The Hellfire described

Allaah has warned us in His Book about the Hellfire and has informedus
about the different types of punishments it will have, to the extent
that one's heart splits due to fear. Allaah has informed us about its
torment due to His mercy,so that we would therefore fear and avoid it.
Listen to the verses in the Book of Allaah that address the
description of the Hellfire, perhaps it will be a reminder for you;
perhaps they will cause you to repent before it is too late - before
punishment strikes suddenly and you find nobody to support or aid you.
The Hellfire contains chains, as Allaah Says what means:"Indeed,
Wehave prepared for the disbelievers chains and shackles and a
blaze."]Quran 76: 4[
Allaah also Says what means:"…Indeed, We have prepared for the
wrongdoers a fire whosewalls will surround them.And if they call for
relief, they will be relieved withwater like murky oil, which scalds
]their[ faces.Wretched is the drink, and evil is the resting
place."]Quran 18: 29[
Allaah also Says what means:"And those who disbelieved will be
drivento Hell in groups until, when they reach it, its gates are
opened and its keepers will say: 'Did there not come to you messengers
from yourselves, reciting to you the verses of your Lord and warning
you of the meeting of this Day of yours?' They will say: 'Yes, but the
word ]i.e. decree[ of punishment has come into effect upon the
disbelievers.'"]Quran 39: 71[
Allaah also Says what means:"And for those who disbelieved in their
Lord is the punishment ofHell, and wretched is the destination. When
they are thrown into it, they hear from it a ]dreadful[ inhaling while
it boils up.It almost bursts with rage. Every time a company is thrown
into it, its keepers ask them: 'Did there not come to you a
warner?'"]Quran 67: 6-8[
In the Hellfire, punishment will be from all directions; Allaah Says
what means:"On the Day the punishment will cover them from above them
and from below their feet and it is said, 'Taste]the result of[
whatyou used to do.'"]Quran 29: 55[
Allaah also Says what means:"And the companions of the left— what are
the companionsof the left? ]They will be[ in scorching fire and
scalding water. And a shade of black smoke; neither cool nor
beneficial."]Quran 56: 41-44[
One form of punishment in the Hellfire is that people will be dragged
on their faces in it, as Allaah Says what means:"Indeed, the criminals
are in error and madness.The Day they are draggedinto the Fire on
their faces ]it will be said[, 'Taste the touch of Saqar)i.e.,
Hell(.'"]Quran 54: 47-48[
People are the fuel by which the Hellfire is heated and flamed; Allaah
Says what means:"O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your
families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, over which
are]appointed[ angels, harsh and severe; they do not disobey Allaah in
what Hecommands them but do what they are commanded."]Quran 66: 6[
Allaah also Says what means:"Indeed, it throws sparks ]as huge[ as a
fortress, as if they were yellowish ]black[ camels."]Quran 77: 32-33[
In the Hellfire, people's clothes will be made of fire; Allaah Says
what means:"And you will see the criminals that Day bound together in
shackles. Their garments of liquid pitch and their faces covered by
the Fire."]Quran 14: 49-50[
The punishment in the Hellfire is continuous; Allaah Says what
means:"Indeed, those who disbelieve in Our verses — We will drive them
into a fire. Every time their skins are roasted through We will
replace them with other skins so they may taste the punishment.
Indeed, Allaah is ever Exalted in Might and Wise."]Quran 4: 56[
Regarding people's drinkand food in Hell, Allaah Says what means:"Then
indeed you, O those astray ]who are[ deniers, will be eating from
trees of Zaqqoom. And filling with it your bellies. And drinking on
top of it from scalding water. And will drink as the drinkingof
thirsty camels. That is their accommodation on the Day of
Recompense."]Quran 56: 51-56[
Allaah also Says what means:"…And he will be given a drink of purulent
water. He will gulp it but will hardly ]be able to[ swallow it. And
death willcome to him from everywhere, but he is notto die. And before
him is a massive punishment."]Quran 14: 16-17[
Finally, the punishment of the Hellfire is never reduced, nor will its
dwellers ever die, as Allaah Says what means:"Indeed, the criminals
will be in the punishmentof Hell, abiding eternally. It will not be
allowed to subside for them, and they, therein, are in despair. And We
did not wrong them, but it was they who were the wrongdoers. And they
will call, 'O Maalik let your Lord put an end to us!" He will say,
"Indeed, you will remain.'"]Quran 43: 74-77[
There are also many prophetic narrations describing and addressing the
Hellfire; the following are some of them:
·Ibn Mas'oodreported: "The Messengerof Allaahsaid:'Hell willbe brought
