ON DEEDS, THE SCALE, AND THE PUNISHMENT OF THE HELL-FIRE

O my brother! Do not be unmindful of thinking about the scale [of deeds] and the scattering of the books [of deeds] to the right and left. After the questioning, the people will be in three groups: (1) A group that has no good deeds whatsoever. A black neck will appear from the Hell-fire and peck at them just as a bird pecks at seeds. It will twist around them and cast them into the Hell-fire. The Hell-fire will swallow them. An announcement will be made to them: “Wretchedness after which there is no happiness.” (2) A group that has no evil whatsoever. An announcer will call out: “Those who used to praise Allâh under every condition may stand up.” They will stand up and proceed towards Paradise. The same procedure will be followed with those who used to spend the night in worship, then those whom the trade of the world did not preoccupy from the remembrance of Allâh . An announcement will be made to them: “Happiness after which there is no wretchedness.” (3) A third group will remain. This will comprise the largest number of people. They were the ones who did good deeds together with evil deeds. It may be concealed to them but it will not be concealed to Allâh as to whether their good deeds are more or their evil deeds are more. However, Allâh will certainly expose this to them in order to demonstrate His bounty in the case of pardoning, and His justice in the case of punishing. The scrolls and books comprising the good and evil deeds will be scattered. The scale [of deeds] will be placed. The eyes will stare at the books [of deeds] to see whether they are placed on the right side or on the left side. They will then look at the point of the scale to see whether it is inclining towards the evil deeds or the good deeds. This will be a very terrifying situation in which the creations will lose their senses.

Al-Hasan rahimahullâh narrated that the head of the Messenger of Allâh was resting on the lap of ‘Â’ishah radiyallâhu ‘anhâ. He then fell asleep. She thought about the hereafter and began crying to such an extent that her tears fell on his cheek. He woke up and asked: “Why are you crying, O ‘Â’ishah?” She replied: “I thought of the hereafter. Will we think of our families on the day of resurrection?” He replied: “I take an oath by that Being in whose control is my life that on three occasions a person will think of no one except his self: (1) When the scales are placed and the deeds are weighed so that man can see whether his scale is light or heavy. (2) When the books [of deeds] are presented so that man can see whether his book is taken towards the right or towards the left. (3) When a person has to cross the Sirât.”

Anas said: Man will be brought on the day of resurrection and made to stand in front of the two pans of the scale. An angel will be appointed over him. If his scale is heavy, the angel will announce in a voice that will be heard by all the creations: “Such and such person is most fortunate. He will never experience wretchedness hereafter.” If his scale is light, the angel will announce in a voice that will be heard by all the creations: “Such and such person is most wretched. He will never experience happiness hereafter.”

When the pan of good deeds is light, the Zabâniyah advance with rods of iron while wearing clothes of fire. They then take the one who is the share of the Hell-fire towards the Hell-fire.

The Messenger of Allâh said with regard to the day of resurrection: “It is the day on which Allâh will call out to Âdam and say to him: ‘Stand up, O Âdam, and send the delegation of the Hell-fire.’ He will ask: “’How many should there be in the delegation of the Hell-fire?’ Allâh will reply: ‘Nine hundred and ninety nine from every one thousand.’ When the Companions yheard that, they were dumbfounded and could not even smile. When the Messenger of Allâh saw his Companions y in this state, he said: “Continue doing good and take glad tidings. I take an oath by that Being in whose control is the life of Muhammad, you certainly have two creatures which no one ever had. We shall certainly be more than those who passed away from the progeny of Âdam and the progeny of Satan.” The Companions y asked: “What are those two creatures, O Messenger of Allâh?” He replied: “Ya’jûj and Mu’jûj (Gog and Magog).” [On hearing this], the Companions y regained their composure. The Messenger of Allâh said: “Continue doing good and take glad tidings. I take an oath by that Being in whose control is the life of Muhammad that on the day of resurrection you will only be like a mole on the side of a camel or like a small outgrowth on the arm of an animal.”

