Will Hell eventually be empty? For how long will Allah Almighty punish some of His creation?

Introduction: Hell according to Islam will eventually be empty. The following Verses are further explained in full details in the article:

"To those who reject Our signs and treat them with arrogance, no opening will there be of the gates of heaven, nor will they enter the garden, until the camel can pass through the eye of the needle: Such is Our reward for those in sin. (The Noble Quran, 7:40)"

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.' When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, 'Who then can be saved?' Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.' (From the NIV Bible, Matthew 19:23-26)"

In Noble Verse 7:40 above, we clearly see a promise from Allah Almighty to let all of the disbelievers enter Paradise if the miracle of the Camel going through the needle's eye happens. Jesus peace be upon him did talk about the same miracle and said that it is humanly impossible, but definitely possible with GOD Almighty.

I do believe Jesus' Saying in Matthew 19:23-26 is Truthful and not corrupted because it is fascinating that Allah Almighty inspired Jesus to talk about the miracle of the camel going through the needle's eye long before Allah Almighty revealed it in the Noble Quran.

Some say that the claim in Noble Verse 7:40 is as INFORMAL as us saying "this will happen when pigs fly" or "this will happen when cows climb the wall"; that in other words it is impossible for the disbelievers to leave Hell.

Well, Allah Almighty in the Noble Quran is very pithy and formal. He says the least words with the most meaningful meanings. In Noble Verse 7:40, I strongly believe that He made a clear PROMISE to the disbelievers and not an informal and SARCASTIC statement, because He certainly can make pigs fly and cows climb walls, and yes, he also can make a camel go through a needle's eye. Nothing is impossible to Him.

If Holly Wood today can shoot a movie clip showing a giant camel passing through a needle's eye with their highly advanced and sophisticated digital technology, then Allah Almighty can certainly make that a reality.

So therefore, there is no proof that Allah Almighty was being sarcastic in Noble Verse 7:40.

Please visit What parts of the Bible do Muslims believe are closest to the Truth?

Will Hell eventually be empty? For how long will Allah Almighty punish some of His creation?

* Please read the entire article very carefully. All of the essential Noble Verses that deal with Hell's punishment are addressed in this article.

The sections of this article are:

- Will Hell eventually be empty? For how long will Allah Almighty
   punish some of His creation?
   - Analysis.
- Allah Almighty Created Heaven to represent His Mercy, and Hell
   to represent His Punishment.
- Hell is a purifying place.
- So what about Hell then? How long will the worst of the creation
   reside in it?
   - Allah Almighty Said that time in Hell is limited.
   - Prophet Muhammad said that time in Hell is limited.
- What does "forever" really mean?
- Will Allah Almighty Forget about the People of Hell while they are
   in Hell?
- Will Satan himself be forgiven?
- So why didn't He directly Say in the Noble Quran that Hell will
   eventually be emptied then?
- What about Noble Verses 20:74 and 35:36? Don't they suggest
   that the disbelievers will never get out of Hell?
- What about Noble Verse 7:50 where the goods of Heaven are forbidden
   to the people of Hell?
- Doesn't Noble Verse 7:40 clearly state that the disbelievers will
   never ever leave Hell?
   - Jesus elaborated on Noble Verse 7:40 before Islam. He actually
     explained it before Islam!
- "Non of the Muslim scholars agree with you! How dare you suggest that
   Hell will be empty?"
- Allah Almighty can't make such claim!
- Conclusion.

Well, to answer this question, we have to go all the way back to the conversation that took place between Satan and Allah Almighty to see and analyze the intentions of the Almighty GOD in punishing His creation.

Adam was first created on Earth: "Behold, thy Lord said to the Angels: 'I will create a vicegerent on earth.'...(The Noble Quran, 2:34)"

Iblis became Satan: "Behold! We said to the Angels, 'Bow down to Adam': they bowed down except Iblis. He was One of the Jinns, and he broke the Command of his Lord....(The Noble Quran, 18:50)"

