The people of Hell will abide therein forever

Abu Sarah

Abu Sarah

Allahu Akbar
Staff member
The people of Hell will abide therein forever:​

What Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah believe is that Hell will never cease to exist or be extinguished, and no one will be brought forth from it except the sinners among the people of Tawheed. As for the kuffaar and atheists, they will abide therein forever.

Imaam Ibn Hazm said in his book Maraatib al-Ijmaa’: “Hell is real; it is an abode of torment that will never cease to exist, and its people will never cease to exist, they will remain there without end.”

And he said in his book al-Fasl fi’l-Milal wa’l-Ahwa’ wa’l-Nihal: “All the sects of the ummah are agreed that Paradise and its delights will never cease to exist, and that Hell and its torments will never cease to exist, except for al-Jahm ibn Safwaan, Abu’l-Hudhayl al-‘Allaaf and some of the Raafidis. As for Jahm, he said that Paradise and Hell will cease to exist, as will their people. Abu’l-Hudhayl said that Paradise and Hell will not cease to exist, and neither will their people, but their movements will cease and they will remain immobile, never moving, and their people will be alive, being blessed or tormented. And that group of Raafidis said that the people of Paradise will come out of Paradise, and the people of Hell will come out of Hell, to wherever Allaah wants to take them.”

(al-Fasl 4/154, Dar al-Jeel edition)

Al-Tahhaawi said in his ‘Aqeedah: “Paradise and Hell are two created entities that will never cease to exist or come to an end.”

There is a great deal of evidence in the Qur’aan and Sunnah to confirm this belief. For example, Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings):

“They will long to get out of the Fire, but never will they get out therefrom; and theirs will be a lasting torment”

[al-Maa'idah 5:37]

“(The torment) will not be lightened for them, and they will be plunged into destruction with deep regrets, sorrows and in despair therein”

[al-Zukhruf 43:75]

“Their reward with their Lord is ‘Adn (Eden) Paradise (Gardens of Eternity), underneath which rivers flow. They will abide therein forever”

[al-Bayyinah 98:8]

“No sense of fatigue shall touch them, nor shall they (ever) be asked to leave it [Paradise]”

[al-Hijr 15:48]

“And they will never get out of the Fire”

[al-Baqarah 2:167]

“and they will not enter Paradise until the camel goes through the eye of the needle”

[al-A’raaf 7:40]

“Neither will it have a complete killing effect on them so that they die nor shall its torment be lightened for them. Thus do We requite every disbeliever!”

[Faatir 35:36]

In the Sunnah, the Prophet :saw: (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Death will come on the Day of Resurrection like a black and white ram, and it will stand between Paradise and Hell. It will be said, ‘O people of Paradise, do you recognize this?’ They will crane their necks and look, and will say, ‘Yes, it is death.’

It will be said, ‘O people of Hell, do you recognize this?’ They will crane their necks and look, and will say, ‘Yes, it is death.’ Then the command will be issued and it will be slaughtered. Then it will be said, ‘O People of Paradise, it is eternal and there is no death. O people of Hell, it is eternal and there is no death.’” Then the Messenger of Allaah :saw: (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) recited the verse (interpretation of the meaning):

“And warn them (O Muhammad) of the Day of grief and regrets, when the case has been decided, while (now) they are in a state of carelessness, and they believe not”

[Maryam 19:39]

(Narrated by Muslim, 5087, from the hadeeth of Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri)

This clear saheeh text leaves no room for doubt concerning this matter, which is that the people of Hell will abide therein forever, and will not die or come out, just as the people of Paradise will abide therein forever.

The commentator of al-Tahhaawiyyah said: “Many reports of the Sunnah indicate that those who said Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah will be brought forth from Hell. The ahaadeeth about intercession clearly indicate that the sinners among the people of Tawheed will be brought forth from Hell and that this applies only to them; if the kuffaar were to be brought forth from it, they would be like the believers, and that contradicts the exclusiveness indicated in the hadeeth.”