O you who are unmindful of his self! Who is deceived by the preoccupations of this world which is bound to come to an end! Give up worrying about that which you are going to depart from and occupy your thoughts in your destination. You have certainly been informed that the Hell-fire is the destination of all. Allâh says:

“There isn’t anyone among you who will not pass through it. This is a promise upon your Sustainer – inevitable, absolute. We shall then save those who continued fearing [Us] and leave the sinners in it, fallen on their knees.” (Sûrah Maryam, 19: 71-72)

So you are certain that you will pass through it. But you are not sure whether you will be saved from it or not. Now just try and imagine the terrifying experience of having to pass through the Hell-fire. Perhaps you will make preparations to save yourself from it. Ponder over the condition of the creations while they have gauged the calamities of the resurrection. While they are in its afflictions and miseries, waiting for the real news and the intercession of intercessors, when all of a sudden pits of darkness encompass the criminals and a blazing fire towers above them. They hear its sighing and rumbling noise all of which portray the severity of its anger and rage. It is at that time that the criminals will be convinced of destruction and all the nations will fall to their knees. Even the obedient ones will fear an evil destination. An announcer from the Zabâniyah will appear, saying: “Where is such and such person, the son of such and such person? Where is the person who had been procrastinating in the world by having long hopes and who was wasting his life in evil deeds?” They will then rush towards him with rods of iron and advance towards him with severe threats. They will herd him towards the severe punishment and fling him headlong into the pit of Hell. They will say to him: “Taste the punishment. You are most honoured, noble.”

They will live in an abode that is very constricted, whose paths are pitch dark, and whose destructive places are not known. The prisoners will remain therein forever and the fire will be ignited therein. There drink therein will be boiling water while their abode will be the blazing fire. The Zabâniyah will strike them and the Hâwiyah will gather them. All their hopes will be bound to ruin. And there will be no liberation for them. Their feet will be tied to their foreheads and their faces will become black through the darkness of their sins. They will call out from the sides of Hell, and they will shout out from its edges: “O Mâlik! The threat has been enforced on us. O Mâlik! The steel has weighed down on us. O Mâlik! Our skins have been torn apart from us. O Mâlik! Take us out from it. We will not repeat our sins.”

The Zabâniyah will say: “This is impossible. There is no coming out for you from the abode of humiliation. Remain disgraced therein and do not talk to us. If you are taken out from it, you will go back to doing what you were prohibited from doing.” It is then that they will despair and express remorse over their excesses against Allâh . Remorse will not rescue them, nor will regret be of any avail to them. Instead, they will be flung on their faces with their hands tied. The fire will be above them, below them, to their right and to their left. They will thus be drowning in the fire. Their food will be the fire, their drink will be the fire, their clothes will be the fire, and their beds will be the fire. They will be between folds of fire, in shirts of pitch, struck by iron rods and in heavy chains. They will rattle in its constricted places, they will be shattered in its depths, and they will tremble in its calamities. The fire will boil them like a pot placed on a fire. They will cry out for destruction and ruin. Every time they cry out in laments, boiling water will be poured from above their heads. It will melt their skins and all that is in their bellies. Iron rods will strike their foreheads. Consequently, pus will gush forth from their mouths. Their livers will be severed out of thirst. The pupils of their eyes will flow onto their cheeks. The flesh of their cheeks will fall off. The hairs will be plucked out from the sides. In fact, the skins will be torn apart. Every time their skins get burnt, they will be replaced with new skins. The bones will be devoid of flesh. The souls will be left with mere veins and tissues. They will boil in the heat of those fires. Together with all this, they will hope for death, but they will not die.

What will your position be when you look at them with their faces gone pitch black because of the boiling water, with their eyes gone blind, their tongues gone dumb, their backs broken, their bones split, their ears cut off, their flesh torn apart, their hands tied behind their necks, their forelocks joined to their feet, when they will be walking on the fire with their faces, trampling on spikes of steel with the pupils of their eyes?? The flames of the fire would have gone into their internal organs, while the serpents and scorpions of Hâwiyah will be stinging their external parts. These are just a few of their general conditions. Now look at the details of their conditions and also ponder over the valleys and crevices of Hell.

The Prophet said: “There are 70 000 valleys in Hell. Every valley has 70 000 crevices. Every crevice has 70 000 serpents and 70 000 scorpions. The unbeliever and hypocrite will have to go through every single one of these.”

‘Alî narrates that the Messenger of Allâh said: “Seek refuge in Allâh from the well of grief or the valley of grief.” He was asked: “O Messenger of Allâh! What is the valley or well of grief?” He replied: “It is a valley in Hell from which Hell itself seeks refuge 70 times daily. Allâh prepared this valley for those who recite the Qur’ân for show.”

So this is the extent of Hell and the branching out of its valleys. It is equivalent to the valleys of the world. The number of its doors is equal to the number of the seven parts of the body by which a person disobeys Allâh . They are one above the other. The highest is known as Jahannam, this is followed by Saqar, then Lazâ, then al-Hutamah, then as-Sa‘îr, then al-Jahîm and then al-Hâwiyah.