on that Day)i.e., the Day of Resurrection( with seventy bridles; and
with every bridle will be seventy thousand angels, pulling
it.'"]Muslim[
·Abu Hurayrahreported: "The Prophetsaid:'Your fire )in this world( is
a part of the seventy parts of the fire ofHell',)meaning in its heat(.
It was said: 'O Messenger of Allaah! It would have been
enough,)meaning, if it was only as hot as the fire in this world, then
that would have been enough as a deterrent(.' Hesaid:'It was increased
sixty-nine times )or multiples(, each multiple being of the same
)degree( of heat.'"]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[
·Abu Hurayrahreported: "We were oncein the company of the Messenger of
Allaahwhen we heard a loud bang. Thereupon, the Messenger of
Allaahasked:'Do you know what this )sound( is?' Wereplied: 'Allaah and
His Messenger know best.' Hesaid:'It is a stone which was thrown into
Hell seventy years ago, and has only now reached its bottom.'"]Muslim[
·Ibn 'Abbaasnarrated that the Prophetsaid:"If a drop from the tree of
Zaqqoom )i.e., a tree of Hell( were to fall onto this world, it
would)pollute and( destroy the lives of all the people of this
world."]An-Nasaa'i & At-Tirmithi[
·An-Nu'maan ibn Al-Basheernarrated that the Prophetsaid:"The least in
punishment among the people of Hellfire is one whose sandals or
shoelaces will be of fire, which will make his brain boil as a pot of
water boils. He willnot think that there is anyone being punished more
than him, but in fact, he will be the least in
punishment."]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[
·Anas ibn Maalikreported: "The Messengerof Allaahsaid:'Among the
inmates of Hell will be a person who had led a very luxurious life in
this world will be brought on the Day of Resurrection and dipped in
the Hellfire, he will then be asked: `O son of Aadam! Did you ever
experience any comfort? Did you )ever( happen to have any luxury?' He
will reply: `I swear by Allaah, no my Lord.' Then, another person, who
hadexperienced extreme misery in the life of this world, will be
dipped inParadise. He will then be asked: `O son of Aadam! Did you
ever experience any misery? Did you ever encounter difficulty?' He
will reply: 'I swear by Allaah, no my Lord, I neither experienced
misery nor passed through hardship.'"]Muslim[ This means that the
dwellers of the Hellfire will completely forget any pleasures
theyenjoyed in this life, and the dwellers ofParadisewill completely
forget any type of hardship theyfaced in this life.
·Anas ibn Maalikreported: "The Messengerof Allaahsaid:"A man from the
dwellers of Hell will be asked on the Day of Resurrection: `If you
possessed all that is on earth, would you ransom yourself for it?` He
will reply: `Yes.` Then, he will be told )i.e., by Allaah(: `I
requested something far easier than this from you:I had taken a pledge
from you not to associatepartners with Me, but you insisted on
associating with Me.'"]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[
·Jaabir ibn 'Abdullaahreported: "The Prophetsaid:'Allaah has taken a
pledge upon Himself to make everyone who consumes intoxicants drink
from Teenatul-Khabaal.'Hewas asked: `O Messenger of Allaah! What is
Teenatul-Khabaal?' Hereplied:'It is )a liquid( made of the sweat and
pus of the dwellers of Hell.'"]Muslim[
·The Prophetsaid:"The Jews and the Christians will be asked: `What do
you need?` They will reply: `Our Lord!We are thirsty so give us water
to drink.` They willthen be told: `Come along,' until they reach Hell,
which will be destroying itself, )i.e., some parts of it will eat up
others due to its intense heat( and they will be thrown into
it."]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[ Imaam Al-Hasancommented on this narration
saying: "What do you think the condition will be of thosewho stood for
fifty thousand years without eating or drinking, until they almost
died of thirst and their stomachs burnt from hunger, and who were then
taken to Hell and given boiling drinks in red hot pots )to drink(?"
·Imaam Ibn Al-Jawzidescribed Hell saying: "It is an abode in which its
dwellers are deprived of joy; their faces are dark; they are beaten
with hooks that are stronger than steel; upon it are angels who are
harsh and tough; )the inhabitants of Hell( will be lying on fire and
drinking boiling water; they will be continuously in grief; they will
never leave Hell because it will be their eternal abode; they will cry
for having wasted their youth; their crying will be continuousand
increasing; their Creator is angered by them; they will be exposed in
front of others; what they collected in life will not benefit them;
they will see the evil consequencesof their sins; life will seem as if
it was a dream to them; their bodies will burn, but whenever they are
burnt out, they will be returned to their original form in order
forthem to taste more torture."