"It is We Who Created you and gave you shape; then We bade the Angels bow down to Adam, and they bowed down; not so Iblis; he refused to be of those who bow down. (Allah) said: 'What prevented thee from bowing down when I commanded thee? He said: 'I am better than he: Thou didst create me from fire, and him from clay. (Allah) said: 'Get thee down from this: it is not for thee to be arrogant here: get out, for thou art of the meanest (of creatures). He said: 'Give me respite till the day they are raised up. (Allah) said: 'Be thou amongst those who have respite.' He said: 'Because thou hast thrown me out of the Way, lo! I will lie in wait for them on thy Straight Way: Then will I assault them from before them and behind them, from their right and their left: Nor wilt Thou find, in most of them, gratitude (of Thy mercies).' (Allah) said: 'Get out from this, disgraced and expelled. If any of them follow thee - Hell will I fill with you all. (The Noble Quran, 11-18)"

Iblis was a Jinn who was raised and lived with the Angels. He is a powerful Jinn, and Allah Almighty loved him so much that He treated him like an Angel, until Iblis broke Allah Almighty's Commands and turned into Satan and was expelled with disgrace from the Group of the Angels and from Paradise.

Please visit Was Adam created on Earth or in Heaven?

Analysis:

1- We see that Satan was arrogant and dared to break Allah Almighty's direct command to him.

2- Because of this, Allah Almighty became mad from Satan and threw him out of the group of the Angels and out of Paradise.

3- Satan asked Allah Almighty to give him the opportunity to lead stray people from Mankind to prove to Allah Almighty that "most of Mankind (according to Satan)" are ungrateful to Allah. Allah Almighty granted Satan that opportunity.

4- It appears that Allah Almighty Has a Wisdom that no one in the Universe knows about for creating Good and Evil. It appears that Allah Almighty created Heaven and Hell for a purpose that only Him Knows it.

5- It would certainly not make any sense that because of Satan's wish alone, Allah Almighty made Hell to be the place to burn some of His creation for eternity.

6- It is obvious that Allah Almighty Willed for all of this Good and Bad conflict to occur, and saw Satan as the perfect candidate to start Evil with, since Satan was very highly arrogant.

Allah Almighty Created Heaven to represent His Mercy, and Hell to represent His Punishment:

Narrated Abu Huraira: "The Prophet said, 'Paradise and Hell (Fire) quarreled in the presence of their Lord. Paradise said, 'O Lord! What is wrong with me that only the poor and humble people enter me ?' Hell (Fire) said, I have been favored with the arrogant people.' So Allah said to Paradise, 'You are My Mercy,' and said to Hell, 'You are My Punishment which I inflict upon whom I wish, and I shall fill both of you.' ' The Prophet added, 'As for Paradise, (it will be filled with good people) because Allah does not wrong any of His created things, and He creates for Hell (Fire) whomever He will, and they will be thrown into it, and it will say thrice, 'Is there any more, till Allah (will put) His Foot over it and it will become full and its sides will come close to each other and it will say, 'Qat! Qat! Qat! (Enough! Enough! Enough!).' (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, ONENESS, UNIQUENESS OF ALLAH (TAWHEED), Volume 9, Book 93, Number 541)"

Narrated Anas: "The Prophet said, 'Some people who will be scorched by Hell (Fire) as a punishment for sins they have committed, and then Allah will admit them into Paradise by the grant of His Mercy. These people will be called, 'Al-Jahannamiyyiin' (the people of Hell).' (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, ONENESS, UNIQUENESS OF ALLAH (TAWHEED), Volume 9, Book 93, Number 542)"

In the above Sayings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, we clearly see that Allah Almighty Created Heaven for Mercy and Hell for Punishment. Those who will enter Hell at first and then be grated Heaven by the Mercy of Allah Almighty will be called "Al-Jahannamiyyiin".

It is important to know that Allah Almighty's Mercy is bigger than His Anger:

Narrated Abu Huraira: "Allah's Apostle said, 'When Allah completed the creation, He wrote in His Book which is with Him on His Throne, 'My Mercy overpowers My Anger.' ' (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Beginning of Creation, Volume 4, Book 54, Number 416)"

Hell is a purifying place:

Hell is a place that will cleanse us from our sins. It is a place to purify us:

So if Hell is a purifying place for our sins, then it is highly possible that Allah Almighty will use it to purify the sins for even those who are the worst of the creation and then admit them to Heaven.

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 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.' ''

What does "forever" really mean?

The Arabic word for "forever" that Allah Almighty used in the Noble Quran is "Abada". Abada is derived from "Abad" which means "ever". The addition of the "a" at the end of Abad makes the Arabic word be referring to or connected with something.