(Sharh al-Tahhaawiyyah, p. 430, al-Maktab al-Islami edition).

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen was asked: Is Hell eternal or will it come to an end?

He replied:

What is definite is that it is eternal, and no other view is known among the salaf. Hence the scholars made this one of their tenets of faith, so that we believe that Hell is eternal and will last forever. This is a matter concerning which there is no doubt, because Allaah has mentioned the eternal nature of Hell in three places in the Qur’aan:

1 – In Soorat al-Nisa, where He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, those who disbelieve and did wrong [by concealing the truth about Prophet Muhammad and his message of true Islamic Monotheism written in the Tawraatt (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) with them]; Allaah will not forgive them, nor will He guide them to any way.

Except the way of Hell, to dwell therein forever”

[al-Nisa’ 4:168-169]

2 – In Soorat al-Ahzaab, where He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, Allaah has cursed the disbelievers, and has prepared for them a flaming Fire (Hell)

Wherein they will abide for ever”

[al-Ahzaab 33:64]

3 – In Soorat al-Jinn, where He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“and whosoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger, then verily, for him is the fire of Hell, he shall dwell therein forever”

[al-Jinn 72:23]

If Allaah had mentioned the eternal nature of Hell in one place, that would have been sufficient, so how about if He has mentioned it in three places? It is strange that a group of scholars are of the view that Hell will cease to exist, based on false arguments which go against what is indicated by the Qur’aan and Sunnah, and they misinterpreted the meanings of the Qur’aan and Sunnah and said that the words “dwell therein forever” mean for as long as it exists.

How can this be correct? If they are to dwell therein forever, that means that Hell itself must last forever, as they will be in it. If a person is to dwell in some place forever, then the place where he will be must last forever as well, because if that place will cease to exist then he cannot dwell forever. The verse is very clear, and the arguments which go against the text are to be rejected.

This difference of opinion which was narrated from a few scholars is to be rejected, because it goes against the clear text which every believer must believe in. Whoever goes against it because of some argument that he comes up with may be excused before Allaah. But whoever studies the texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah will know that the view that Hell will last forever is the truth which cannot be ignored.

Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 2/55-56

It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah:

There is a great deal of evidence in the Qur’aan and Sunnah to show that Hell will never cease to exist, and that the kaafireen will abide in Hell forever and will never come out of it.

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“This, because you took the Revelations of Allaah (this Qur’aan) in mockery, and the life of the world deceived you. So this Day, they shall not be taken out from there (Hell), nor shall they be returned to the worldly life (so that they repent to Allaah, and beg His Pardon for their sins)”

[al-Jaathiyah 45:35]

“Surely, those who disbelieved in Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), We shall burn them in Fire. As often as their skins are roasted through, We shall change them for other skins that they may taste the punishment”

[al-Nisa’ 4:56]

“but he whom He sends astray, for such you will find no Awliyaa’ (helpers and protectors) besides Him, and We shall gather them together on the Day of Resurrection on their faces, blind, dumb and deaf; their abode will be Hell; whenever it abates, We shall increase for them the fierceness of the Fire.

That is their recompense, because they denied Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and said: “When we are bones and fragments, shall we really be raised up as a new creation?”

[al-Isra’ 17:97]

“But those who disbelieved (in the Oneness of Allaah – Islamic Monotheism) and denied Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), they will be the dwellers of the Fire, to dwell therein forever. And worst indeed is that destination”

[al-Taghaabun 64:10]

“and whosoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger, then verily, for him is the fire of Hell, he shall dwell therein forever”

[al-Jinn 72:23]

“Verily, the Mujrimoon (criminals, sinners, disbelievers) will be in the torment of Hell to abide therein forever.

(The torment) will not be lightened for them, and they will be plunged into destruction with deep regrets, sorrows and in despair therein.

We wronged them not, but they were the Zaalimoon (polytheists, wrongdoers).

And they will cry: ‘O Malik (Keeper of Hell)! Let your Lord make an end of us.” He will say: “Verily, you shall abide forever.’

