, Tafsiru Sura (50), 1, Tawhid, 25)

In this universe, which is a realm of causes, everything is attributed to divine laws. Everything moves in wisdom and order based on these laws. When Allah wills, He deactivates these laws and shows His power. It is called a miracle.

As a matter of fact, it is included in several narrations that mountains, stones and trees knew the Messenger of Allah and talked to him as a miracle.

For example, when the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) migrated from Makkah and the unbelievers started to follow him, he climbed on the mountain called Sabir. Sabir said, “O Messenger of Allah! Please leave me. I fear that Allah will punish me if they hit you on me.  Therefore, I am scared.” Mount Hira called him: “Come to me.” (Qadi Iyad, ash-Shifa, 1/308; Hafaji, Sharhush-Shifa, 3/75)

Therefore, the people of sainthood feel scared in Sabir and safe in Hira. (see Nursi, Mektubat, 19. Mektup)

Such incidents occurred related to some saints, who are Allah’s friends. Allah shows the original forms of the incidents and beings in the hereafter, which is the land of power, whose examples He sometimes shows people. The speech of Hell is a manifestation of this divine power.