So Abada = forever = for-ever.

"ever" is something created by GOD. Almost everything Allah Almighty Created has a limit in time.

Allah Almighty defined "forever" for Paradise as an on going never ending thing, while the "forever" used for Hell had a time limit. Let us look at the following from the Noble Quran:

"Those who are wretched shall be in the Fire: There will be for them therein (nothing but) the heaving of sighs and sobs: They will dwell therein for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure, except as thy Lord willeth: for thy Lord is the (sure) accomplisher of what He planneth. And those who are blessed shall be in the Garden: They will dwell therein for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure, except as thy Lord willeth: a gift without break. (The Noble Quran, 11:106-108)"

Notice as brother Abdul Haleem emphasized above that the time limit that Allah Almighty had set for Paradise is endless and is a "gift without break", while the time for Hell is limited to "the time that the heavens and the earth endure, except as thy Lord willeth". It is clear that the time in Hell in the Noble Quran is limited and the time in Paradise never ending.

Notice the assurance of Allah Almighty about the time of Paradise being infinite, while He didn't make the same claim about the time of Hell. In fact, He left the time of Hell open and unclear, which clearly proves that Hell will eventually be empty according to Islam, or to say the least, it will not be infinite in time as Paradise.

Will Allah Almighty Forget about the People of Hell while they are in Hell?

"The Companions of the Fire will call to the Companions of the Garden: 'Pour down to us water or anything that Allah doth provide for your sustenance.' They will say: 'Both these things hath Allah forbidden to those who rejected Him - Such as took their religion to be mere amusement and play, and were deceived by the life of the world.' That day shall We forget them as they forgot the meeting of this day of theirs, and as they were wont to reject Our signs. (The Noble Quran, 7:50-51)"

"It will also be said: 'This Day We will forget you as ye forgot the meeting of this Day of yours! And your Adobe is the Fire, and no helpers have ye! (The Noble Quran, 45:34)"

"Forget" is of course metaphorical for "deliberately to ignore". [2]

The idea of the Punishment of Hell is to live in total darkness. Here in life, Allah Almighty has some spiritual connections or Holy Spirit connection between Him and His Creation. That is why we see Good. That is why we ultimately feel better after facing a dilemma. That is why we hope for Good to win over Evil. There is this "Super Power" that we feel in our daily lives. Even those who claim to be Atheists feel GOD Almighty when they lie in bed facing GOD Almighty (upwards) wishing deep inside themselves to be cured. We all make wishes to the "Supreme Power" regardless of our religion.

Allah Almighty is close to all of His human creation, even those who don't believe in Him:

"It was We Who Created man, and We know what dark suggestions his soul makes to him: for We are nearer to him than (his) jugular vein. (The Noble Quran, 50:16)"

"When My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calleth on Me: Let them also, with a will, Listen to My call, and believe in Me: That they may walk in the right way. (The Noble Quran, 2:186)"

This feeling of connection is lost in Hell. The disbelievers who will get tortured in Hell will not have any spiritual feelings to make them feel that if they wish for something, at least some "Supreme Power" will be listening to them deep inside themselves. They will be left alone, ignored by the Almighty GOD, and feeling totally helpless and lost! This is the Wisdom of the Great Torture that Allah Almighty Created.

I personally can't answer why Allah Almighty Created Hell for us, but whether you are Jew, Christian, Muslim or a believer in any other Divine Religion of GOD Almighty, you must believe in Heaven and Hell and GOD Almighty's punishment to some of His Creation. That doesn't just exist in Islam alone.

As we've seen in the "So what about Hell then? How long will the worst of the creation reside in it?" section above, Hell has a time limit and Paradise doesn't.

Will Satan himself be forgiven?

As we've seen above, the time in Hell is limited. No where in the Noble Quran do we see any mention of Satan will eventually be forgiven. But based on Satan's arrogance, and based on his conversation with Allah Almighty, and based on Allah Almighty's declaration that His Mercy overpowers His Anger, I can think or suggest that Satan certainly knew that he wouldn't reside in Hell for eternity; meaning that he will eventually end up in Heaven.