Indeed We have brought the truth (Muhammad with the Qur’aan) to you, but most of you have a hatred for the truth”

[al-Zukhruf 43:74]

“And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allaah as rivals (to Allaah). They love them as they love Allaah. But those who believe, love Allaah more (than anything else). If only, those who do wrong could see, when they will see the torment, that all power belongs to Allaah and that Allaah is Severe in punishment.

When those who were followed disown (declare themselves innocent of) those who followed (them), and they see the torment, then all their relations will be cut off from them.

And those who followed will say: ‘If only we had one more chance to return (to the worldly life), we would disown (declare ourselves as innocent from) them as they have disowned (declared themselves as innocent from) us.’ Thus Allaah will show them their deeds as regrets for them. And they will never get out of the Fire”

[al-Baqarah 2:165-167]

“Verily, those who belie Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and treat them with arrogance, for them the gates of heaven will not be opened, and they will not enter Paradise until the camel goes through the eye of the needle (which is impossible). Thus do We recompense the Mujrimûn (criminals, polytheists, sinners).

Theirs will be a bed of Hell (Fire), and over them coverings (of Hell-fire). Thus do We recompense the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers)”

[al-A’raaf 7:40-41]

“But those who disbelieve (in the Oneness of Allaah — Islamic Monotheism), for them will be the fire of Hell. Neither will it have a complete killing effect on them so that they die nor shall its torment be lightened for them. Thus do We requite every disbeliever!

Therein they will cry: “Our Lord! Bring us out, we shall do righteous good deeds, not (the evil deeds) that we used to do.” (Allaah will reply) “Did We not give you lives long enough, so that whosoever would receive admonition could receive it? And the warner came to you. So taste you (the evil of your deeds). For the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers) there is no helper”

[Faatir 35:36]

“Truly, Hell is a place of ambush —

A dwelling place for the Taaghoon (those who transgress the boundary limits set by Allaah, like polytheists, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah, hypocrites, sinners, criminals),

They will abide therein for ages.

Nothing cool shall they taste therein, nor any drink.

Except boiling water, and dirty wound discharges —

An exact recompense (according to their evil crimes).

For verily, they used not to look for a reckoning.

But they belied Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, and that which Our Prophet brought) completely.

And all things We have recorded in a Book.

So taste you (the results of your evil actions). No increase shall We give you, except in torment”

[al-Naba’ 78:21-30]

And there are other verses which all indicate that the kuffaar will abide in Hell for eternity and will never come out, and it will never cease to exist. When taken all together this view is very strong and there is no room for misinterpretation .
 