Dought & clear, - Can a person start fasting six days of Shawwaal when he still has days to make up from Ramadaan?

If a person fasts six days of Shawwaal after Ramadaan when he has not
yet completed the Ramadaan fast because he did not fast ten days of
Ramadaan for a legitimate reason will he have the same reward as a
person whofasted all of Ramadaan and followed it with six days of
Shawwaal, i.e. will he be like a person who fasted for a lifetime?
Please explain to us, may Allaah rewardyou with good.
Praise be to Allaah.
The precise rewards for the deeds which people do for the sake of
Allaah is something which is known only to Allaah. If a person seeks
the reward from Allaah and strives to obey Him, his reward will not be
lost, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"We shall not make the reward of anyone who does his (righteous) deeds
in the most perfect manner to be lost." [al-Kahf 18:30].If someone has
missed some of the days of Ramadaan, he should fast them first, then
fast six days of Shawwaal, because he cannot follow the fast of
Ramadaan with six days of Shawwaal unless he has completed his
Ramadaan fast.
And Allaah is the source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet
Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace.

Dought & clear, - It is not valid to combine making up missed Ramadaan fasts with fasting six days of Shawwaal with one intention

Is it permissible for me to fast the six days of Shawwaal with the
same intention as making up the days I did not fast in Ramadaan
because of menstruation?.
Praise be to Allaah.
That is not valid, becausefasting the six days of Shawwaal can only be
done after fasting Ramadaan in full.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen said inFataawa al-Siyaam(438):
Whoever fasts the day of'Arafah, or the day of 'Ashoora', but still
owes days from Ramadaan, hisfast is valid, but if he intends to fast
this day to make up for a missed Ramadaan fast, he will have two
rewards: the reward for the day of 'Arafah or 'Ashoora' along with the
reward for making up the missed fast. This has to do with voluntary
fasts in general that are not connected to Ramadaan.With regard to
fasting the six days of Shawwaal, they are connected to Ramadaan and
can only done after making up missed Ramadaan fasts. If he fasts them
before making up missed Ramadaan fasts he will not attain that reward,
because the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"Whoever fasts Ramadaan then follows it with six days of Shawwaal, it
will be as ifhe fasted for a lifetime." It is well known that whoever
still owes days from Ramadaan is not regarded as having fasted
Ramadaan until he makes up the days hemissed.

Messenger of Allah (Peaceand blessings of Allah be upon him) and Loving Children

Once Messenger of Allah (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was
on his way to someone's home; he saw Imam Hussain playing with boys.
Messenger of Allah (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) extended
his hands for little Imam Hussain to go up and played with him and
made him laugh in front of everybody; then he held him and gave him a
kiss.
Once a companion (Sahabi) visited the Messenger of Allah (Peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him), when he was engaged in caressing his
two grandchildren, Hasan and Hussain. Beingsurprised at this act, the
companion said:
"O Messenger of Allah (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)! Do
you also caress children, Ihave ten children but I have never fondled
even one of them."
Thereupon the Messenger of Allah (Peaceand blessings of Allah be upon
him) raised his eyesand remarked: "It seems mercy and kindness has
left your heart."
Messenger of Allah (Peaceand blessings of Allah be upon him) says: "A
good act is written in the record of virtuous deeds for one who gives
a kiss to his child."
Messenger of Allah (Peaceand blessings of Allah be upon him) was very
kind to children and loved them very much. He used to carry them on
his shoulders. The children would become very happy and laugh.
Messenger of Allah (Peaceand blessings of Allah be upon him), too,
would become happy at the pure happiness and laughter of the children
and a smile would appear on his face.
Every time Messenger of Allah (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) returned froma trip, children would be waiting for him and he
would hold some of themand ask his companions to hold others. When
Messenger of Allah (Peaceand blessings of Allah be upon him) leaves,
the children would be talking about how he held one to his chest and
another to his back and how he asked others to hold the rest.
Messenger of Allah (Peaceand blessings of Allah be upon him) used to
give his Salaam (greetings) to children and would tell his companions
(Sahaba): "I give my Salaam to children and respect them, and Muslims
shouldfollow my behavior and always be warm and loving with children."
Messenger of Allah (Peaceand blessings of Allah be upon him) used to
speak about children - boys andgirls - and Say: "O Muslims, O fathers
and mothers, O my followers, be kind and compassionate towards
children, for someone who is not kind to children has no place amongst
the Muslims."