It is also important to know that Satan fears Allah Almighty:

"Remember Satan made their (sinful) acts seem alluring to them, and said: 'No one among men can overcome you this day, while I am near to you': But when the two forces came in sight of each other, he turned on his heels, and said: 'Lo! I am clear of you; lo! I see what ye see not; Lo! I fear God: for God is strict in punishment.' (The Noble Quran, 8:48)"

"(Their allies deceived them), like the Evil One, when he says to man, 'Deny God': but when (man) denies God, (the Evil One) says, 'I am free of thee: I do fear God, the Lord of the Worlds!' (The Noble Quran, 59:16)"

So if Satan clearly fears Allah Almighty, then it is obvious that his intentional refusal to Allah's Holy Commands are not to the extent that he (Satan) would lead himself to the Ultimate Destruction by getting stuck in Hell forever and ever infinitely.

Personally knowing that Allah Almighty in a vast amount (more than 100 that I personally can see in the index at the back of the Noble Quran that I have) of Noble Verses in the Noble Quran talked at the end of each one of them about His Mercy and Forgiveness, then it is clear to me that He Will eventually empty Hell from all of His Creation, even though He did not mention this in the Noble Quran.

Let us look at the following Noble Verse:

"Not one of the beings in the heavens and the earth but must come to (God) Most Gracious as a servant. (The Noble Quran, 19:93)"

According to this Noble Verse, even Satan himself with all of his arrogance and evil intentions will ultimately come to Allah Almighty as a servant. He will ultimately come to worship Allah Almighty and fear Allah Almighty, and humble himself for Allah Almighty.

Please visit The Mercy of Allah Almighty on Mankind, and our age of 40 wisdom in Islam.

So why didn't He directly Say in the Noble Quran that Hell will eventually be emptied then?

Well He did indirectly say it in the "So what about Hell then? How long will the worst of the creation reside in it?" section above. I believe that the reason why He, the Almighty, didn't DIRECTLY mention it in the Noble Quran is because He probably didn't want Mankind to be counting on serving a time in Hell and then get permitted in Heaven, hence it wouldn't sound strong enough or scary enough to stop them from sinning, and would probably then cause them to be more careless.

He probably also wanted to show the Holy Image of His Punishment and Angry Side to make it clear to Mankind that Hell is not a joke and it is not to be taken carelessly.

Allah Almighty didn't share everything about Him and His future Plans with us. He made this clear in the Noble Quran by Saying: "...of knowledge it is only a little that is communicated to you...(The Noble Quran, Noble Verse 17:85)"

We also know that He Has a Book that is sitting with Him on His Throne: Narrated Abu Huraira: "Allah's Apostle said, 'When Allah completed the creation, He wrote in His Book which is with Him on His Throne, 'My Mercy overpowers My Anger.' ' (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Beginning of Creation, Volume 4, Book 54, Number 416)"

Maybe He has some Holy Plans written in that Holy Book that we are not aware of. So, it wouldn't be surprising that the steps for emptying Hell from Allah Almighty's Creation is one of His Holy Secrets or Holy Things that He didn't choose to directly share with us.

What about Noble Verses 20:74 and 35:36? Don't they suggest that the disbelievers will never get out of Hell?

Absolutely not! Let us look at those Noble Verses:

"Verily he who comes to his Lord as a sinner (at Judgment),- for him is Hell: therein shall he neither die nor live. (The Noble Quran, 20:74)"

"But those who reject (God) - for them will be the Fire of Hell: No term shall be determined for them, so they should die, nor shall its Penalty be lightened for them. Thus do We reward every ungrateful one! (The Noble Quran, 35:36)"

In Noble Verse 20:74, Allah Almighty promised the sinners, who by the way will be mixed between Muslims and non-Muslims, that in Hell they will neither die (will suffer a continuous torture) nor live. "nor live" here doesn't mean actual physical death. No, it means that the sinners will not have any joy what so ever! Hell is not the place where they can expect any break or comfort. It is all about torture and punishment and nothing else.

In Noble Verse 35:36, Allah Almighty promised those who reject Him that they will not die in Hell (as also mentioned in Noble Verse 20:74), nor shall their "penalty be lightened for them." That's all agreed upon, but there is no mention of a never-ending punishment for them.

There is absolutely no mention in the above Noble Verses nor either throughout the Noble Quran about Allah Almighty promising a never-ending punishment for either the sinners or the disbelievers. This is very important to know, because as shown throughout the article above, Allah Almighty seems to suggest that Hell will be a limited punishment for everyone of His creations.