Now look at the depth of al-Hâwiyah. There is no limit to its depth just as there is no limit to the desires in this world. Just as a desire of this world does not end, and instead leads towards a desire greater than the former, in like manner the depth of an abyss of Hell does not end but leads towards an abyss deeper than the former.

Abû Hurayrah narrates: We were with the Messenger of Allâh when we heard a tremor. The Messenger of Allâh asked: “Do you’ll know what this is?” We replied: “Allâh and His Messenger know best.” He said: “It is rock that was cast into Hell 70 years ago. It only reached the bottom now.”

Now look at the levels. The hereafter has greater levels and is far more superior. Just as the occupation of the people with the world differs: you get a person who is completely immersed in it like a drowning person while another person delves into it till a certain limit, in like manner, the Hell-fire’s devouring them will be different. Allâh does not wrong anyone even equal to an atom’s weight. The different forms of punishment will therefore not be the same on every person who is in the Hell-fire. Instead, there will be a certain limit for each person in accordance with his disobedience and sins. However, if the world with all its treasures was presented to the person who is receiving the least punishment, he will give all of it as ransom in order to free himself from the severity that he is experiencing. The Messenger of Allâh said: “The inmate of Hell receiving the least punishment on the day of resurrection will be wearing a pair of sandals of fire. His brains will boil from the heat of his sandals.”

If this is the case with the person who is receiving a lenient punishment, just ponder over the person who will be receiving a severe punishment. No matter how much you doubt the severity of the punishment of the fire, take your finger closer and closer to a fire, and then calculate accordingly. And then you can conclude that you are wrong in your calculation. This is because there is no comparison between the fire of this world and the fire of Hell. However, since the severest punishment in this world is that of this fire, you can gauge the punishment of Hell from it.

If the inmates of Hell found a fire like the fire of this world, they would dive willingly into it in order to flee from the fire in which they are. It is stated in some traditions that the fire of this world was washed with 70 waters of mercy so that the people of this world could endure it. The Messenger of Allâh explicitly described the fire of Hell. He said: “Allâh ordered that the Hell-fire be ignited for 1000 years till it turned red. It was then ignited for another 1000 years till it turned white. It was then ignited for another 1000 years till it turned black. It is thus black and pitch dark.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “Hell-fire complained to its Sustainer saying: ‘O my Sustainer! Part of me has devoured the other part [because of the intense heat].’ So Allâh permitted it to take two breaths, one in winter and one in summer. The severest heat that you experience in summer is from its heat. And the severest cold that you experience in winter is from its bitter cold.”

Anas ibn Mâlik said: “The unbeliever who enjoyed the most comforts in this world will be brought forward. An order will be issued that he be dipped in the Hell-fire for a very short while. He will then be asked: ‘Did you ever experience any comfort?’ He will say: ‘No.’ The person who experienced the most difficulties and hardships in this world will be brought forward. An order will be issued that he be dipped in Paradise for a very short while. He will then be asked: ‘Did you ever experience any difficulty?’ He will say: ‘No.’”

Abû Hurayrah said: “If there were 100 000 or more people in a musjid, and a person from the inmates of Hell were to breathe out, they would all die.” Some ‘ulamâ’ have said with regard to this verse: “The fire will scorch their faces and they will remain disfigured therein” [96] , it will merely scorch them once and it will leave behind no flesh on their bones without it having flung it behind them.

After this, look at the stench of the pus that will flow from their bodies to the extent that they will drown in it. Abû Sa‘îd al-Khudrî narrates that the Messenger of Allâh said: “If a bucket of pus from Hell were to be thrown onto earth, the entire population of earth will stink. This is the drink that they will be given when they shout out of thirst. One of them will be made to drink water of pus. He will take it in gulps but will be unable to swallow it. Death will come to him from every side but he will not die. Allâh says:

“If they ask for help, they will be given water like pus which would scald the faces. What a dreadful drink and what an evil resting place!” (Sûrah al-Kahf, 18: 29)

Then look at their food which is called zaqqûm.

