The Intensity of its Fire

Abu Hurairah (radiAllahu anhu) narrated: "When Allah's Messenger
(salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, 'Your ordinary fire is one of the 70
potions of the Hellfire,' someone commented, 'O Messenger of Allah,
wouldit (ordinary fire) not be sufficient (to burn the wrongdoers)?'
At that, Allah's Messenger (SAW) said, 'The Hellfire has 69 more
portions than ordinary (worldly) fire, and all of them are as hot as
this (worldly fire).'"
[Sahih al-Bukhari]
"Verily, Allah has cursed the disbelievers and prepared for them a
Blazing Fire. Dwelling therein forever, and they will find no
protector or helper."
[al-Ahzab, 33: 64-65]
"But he who is given his record behind his back will soon cry for
destruction, and he will enter a blazing Fire."
[al Inshiqaq, 84: 10-12]
"No, they deny the Hour (of the judgment to come), but We have
prepared a blazing fire forsuch as deny the Hour. When it sees them
from a far off place, they will hear its fury and its ragingsigh. And
when they are cast, bound, in chains, intoconstricted place therein,
they will plead therein fordestruction. Do not plead today for a
single destruction; plead for destruction oft-repeated."
[al-Furqan, 25: 11-14]
"The companions of the left hand - what are the companions of the left
hand? (They will be) in the midst of a fierce blast (of fire) and in
boiling water."
[al Waqi'ah, 56: 41-42]
"But, he whose scales are light his home will be a pit. And what will
make you understand what thatis? (It is ) a fire, blazing fiercely."
[al Qari'ah, 101: 8-11]
"Soon will I cast him into Saqar (the Hellfire). And what will explain
to you what Saqar is? It permits nothing to endure, and it leaves
nothing alone, darkening and changing the color of man."
[al Muddaththir, 74: 26-29]
"Their abode will be Hell. Every time it abates. We will increase for
them the blaze (the fierceness) of the fire."
[al Isra, 17: 97]
"Those are the ones, who have exchanged the Hereafter for the gains of
this worldly life. The punishment will not be lightened for them, and
they will not be aided."
[al Baqarah, 2: 86]
"So taste, (the result of your deeds), for We will not increase you
except inpunishment."
[an Naba, 78: 30]
Anas (radiAllahu anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu
alayhi wasalam) said: "The most favored man among the dwellers of the
Earth will be brought from among the people of the Fire on the Day of
Resurrection. He will be dyed in the Firebut once, and then it will be
said to him, 'O son of Adam, have you ever seengood at all? Has any
pleasure ever come to you?' He will say, 'No, by Allah, O Lord.' Then
the most miserable people in the world will be brought from the people
of Paradise and will be dyed with the dye of Paradise. It will be said
to him, 'O son of Adam, have you ever seen any misery, andhas any
hardship ever come to you? ' He will say,'No, by Allah, O my Lord. No
misery ever came to me, nor did I see any hardship.'"
[Muslim]

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The Triple Filter test

During the golden Abbasid period, one of thescholars in Baghdad, the
capital of Muslim caliphate at that time, was reputed to hold
knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great
scholar and said,"Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"
"Hold on a minute," the scholar replied. "Before telling me anything
I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter
Test."
"Triple filter?"
"That's right," the scholar continued. "Before you talk to me about my
friend it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're
going to say. That's why I call it the triple filter test. The first
filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about
to tell me istrue?"
"No," the man said,"actually I just heard about it and..."
"All right," said the scholar. "So you don't really know if it's true
or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is
what you areabout to tell me about myfriend something good?""No, on
the contrary......"
"So," the scholar continued, "you want to tell me something bad about
him, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test
though, because there's one filter left: the filter of Usefulness. Is
what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"
"No, not really."
"Well," concluded the scholar, "if what you wantto tell me is neither
true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"
"O ye who believe! Let not some men among you laugh at others: It may
be that the (latter) are better than the (former): Nor let some women
laugh at others: Itmay be that the (latter are better than the
(former): Nor defame nor be sarcastic to each other, nor call each
other by (offensive) nicknames: Ill-seeming is a name connoting
wickedness, (tobe used of one) after he has believed: And those who do
not desist are (indeed) doing wrong." [Surah al-Hujurat 49.012]

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Muhammad Ali's advice to his daughters

The following incident took place when Muhammad Ali's daughters
arrived at his home wearing clothes that were not modest. Here is the
story as told by one of his daughters:
When we finally arrived, the chauffeur escorted myyounger sister,
Laila, and me up to my father's suite. As usual, he was hiding behind
the door waiting to scare us. We exchanged many hugs and kisses as we
could possibly give in one day.
My father took a good look at us. Then he sat medown on his lap and
said something that I will never forget. He looked me straight in the
eyes and said, "Hana, everything that God madevaluable in the world is
covered and hard to get to. Where do you find diamonds? Deep down in
the ground, covered and protected. Where do you find pearls? Deep down
atthe bottom of the ocean, covered up and protected in a beautiful
shell. Wheredo you find gold? Way down in the mine, covered over with
layers and layers of rock. You've got to work hard to get tothem."
He looked at me with serious eyes. "Your body is sacred. You're far
more precious than diamonds and pearls, and you should be covered
too." Source: Taken from the book: More Than A Hero: Muhammad Ali's
Life Lessons Through His Daughter's Eyes.

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Love for the mother

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) was single, without wife
or child when he became a Muslim. With him however was his mother who
was still a mushrik (idolator). He longed, and prayed, for her to
becomea Muslim but she adamantly refused. One day, he invited her to
have faith in God alone and follow His Prophet but she uttered some
words about the Prophet which saddened him greatly. With tears in his
eyes, he went to the noble Prophet who said to him: "What makes you
cry, O Abu Hurayrah?" "I have not let up in invitingmy mother to Islam
but she has always rebuffed me. Today, I invited her again and I heard
words from her which I do not like. Do make supplicationto God
Almighty to make the heart of Abu Hurayrah's mother incline to Islam."
The Prophet responded to Abu Hurayrah's request and prayed for his
mother. Abu Hurayrah said: "I went home and found thedoor closed. I
heard the splashing of water and when I tried to enter my mother said:
"Stay where you are, O Abu Hurayrah." And after putting on her
clothes, she said, "Enter!" Ientered and she said: "I testify that
there is no god but Allah and I testifythat Muhammad is His Servant
and His Messenger." "I returned tothe Prophet, peace be on him,
weeping with joy just as an hour before I had gone weeping from
sadness and said: "I have good news, O Messenger of Allah. God has
responded to your prayer and guided the mother of Abu Hurayrah to
Islam." Source: "Biographies of Companions" extracted from the Al-Alim
software.
Let us make strong effort and supplications so that our parents can be
guidedif they are not already.

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