Interestingly, Allah Almighty clearly promised a never-ending Paradise to the Believers, but as I said, He never promised a never-ending punishment for anyone in the Noble Quran. Please read the "So what about Hell then? How long will the worst of the creation reside in it?" and it's sub sections, and "What does "forever" really mean?" sections above.

What about Noble Verse 7:50 where the goods of Heaven are forbidden to the people of Hell?

Let us look at Noble Verse 7:50:

"The Companions of the Fire will call to the Companions of the Garden: 'Pour down to us water or anything that God doth provide for your sustenance.' They will say: 'Both these things hath God forbidden to those who rejected Him.' (The Noble Quran, 7:50)"

This Noble Verse doesn't prove anything. It simply says that as long as a person is in Hell, he will never be able to get anything from Heaven. Everything in Heaven is forbidden for him. But it doesn't suggest at all that the people of Hell will never enter Heaven.

Even Muslims shall pass through Hell for purification and punishment:

"And certainly We know best those who are most worthy of being burned therein. Not one of you but will pass over it (Hell): this is, with thy Lord, a decree which must be accomplished. (The Noble Quran, 19:70-71)"

And yes, when the Muslims are in Hell, they will not be able to receive anything from Heaven. Now, the levels of Hell vary, and the pain varies as well. Not all people will be tortured equally. "passing" over Hell for punishment and purification means that people will go through it, but they may not reside there for long and may not suffer there in the same amount. Some would receive much lighter punishment and pain than others. But of course we must keep in mind that one GOD-day is equal to 1,000 human years (Noble Verses 22:47 and 32:5).

Please visit Is our destiny pre-determined by GOD? Does GOD choose who is evil and who is good? How come GOD didn't make all of us good if He is the "Most Merciful" and "Most Just"?

Did GOD create some Men and Jinns to be destined to hell?

Where do Martyrs go after death? And will they be judged for their good and bad deeds?

As clearly shown in this article, people will enter Hell for purification and punishment, and then they will go to Heaven.

Doesn't Noble Verse 7:40 clearly state that the disbelievers will never ever leave Hell?

Note: Below you will see that Jesus had talked about and explained Noble Verse 7:40 long before Muhammad did.

Let us look at Noble Verses 7:37-43:

"37. Who is more unjust than one who invents a lie against God or rejects His Signs? For such, their portion appointed must reach them from the Book (of decrees): until, when our messengers (of death) arrive and take their souls, they say: "Where are the things that ye used to invoke besides God?" They will reply, "They have left us in the lurch," And they will bear witness against themselves, that they had rejected God.

38. He will say: "Enter ye in the company of the peoples who passed away before you - men and jinns, - into the Fire." Every time a new people enters, it curses its sister-people (that went before), until they follow each other, all into the Fire. Saith the last about the first: "Our Lord! it is these that misled us: so give them a double penalty in the Fire." He will say: "Doubled for all" : but this ye do not understand.

39. Then the first will say to the last: "See then! No advantage have ye over us; so taste ye of the penalty for all that ye did !"

40. To those who reject Our signs and treat them with arrogance, no opening will there be of the gates of heaven, nor will they enter the garden, until the camel can pass through the eye of the needle: Such is Our reward for those in sin.

41. For them there is Hell, as a couch (below) and folds and folds of covering above: such is Our requital of those who do wrong.

42. But those who believe and work righteousness,- no burden do We place on any soul, but that which it can bear,- they will be Companions of the Garden, therein to dwell (for ever).

43. And We shall remove from their hearts any lurking sense of injury;- beneath them will be rivers flowing;- and they shall say: "Praise be to God, who hath guided us to this (felicity): never could we have found guidance, had it not been for the guidance of God: indeed it was the truth, that the apostles of our Lord brought unto us." And they shall hear the cry: "Behold! the garden before you! Ye have been made its inheritors, for your deeds (of righteousness)." (The Noble Quran, 7:37-43)"

As we can see above, Noble Verse 7:40 clearly states that the disbelievers who will suffer in Hell would never leave Hell and enter Paradise until the Camel can pass through the needle's hole or eye.

Now, if we look at the logic of this Noble Verse from our current human logic, then it would make sense to think that GOD Almighty is telling us that the disbelievers will never leave Hell. We do have sayings such as "this will happen only when you see the cow climb the big wall", which is another way of saying that it is impossible for whatever you're seeking to happen.

