Каф 50:30–40

Jahannam and Paradise and their Dwellers

Allah states that He will say to Jahannam on the Day of Resurrection, "Have you had your fill" Allah the Most Honored has promised Hell that it will have its fill from the Jinns and mankind. He, the Exalted and Most Honored, will decide who will be thrown into the Fire and she will keep saying, "Are there any more," or, `Are there any more whom You will provide me with' This is the apparent meaning of this Ayah which is supported by several Hadiths. Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«لَا تَزَالُ جَهَنَّمُ يُلْقَى فِيهَا وَتَقُولُ: هَلْ مِنْ مَزِيدٍ؟ حَتْى يَضَعَ رَبُّ الْعِزَّةِ قَدَمَهُ فِيهَا، فَيَنْزَوِي بَعْضُهَا إِلَى بَعْضٍ وَتَقُولُ: قَطْ قَطْ وَعِزَّتِكَ وَكَرَمِكَ. وَلَا يَزَالُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ فَضْلٌ حَتْى يُنْشِىءَ اللهُ لَهَا خَلْقًا آخَرَ فَيُسْكِنَهُمُ اللهُ تَعَالَى فِي فُضُولِ الْجَنَّة»

(The people will be thrown into Jahannam and it will say, `Are there any more' Until the Mighty Lord puts His Foot over it and its corners will be collected together and it will say, "Enough, enough by Your grace and compassion!' There will be sufficient empty space in Paradise until Allah creates another creation and He, the Exalted, makes them dwell in the empty parts of Paradise.)" Muslim also collected this Hadith. Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said,

«يُقَالُ لِجَهَنَّمَ هَلِ امْتَلَأْتِ؟ وَتَقُولُ: هَلْ مِنْ مَزِيدٍ؟ فَيَضَعُ الرَّبُّ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى قَدَمَهُ عَلَيْهَا فَتَقُولُ: قَطْ قَط»

(Jahannam will be asked, "Are you full" and it will say, "Are there any more" Until the Lord, the Blessed and Most Honored, puts His Foot over it and it will say: "Enough! Enough!") Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«تَحَاجَّتِ الْجَنَّةُ وَالنَّارُ فَقَالَتِ النَّارُ: أُوثِرْتُ بِالْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ وَالْمُتَجَبِّرِينَ. وَقَالَتِ الْجَنَّةُ: مَالِي لَا يَدْخُلُنِي إِلَّا ضُعَفَاءُ النَّاسِ وَسَقَطُهُمْ. قَالَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لِلْجَنَّةِ: أَنْتِ رَحْمَتِي أَرْحَمُ بِكِ مَنْ أَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِي . وَقَالَ لِلنَّارِ: إِنَّمَا أَنْتِ عَذَابِي أُعَذِّبُ بِكِ مَنْ أَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِي وَلِكُلِّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْكُمَا مِلْؤُهَا، فَأَمَّا النَّارُ فَلَا تَمْتَلِىءُ حَتْى يَضَعَ رِجْلَهُ فِيهَا فَتَقُولُ: قَطْ قَطْ، فَهُنَالِكَ تَمْتَلِىءُ وَيَنْزَوِي بَعْضُهَا إِلَى بَعْضٍ وَلَا يَظْلِمُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ أَحَدًا، وَأَمَّا الْجَنَّةُ فَإِنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يُنْشِىءُ لَهَا خَلْقًا آخَر»

(Paradise and the Fire quarreled. The Fire said, "I have been favored with the arrogant people and tyrants." Paradise said, "What is wrong with me that only the poor and humble people enter me" Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said to Paradise, "You are My mercy, with which I grant mercy to those whom I will among My servants." He said to Hell, "You are My punishment which I inflict upon whom I wish from My servants, and I shall fill both of you." As for Hellfire, it will not have its fill until Allah puts His Foot over it and she will say, "Enough! Enough!" She will become full and its sides will come close to each other. Allah the Exalted and Most Honored shall not be unjust to any one of His creatures. As for Paradise, Allah the Exalted and Most Honored will create another creation to fill it.) Allah the Exalted said,