Allâh says:

“Then, O you who have gone astray, who are the rejecters, you shall certainly eat of the zaqqûm tree. You will then fill your bellies with it. You will then drink boiling water over it. You will drink just as thirsty camels drink.” (Sûrah al-Wâqi‘ah, 56: 51-55)

Allâh says:

“It is a tree that grows in the nethermost part of Hell. Its spikes are like the heads of devils. They will certainly eat of it and fill their stomachs therewith. Then on top of that they shall have a brew of boiling water. Then their return is to the Hell fire.” (Sûrah as-Saffât, 37:64-68)

“Falling into a blazing fire. Given to drink from a boiling spring.” (Sûrah al-Ghâshiyah, 88: 4-5)

“Surely We have shackles [to bind them] and a blazing fire. And food that chokes in the throat and a painful punishment.” (Sûrah al-Muzzammil, 73: 12-13)

Ibn ‘Abbâs narrates that the Messenger of Allâh said: “If a single drop from zaqqûm were to fall into the oceans of the world, it would destroy the livelihoods of the inhabitants of earth. What, then, will be the case when it will be their food?” Anas narrates that the Messenger of Allâh said: “Yearn for those things which Allâh encouraged you towards, and be wary of and fearful of those things which Allâh threatened you with be it His punishment, His torment, or Hell. Surely if a drop of Paradise were with you in this world in which you are, it would make this entire world fragrant for you. And if a drop of Hell were with you in this world in which you are, it would make this entire world nauseating for you.”

Abû ad-Dardâ’ narrates that the Messenger of Allâh said: “The inmates of Hell will be cast with hunger to such an extent that the pangs of hunger will be equal to the actual punishment that they are suffering. They will cry out for food. They will be given a thorny plant which will neither nourish nor satisfy the hunger. They will cry out for food again. They will be given a food that chokes in the throat. Then they will remember that when they were in the world and they got choked, they used to drink a liquid to relieve the choking. So they will ask for a drink. Boiling water will be raised above them with steel hooks. When they are lowered towards them, their faces will become grilled. When the drink enters their bellies, it will cut everything that is inside. They will say to each other, call the guards of Hell. They will then call out to the guards of Hell saying: “Call on your Sustainer to give us one day’s relief from the punishment.” The guards will reply: “Didn’t your Messengers come to you with clear signs?” They will reply: “Indeed.” The guards will say: “Continue shouting. The supplications of the unbelievers are of no avail.”

They will then say to each other: “Call Mâlik.” They will call out to him, saying: “O Mâlik! Tell your Sustainer to put an end to us.” He will reply: “You are to remain [here forever].” Al-A‘mashrahimahullâh said: “I have been informed that from the time that they call out to Mâlik till he replies to them will be 1000 years.” They will then say to each other: “Call on your Sustainer directly because there is no one better than Him.” They will say: “O our Sustainer! Our wretchedness has got the better of us and we were a people who were astray. Remove us from it, and if we repeat these sins, we will certainly be of the wrongdoers.” He will reply: “Remain therein in shame and do not speak to Me.” [97] It is then that they will become totally despondent of any goodness. And they will start shouting, expressing remorse and crying out.

Abû Umâmah narrates that the Messenger of Allâh said with regard to these words of Allâh :

“and he will be made to drink water of pus. He takes it in gulps but is unable to swallow it.” (Sûrah Ibrâhîm, 14: 16-17)

“It will be brought close to him and he will express his displeasure with it. When it is brought closer to him, it will grill his face and his scalp will fall off. When he drinks it, it will cut his intestines till it comes out of his anus.”

Allâh says:

“and are given to drink boiling water so that it cuts up their bowels.” (Sûrah Muhammad, 47: 15)

Allâh says:

“If they ask for help, they will be given water like pus which would scald the faces” (Sûrah al-Kahf, 18: 29)

So this is going to be their food and drink when they feel hungry and thirsty.

Now look at the serpents and scorpions of Hell, at their venomous poison, at their huge size, and at their terrifying appearance. They will be let loose on the inmates of Hell and will remain closely attached to them. They will therefore not stop biting and stinging them for a single moment.

Abû Hurayrah narrates that the Messenger of Allâh said: “He to whom Allâh blessed with wealth and he did not pay its zakâh, then a baldheaded serpent having two small black spots above its eyes will appear before him and strangle him on the day of resurrection. It will then grasp him by his jaws and say: ‘I am your wealth, I am your treasure.’” He then recited this verse:

“Those who are miserly with that which Allâh has given them through His grace should not think that this miserliness is good for them. Instead, it is extremely evil for them. That wealth in which they are miserly will be made into a necklace and hung around their necks on the day of resurrection.” (Sûrah Âl ‘Imrân, 3: 180)

The Messenger of Allâh said: “The Hell-fire has snakes which are as thick as the necks of camels. When they bite just once, the heat thereof will be felt for 40 years. It has scorpions as large as donkeys. When they bite just once, the heat thereof will be felt for 40 years.”