But on the other hand, if we actually look closely at the Noble Verse then we would see an actual promise by Allah Almighty to the disbelievers that they will eventually enter Paradise. Maybe the sign that they need to be looking for, or the miracle that they need to be looking forward to see is an actual camel passing through a needle's eye.

After all, it was Allah Almighty that caused for Moses' stick to turn into a real snake. It was Allah Almighty that caused for Jesus to walk on water and defeat all of the laws of gravity. It was Allah Almighty that enabled Moses to split the sea in half with one hit by his stick. It was Allah Almighty that enabled Jesus to bring the dead to life. It was Allah Almighty that caused for Muhammad to visit Paradise with his soul and earthly body without running out of oxygen and have his body and bones get crushed from the pressure and die in the outer space, etc....

Actual miracles that are logically impossible to happen have already happened here on Earth before! Also knowing how straight forward and crystal clear Allah Almighty is in the Noble Quran, and how accurate and precise and formal He is, I don't think that He would rely on giving a clue or an informal saying to tell us that He will never let the disbelievers enter Paradise.

Personally, knowing how Great Allah Almighty's Holy Statements are, I strongly believe that He really didn't mean to say that the disbelievers will never enter Paradise, but rather, He said that He will end Hell when He allows for the camel to pass through the needle's eye or hole.

Heck, I can see this in my own imagination as of right now. So, if I can see it in my imagination, don't you think that GOD Almighty wouldn't be able to make it happen?

If I picture you in three heads instead of one head, don't you think that if GOD Almighty wanted you to have three heads, then He could actually make it a reality?

What I am trying to say is that, if it is possible for the camel to pass through the needle's eye in my own imagination, then it is absolutely and unquestionably possible for Allah Almighty to make it happen in reality and end the torture of the disbelievers and open the Gates of Paradise as He promised them in Noble Verse 7:40.

So in Noble Verse 7:40, Allah Almighty did promise to open the Gates of Paradise to the disbelievers when they see a Holy Miracle happen.

And may Allah Almighty forgive me if I am in error in this article.

Jesus elaborated on Noble Verse 7:40 before Islam. He actually explained it before Islam!

The following was sent to me by brother Abdul Haleem; may Allah Almighty always be pleased with him.

Osama Akhi:

Compare:

"To those who reject Our signs and treat them with arrogance, no opening will there be of the gates of heaven, nor will they enter the garden, until the camel can pass through the eye of the needle: Such is Our reward for those in sin. (The Noble Quran, 7:40)"

With:

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.' When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, 'Who then can be saved?' Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.' (From the NIV Bible, Matthew 19:23-26)"

Note that Jesus gave THE SAME ANSWER you did, i.e., that this APPEARS HUMANLY IMPOSSIBLE, "but with God all things are possible."

This is how the Quran can speak as it does, but the Prophet still say "people who will be scorched by Hell (Fire) as a punishment for sins they have committed, and then Allah will admit them into Paradise by the grant of His Mercy. These people will be called, 'Al-Jahannamiyyiin' (the people of Hell).' " (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, ONENESS, UNIQUENESS OF ALLAH (TAWHEED), Volume 9, Book 93, Number 542)"

Remember, the correct view is that Hell plays a "remedial" role, sort of a "reform school"

Thanks, Haleem

Note from me, Osama Abdallah: As I said above in the introduction, I do believe Jesus' Saying in Matthew 19:23-26 is Truthful and not corrupted because it is fascinating that Allah Almighty inspired Jesus to talk about the miracle of the camel going through the needle's eye long before Allah Almighty revealed it in the Noble Quran.

Please visit What parts of the Bible do Muslims believe are closest to the Truth?

And as I explained in the "What does "forever" really mean?" section above, Allah Almighty defined "forever" for Paradise as an on going never ending thing, while the "forever" used for Hell had a time limit. Let us look at the following from the Noble Quran:

"Non of the Muslim scholars agree with you! How dare you suggest that Hell will be empty?"

First of all, not all scholars disagree with me. Read the following foot note from the English-translated Noble Quran by Minister Abdullah Yusuf Ali:

And quite frankly, I am not here to become popular by gaining people's attention through being too objecting. Some people thrive on doing that and end up making a fool out of themselves. But certainly this is not the case with me here.