وَأُزْلِفَتِ الْجَنَّةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ

(And Paradise will be Uzlifat to those who had Taqwa, not far off.) meaning, Paradise will be brought close and near to the pious, according to Qatadah, Abu Malik and As-Suddi,

غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ

(not far off), and this will occur on the Day of Resurrection, which is not far off. Surely that Day will come to pass and all that is bound to come, is near,

هَذَا مَا تُوعَدُونَ لِكُلِّ أَوَّابٍ

(This is what you were promised -- (it is) for those returning) who go back to Allah in sincere repentance intending not to repeat sin,

حَفِيظٌ

(Hafiz), who preserve their covenant with Allah and do not break or betray it,

مَّنْ خَشِىَ الرَّحْمَنَ بِالْغَيْبِ

(Who feared Ar-Rahman unseen) who feared Allah in secret when only Allah the Exalted and Most Honored could see him. The Prophet said,

«وَرَجُلٌ ذَكَرَ اللهَ تَعَالَى خَالِيًا، فَفَاضَتْ عَيْنَاه»

(And a man who remembered Allah the Exalted while alone, and his eyes became tearful.) Allah said,

وَجَآءَ بِقَلْبٍ مُّنِيبٍ

(and brought a heart turned in repentance. ) meaning, he will meet Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, on the Day of Resurrection with a heart turned in repentance to Him and absolutely free (of Shirk) and humbled to Him,

ادْخُلُوهَا

(Enter you therein), meaning Paradise,

بِسَلَمٍ

(in peace and security), they will earn security from the torment of Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, and the angels of Allah will greet them with the Salam, according to the explanation of Qatadah. The statement of Allah the Exalted and Most Honored:

ذَلِكَ يَوْمُ الُخُلُودِ

(-- this is a Day of eternal life!), meaning, they will reside in Paradise forever and will never die, neither be transferred from it nor wish to be transferred from it. The statement of Allah the All-Mighty,

لَهُم مَّا يَشَآءُونَ فِيهَا

(There they will have all that they desire), means, whatever delights they wish and desire, they will find it brought before them. Allah's statement,

وَلَدَيْنَا مَزِيدٌ

(and We have more.) is similar to His other statement,

لِّلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُواْ الْحُسْنَى وَزِيَادَةٌ

(For those who have done good is the best and even more. )(10:26) In the Sahih, Muslim recorded that Suhayb bin Sinan Ar-Rumi said that `more' refers to looking at the Most Honorable Face of Allah.

Warning the Disbelievers of the imminent Torment; commanding the Prophet to pray and have Patience

Allah the Exalted asks, `how many We have destroyed before these denying disbelievers'

(a generation who were stronger in power than they.) they were more numerous, mightier than they and who constructed on the earth and built on it more than they. The statement of Allah the Exalted,

(And they went about the land! Could they find any place of refuge) Ibn `Abbas commented, "They left the traces throughout the land," Qatadah said, "They traveled throughout the land seeking provisions through trade and business, more than you have." Allah's statement,

(Could they find any place of refuge) means, `could they find a shelter from Allah's decision and appointed destiny Have what they collected benefited them or averted Allah's torment when it came to them on account of their denial of the Messengers Likewise, you will never be able to avert, avoid, or find refuge or shelter (from His torment).' Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said,

(Verily, therein is indeed a reminder) and a lesson,

(for him who has a heart) meaning, a sound understanding with which he comprehends, or, a good mind, according to Mujahid,

(or gives ear while he is heedful.) meaning, he hears the speech, comprehends and understands it in his mind and grasps its indications with his intellect. Mujahid said that,