These snakes and scorpions will be imposed on the person who was controlled by stinginess, bad character and taunting people in this world. He who was safeguarded from these evil traits will be safeguarded from these snakes and they will not appear before him.

After all this, ponder over the massive bodies that the inmates of Hell will have. Allâh will increase the width and height of their bodies so that their punishment will increase because of this. They will therefore continuously perceive the blaze of the fire and the biting of the scorpions and snakes with all parts of their body at once.

Abû Hurayrah narrates that the Messenger of Allâh said: “The molar tooth of the unbeliever in the Hell-fire will be as huge as Mt. Uhud and the thickness of his skin will be a journey of three days.” The Messenger of Allâh said: “His lower lip will fall to his chest while his upper lip will be retracted in such a way that it will cover his face.” The Messenger of Allâh said: “The unbeliever will drag his tongue on the day of resurrection and the people will trample on it.”

Despite the huge size of the bodies, the fire will burn them repeatedly and their skins and flesh will be repeatedly renewed. Al-Hasan rahimahullâh said with regard to these words of Allâh :

“When their skins get burnt up, We will change their skins for other skins.” (Sûrah an-Nisâ’, 4: 56)

He said: “The Hell-fire will devour them 70 000 times daily. Each time it devours them, it will be said to them: ‘Return [to your original appearance].’ And they will return.”

Now ponder over the crying and shouting of the inmates of Hell, their calls for destruction and their laments. All this will be imposed on them the moment they are cast into the Hell-fire. The Messenger of Allâh said: “Hell will be brought on that day. It will have 70 000 reins. Each rein will be held by 70 000 angels.” Anas narrates that the Messenger of Allâh said: “Crying will be let free on the inmates of Hell. They will cry till all the tears are finished. They will then cry blood to such an extent that furrows will be seen on their faces. If ships were sent into those furrows, they will sail. They will continue crying, shouting, screaming, calling out for destruction, and lamenting. They will try to get some consolation from all this, but they will be prevented from that as well.

Muhammad ibn Ka‘b rahimahullâh said: “The inmates of Hell will make five supplications. Allâh will respond to four of them. When they make the fifth supplication, they will never speak again. They will say:

“They will say: ‘O our Sustainer! You have caused us to die twice and You gave us life twice. We now confess our sins. Now is there any way out [for us]?’”

Allâh will reply by saying:

“This has befallen you because when Allâh alone used to be invoked, you used to reject. And if partners were ascribed to Him, you used to believe. Now judgement rests with Allâh alone, the most high, the supreme.” (Sûrah Ghâfir/al-Mu’min, 40: 11,12)

They will then say: “O our Sustainer! We have seen and heard. Now send us back so that we may do some good.”

Allâh will reply:

“Did you not take an oath previously that there will be no removal for you [from this world]?” (Sûrah Ibrâhîm, 14: 44)

They will say: “O our Sustainer! Remove us from here, we will do good deeds. Not what we used to do [when we were in the world].”

Allâh will reply:

“Did We not grant you a life so that whoever was to ponder could ponder therein? And a warner had come to you! Now taste [the punishment]. There is no helper for the sinners.” (Sûrah Fâtir, 35: 37)

They will say: “O Sustainer! Our wretchedness overwhelmed us and we remained a deviated people. O our Sustainer! Remove us from it. Then if we revert [to sinning], we are certainly sinners.”

Allâh will reply:

“Remain therein in shame and do not speak to Me.” (Sûrah al-Mu’minûn, 23: 108)

They will never speak after this. And this will be the severest intensity of the punishment.

Mâlik ibn Anas rahimahullâh narrates that Zayd ibn Aslamrahimahullâh said the following with regard to these words of Allâh :

“It is now the same to us whether we are impatient or patient – there is no escape for us.” (Sûrah Ibrâhîm, 14: 21)

He said: “They will exercise patience for 100 years. They will then show their impatience for 100 years. They will then exercise patience for 100 years. They will then show their impatience for 100 years. They will then say: ‘It is now the same to us whether we are impatient or patient.’”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “Death will be brought forward on the day of resurrection in the shape of a beautiful sheep. It will be slaughtered between Paradise and Hell. An announcement will be made: ‘O people of Paradise! There is life for eternity without death. And O people of Hell! There is life of eternity without death.’”