Those scholars that disagree with the fact that Hell will be empty don't know what Prophet Jesus peace be upon him said. You see, if you take Noble Verse 7:40 by itself, then you wouldn't necessarily reach the conclusion that Hell will be empty. And likewise, if you take Jesus' Saying in Matthew 19:23-26 by itself, then you also wouldn't necessarily reach the conclusion that Hell will be empty.

The Verses, Noble Verse 7:40 and Matthew 19:23-26, compliment each others. Combined together they prove beyond the shadow of the doubt that Hell will indeed be empty. Frankly, I don't care if no Muslim scholar agrees with this. That's the whole idea of researching and constantly seeking to find the Truth.

If you settle on what some scholar(s) said several hundred years ago with their limited knowledge and resources, and you freeze your abilities of research, then there is no point of you having a brain! You must always verify the truth in what ever you are told.

And as I said above in the introduction, yes I do believe Jesus' Saying in Matthew 19:23-26 is Truthful and not corrupted because it is fascinating that Allah Almighty inspired Jesus to talk about the miracle of the camel going through the needle's eye long before Allah Almighty revealed it in the Noble Quran.

Please visit What parts of the Bible do Muslims believe are closest to the Truth?

Allah Almighty can't make such claim!

Some Muslims argue that Allah Almighty in Noble Verse 7:40 (disbelievers will leave hell when the camel goes through the needle's eye) meant to say is that it is impossible for the disbelievers to leave Hell. It's like us saying: "this will happen when pigs fly" or "this will happen when cows climb the walls", etc...

Well, I strongly disagree with this argument, because when we read the Noble Quran we see Allah Almighty showing a very formal and pithy attitude. He speaks the least words with the most meaningful meanings. This is extremely formal. No where in the Noble Quran do we see any informality or sarcasm by Allah Almighty. Certainly sayings like "this will happen when pigs can fly" are informal and sarcastic.

And also, Allah Almighty can not make such claim anyway, because nothing is impossible for Him. He certainly can make pigs fly, cows climb the wall, and yes, a camel pass through a needle's eye.

After all, Allah Almighty clearly PROMISED the disbelievers that He will open the Gates of Paradise for them when the miracle of the camel passing through the needle's eye happens. It was a clear PROMISE by Allah Almighty AND NOT A SARCASM!

Read the Noble Verse again:

Conclusion:

It is clear from what Allah Almighty Said in the Noble Quran and what Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said in his Hadiths (Sayings) that the time in Hell is limited and the time in Paradise in infinite. Even though Allah Almighty used the word "forever" when He talked about the time in Hell and Heaven, but He made it clear that the word "forever" is limited for Hell and is infinite for Heaven.

Allah Almighty promised a never-ending Paradise to the Believers, but He never promised a never-ending punishment for anyone in the Noble Quran. In fact, in Noble Verse 7:40, Allah Almighty promised to open the Gates of Paradise to the disbelievers when they see a Holy Miracle happen.

Bibliography:

1- The Meaning of the Holy Qur'an.
Author: Abdullah Yusuf Ali.
Published by: Amana Publications, 10710 Tucker Street, Suite B, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2223 USA.
Telephone: (301) 595-5777.
Fax: (301) 595-5888.
ISBN: 0-91597-59-0 (HC).

2- The Meaning of the Holy Qur'an [1], Foot Note #4771, page 1300.

3- The Meaning of the Holy Qur'an [1], Foot Note #1608, page 539.

Back to Ask me any question section.

Allah, Islam, Quran, Muhammad questions and answers.

What is the place of Jews, Christians and non-Muslims in Islam.

How does a Muslim get to Heaven, saved, reach a state of perfect harmony with God?

I liked your concept of God in Islam and that man can directly have fellowship with God. But how does God stand the sin in man ? How does God see the sin between man and man?

What is the Wisdom of Islam?

The Mercy of Allah Almighty on Mankind, and our age of 40 wisdom in Islam.

Did GOD create some Men and Jinns to be destined to hell?

Is our destiny pre-determined by GOD? Does GOD choose who is evil and who is good? How come GOD didn't make all of us good if He is the "Most Merciful" and "Most Just"?

Where do Martyrs go after death? And will they be judged for their good and bad deeds?