(or gives ear), means, he does not talk to himself but listens with an attentive heart. Ad-Dahhak commented, "The Arabs would say that someone has given ear when he hears with his ears, while his heart is present and not absent." Ath-Thawri and several others said similarly. The statement of Allah the Exalted and Most Honored;

(And indeed We created the heavens and the earth and all that between them in six Days and nothing of fatigue touched Us.) is emphasis on the Resurrection because He Who is able to create the heavens and earth without fatigue, then surely He is able to resurrect the dead. Qatadah said, "The Jews, may Allah's curses descend on them, said that Allah created the heavens and earth in six days and then rested on the seventh day, which was the Sabbath. This is why they call it a holiday. Allah the Exalted then sent down denial of their statement and false opinion." Allah said, m

(and nothing of fatigue touched Us.) indicating that no sleep, exhaustion or weariness affects Him. Allah the Exalted the Blessed said in other Ayat,

(Do they not see that Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth, and was not wearied by their creation, is able to give life to the dead Yes, He surely is Able to do all things.)(46:33),

(The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind.)(40:57) and,

(Are you more difficult to create or is the heaven that He constructed)(79:27) Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said,

(So bear with patience all that they say, ) in reference to those who deny the Prophet , ordering him to be patient with them and turn away from them in a good way,

(and glorify the praises of your Lord, before the rising of the sun and before (its) setting.) There were two ordained prayers prior to the Isra' journey. One before the rising of the sun at dawn and the other before sunset in the evening. Qiyam Al-Layl, prayer at night, was a command for the Prophet and his followers for sometime but it was later abrogated for the Ummah. Later, during the Isra' journey, Allah abrogated all of the previous orders for prayer by ordaining five daily prayers, including the prayers of Fajr before sunrise, and `Asr in the late afternoon. Imam Ahmad recorded that Jarir bin `Abdullah said, "When we were sitting with the Prophet , he looked at the full moon and said,

(Certainly you will be brought before your Lord and will see Him as you see this moon, and you will have no trouble in seeing Him. So, if you can avoid missing the prayer before the sunrise and the prayer before sunset, you must do so.) He then recited Allah's statement,

(and glorify the praises of your Lord, before the rising of the sun and before (its) setting.)"' The Two Sahihs and the rest of the Group collected this Hadith through the chain of Isma`il. Allah the Exalted said,

(And during a part of the night glorify His praises), meaning pray to Him. Allah said Ayah,

(And in some parts of the night offer the Salah with it, as an additional prayer for you. It may be that your Lord will raise you to Maqam Mahmud.) (17:79) Ibn Abi Najih reported that Mujahid said that Ibn `Abbas said that,

(and after the prostrations.) refers to Tasbih, i.e. glorifying Allah's praises, after the prayers. There is a Hadith collected in the Two Sahihs that supports this meaning. Abu Hurayrah said, "Some poor migrants came and said, `O Allah's Messenger! The wealthy people will get higher grades and will have permanent enjoyment. ' The Prophet said,

(Why is that) They said, `They pray as we do, fast as we do, yet they give charity, but we can not. They free slaves, but we can not.' The Prophet said,

(Shall I tell you about something that, if you did it, you would catch up with those who have surpassed you and nobody would be better than you except those who would do the same Say, `Subhan Allah, Alhamdulillah and Allahu Akbar,' thirty-three times each after every prayer.) Later, they came back and said, `O Allah's Messenger! Our brethren, the wealthy Muslims, heard of what we did and they also did the same.' The Prophet said,

(This is a favor and grace of Allah, and He grants it to whom He wills.)" There is another way of explaining the Ayah. It is that Allah's statement,

(and after the prostrations.) refers to the two Rak`ahs after the Maghrib prayer. This was reported from `Umar bin Al-Khattab, `Ali bin Abi Talib and his son Al-Hasan, `Abdullah bin `Abbas, Abu Hurayrah and Abu Umamah, may Allah be pleased with them. This is also the saying of Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Ash-Sha`bi, An-Nakha`i, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Qatadah, and others.