kashif_nazeer

kashif_nazeer

~~~Alhamdulillah~~~
:jazaak: brother for bringing up this topic and very helpful article.
Some people at my place say attributing it to Ibn Qayyim (alyhirrahmah) who attributed it to his teacher Ibn Taymiyyah('alyhirrahmah) that hell and heaven will not exist forever.
They also use this argument that Allah says in Surah Rahman "Everything that is in it will perish.."[55:26]

How do we counter it?
:jazaak:
 
muhammad sabri

muhammad sabri

Junior Member
kashif_nazeer said:
:jazaak: brother for bringing up this topic and very helpful article.
Some people at my place say attributing it to Ibn Qayyim (alyhirrahmah) who attributed it to his teacher Ibn Taymiyyah('alyhirrahmah) that hell and heaven will not exist forever.
They also use this argument that Allah says in Surah Rahman "Everything that is in it will perish.."[55:26]

How do we counter it?
:jazaak:
Click to expand...


:salam2:

Dear brother for sure Allah(swt) said that in the Quran just like He(swt) said that even the Angel of Death will taste death BUT then he will be recreated just like the other angels and Allah(swt) says in the Quran that He(swt) will bring about a new creation and that in the end the people of Jannah and Jahannam will abide in their respective places FOREVER,we don't know wether Allah(swt) will leave Jannah and Jahannam and not destroy them or wether He(swt) wil destroy them and recreate them, this is a knowledge of the unsees that we don't know..what we know is that they exist right now and that in the end either Jannah or Jahannam will be our final abode FOREVER and death(the end,destruction) shall not touch them ever and ever gaian..the proof is in the hadith sahih:

After all the Jannatis enter Jannah, only the Jahannamis will be left in Jahannam forever. At that time, death would be placed in between Jannah and Jahannam in the form of a ram. Then a voice will call out to the Jannatis. They would peep with fear thinking that they would be taken out of Jannah. Then, the voice will call out to the Jahannamis. They would be happy while peeping thinking that they would be taken out from Jahannam. Then the voice would ask them if they recognise it (the ram). All will say, "Yes, this is death." Then the ram will be slaughtered. The voice will say, "O Jannatis, you will live forever and will not die". Then it would say, "O Jahannamis, you will live forever and will not die". From this, the Jannatis will be ever happy and the Jahannamis will be very sad.

:)
:wasalam:
wajazakallahu khayran
 
Abu Sarah

Abu Sarah

Allahu Akbar
Staff member
kashif_nazeer said:
:jazaak: brother for bringing up this topic and very helpful article.
Some people at my place say attributing it to Ibn Qayyim (alyhirrahmah) who attributed it to his teacher Ibn Taymiyyah('alyhirrahmah) that hell and heaven will not exist forever.
They also use this argument that Allah says in Surah Rahman "Everything that is in it will perish.."[55:26]

How do we counter it?
:jazaak:
Click to expand...

The Accusation that ibn Taymiyyah held the Hellfire to come to an end​

Another accusation by which the opponents declared ibn Taymiyyah to be misguided due to his contradicting the 'consensus' on this issue. Yet nowhere in the works of ibn Taymiyyah does he say this, in fact what we find from him is the exact opposite, and we challenge anybody who accuses ibn Taymiyyah of this to bring his proof.

Ibn Taymiyyah says,

"The Salaf of this nation, its Imaams, and the whole Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa`ah are agreed that there are some things from the creation that will not come to an end in their entirety like Paradise, Hellfire, the Throne, and others. No one believed that all of the creation would come to an end except for a group from the People of innovated speech (Ahl al-Kalaam) and those who agreed with them from amongst the Mu`tazila and their likes. This is an invalid opinion which contradicts the Book of Allaah, the Sunnah of His Messenger and the consensus of the nation and its Imaams." ['Bayaan Talbees al-Jahmiyyah' (1/851)]

This is from one perspective, as for the other than it is over the issue of the Punishment of the Hellfire coming to an end. This is an issue over which there is a difference of opinion emanating from the Salaf themselves as the reader of the Tafseers of at-Tabari, as-Suyuti and others can see under the verse 11:107 and 6:128. It is possible to explain these narrations in two ways: the first being that the saying of some of the Companions and Taabi`een that, 'their will come a time when there will be no-one in Hellfire' is to be taken literally. The second is that it is to be taken to refer only to the Muslims in the Hellfire.

No matter how we take it, to rule someone's deviancy or unbelief based on this is not possible, for only one who contradicts a consensus that is firmly established to exist, and unequivocal in it's meaning can be ruled to be a deviant or a disbeliever. This is not the case here despite the efforts of some scholars to make it seem so. Even if it were so, then neither ibn Taymiyyah or ibn al-Qayyim held this view, so do not be deceived by what the likes of as-Subki writes in his 'al-I`tibaar bi Baqaa al-Jannah wa an-Naar' (forming part of his 'Risaa`il').