Al-Hasan rahimahullâh said: “A man will come out from the Hell-fire after 1000 years. If only I knew that person.” Al-Hasan was seen sitting in a corner and crying. He was asked the reason for his crying. He replied: “I fear Allâh casting me into the Hell-fire without even bothering.”

So this is the gist of the different forms of punishment of Hell. As for the details concerning its sorrows, griefs, regrets, etc. there is no limit to all this. The most serious of all matters, together with the severe punishment that they will receive, is the regret of missing out on the bounties of Paradise, missing out on meeting Allâh , and missing out on His pleasure. This, together with the fact that they sold all this for a few dirhams, in the sense that they sold all this for trivial pleasures in the world for a few days. Moreover, these pleasures were such that they were not pure. Rather, they were impure and filthy.

They will say to themselves: “O how sorrowful! How we destroyed ourselves by disobeying our Sustainer! How we did not impose patience upon ourselves for a few days! Had we exercised patience, those days would have passed and we would have now remained in close proximity to the Sustainer of the universe, enjoying His pleasure and delight.”

O, look at the remorse of these people when they missed out on all this and have been put through all these punishments. None of the bounties and pleasures of the world remained with them. Had they not witnessed the bounties of Paradise, their remorse would not have been so much. However, the bounties of Paradise will be shown to them. The Messenger of Allâh said: “On the day of resurrection, people from the Hell-fire will be brought towards Paradise. When they get close to it, inhale its fragrance, look at its palaces, and see all the other bounties which Allâh prepared for the inhabitants of Paradise, an announcement will be made: ‘Turn them away from it, there is no share for them in it.’ They will then return with such regret that none of the past and latter generations experienced such regret. They will say: ‘O our Sustainer! Had You cast us into the Hell-fire before showing us what You showed us of Your rewards and all that You prepared for Your friends, it would have been easier for us [to bear the Hell-fire].’ Allâh will reply: ‘That is what I intended for you. When you used to be in privacy, you used to be audacious in committing major sins. But when you used to meet people, you used to act as though you are very humble before Me. You used to display before the people the opposite of what you used to give Me from your hearts. You feared the people but you did not fear Me. You respected the people but you did not respect Me. You gave up sins for people but you did not give them up for Me. So today I will make you taste the painful punishment while making unlawful to you the eternal reward.’”

Ahmad ibn Harb rahimahullâh said: “We give preference to the shade over the sun, yet we do not give preference to Paradise over the Hell-fire.”

‘Îsâ said: “How many a healthy body, a radiant face and an eloquent tongue will be shouting tomorrow between the different levels of the Hell-fire!”

Dâ’ûd said: “O my Allâh! I cannot exercise patience over the heat of Your sun. How will I exercise patience over the heat of Your Hell-fire? I cannot exercise patience over the sound of Your mercy, how will I exercise patience over the sound of Your punishment?”

O you poor one! Look at all these conditions and realize that Allâh created the different conditions of the Hell-fire. And that He created people for it – they will not be more or less than the number that He created for it. This is a matter which He already decided upon and is over with. Allâh says:

“Warn them of the day of remorse when the matter will have been decided. While they are heedless and they do not believe.” (Sûrah Maryam, 19: 39)

This not only refers to the day of resurrection but to the eternity. More distinct than the day of resurrection is the matter that has already been decided. It is therefore extremely astonishing that you laugh, play and occupy yourself in matters of this world while you do not know that the matter has already been decided with regard to you. If you say: “If only I knew what my destination is, what my abode is, where my return is, and what matter has been decided for me?” There is an indication for you with which you can gauge for yourself and on whose account you can verify your hopes, viz. that you look at your conditions and your deeds. For surely everything is expedited for that for which it was created. If the path of good has been made easy for you, take glad tidings for you are far away from the Hell-fire. But if everytime you intend doing good but some impediments engulf you and repulse you from doing it, and if everytime you intend doing evil, the means to do it are made easy for you, then you should realize that the sentence [of Hell] has been passed against you. All this is an indication of your destiny just as rain is an indication that plants will grow and just as smoke is an indication that there is a fire somewhere.

Allâh says:

“Surely the righteous are in Paradise. And surely the sinners are in Hell.” (Sûrah al-Infitâr, 82: 13, 14)

Now present yourself before these two verses and you will recognize your abode from these two abodes. Allâh knows best.