As-Subki says, in the course of his discussion on this point,

"I came across the aforementioned book and he mentioned in it three opinions over the Hellfire coming to an end. 1) both Paradise and Hell will end and he said that no one from the salaf held this opinion. 2) that both are eternal. 3) that Paradise remains and Hellfire will come to an end. And he inclined to this position and said that this was the madhab of the Salaf." ['al-I'tibaar' (pg. 201)]

The opponents who read this book, thought that as-Subki was referring to ibn Taymiyyah and hence the origin of this accusation against ibn Taymiyyah. But in reality this is from the words of ibn al-Qayyim and it seems that as-Subki did not even fully read what this Imaam had to say!"

Ibn al-Qayyim says: 'Al-Haadee al-Arwaah' (pg. 429+),

"And this is an issue over which the latter people differed over, falling into three opinions:

That both Paradise and Hell will come to an end and are not eternal, rather just as all created things they will come to an end.

That both will remain, never coming to an end.

That Paradise is eternal, and the Hellfire will come to an end.

We will mention these opinions and their proponents along with their evidences, and we will reject what contradicts the Book of Allaahand the Sunnah of His Messenger.

1) As for the first saying, then it was said by Jahm bin Safwaan, the Imaam of the Jahmiyyah, and he did not any precedent in this from the Salaf - neither in the Companions, nor the Taabi`een, nor any of the Imaams of Islaam, or indeed anyone from Ahlus Sunnah. Rather this saying was one that was rejected by the Imaams and they declared the unbelief of the ones that held to it, as is mentioned in 'as-Sunnah' of Abdullaah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal reporting from Khaarijah bin Mus`ab that he said, "I declare the Jahmiyyah to be unbelievers due to three verses from the Book of Allaah, Azza wa Jall, 'its (Paradise) provision and food is eternal' and they say it will end. 'Verily this is Our provision which will never finish', and they say they will. 'Whatever is with you will pass away, and what is with Allaah will remain'".

2) As for the saying that the Hellfire is eternal, then Shaykh al-Islaam said, "there are two famous opinions from the Salaf and Khalaf and this difference is known to exist amongst the Taabi`een." I say: and here are seven opinions on this:

That the one entering it will never leave, this being the saying of the Khawaarij and Mu`tazila.

That it's inhabitants will be punished for a time but then this punishment will be changed for them and they will live in a normal manner, gaining pleasure from the Fire, due to its being in conformity to their nature. This is the saying of the Imaam of the Ittihaadiyyah (anthropomorphists) ibn Arabee at-Taa`ee.

That its inhabitants will be punished for a time, then they will be removed from it, and another creation placed in Hell. This opinion was one that the Jews related to the Messenger (SAW) and he declared them liars due to it as did Allaah by saying, "and they (the Jews) say: the Fire will not touch us but for a few days. Say: have you taken a covenant from Allaah, so that Allaah will not break His Covenant? Or is it that you say of Allaah what you know not. And those who believe and do righteous deeds, they are dwellers of Paradise, they will dwell therein forever." This saying is then the saying of the enemies of Allaah, the Jews, and they are the shaykhs of its proponents. The Qur`aan, Sunnah, and the consensus of the Sahaabah and the Taabi`een and the Imaams indicate this opinions invalidity. Allaah says, 'and they will not leave it'...

That its inhabitants will leave it and the Fire will remain, being empty, this is related by Shaykh al-Islaam (ibn Taymiyyah). And this opinion is also refuted by the Qur'aan and Sunnah as has preceded.

That it will come to an end due to its being created. It is impossible for anything that is created to remain forever, this is the saying of Jahm bin Safwaan, and he does not distinguish in this between the Fire and Paradise.

That its inhabitants will die and lose movement and remain in there as inanimate things, and they will not be affected by pain. This is the saying of Abu al-Hudhail al-Alaaf, the Imaam of the Mu`tazila, and in this ruling he does distinguish between Paradise and Hell.

That its Creator and Lord will cause it to come to an end, for He has given it a limited period.

Shaykh al-Islaam said, "this (last) saying was related from Umar, ibn Mas`ud, Abu Hurayrah, Abu Sa`eed and others." Abd bin Humaid related - and he is from the most noble of the scholars of hadeeth - in his famous tafseer, 'Sulaymaan bin Harb reported to us, from Salma, from Thaabit from Hasan who said, "Umar said: if the people of Hell were to remain in the Fire to the extent of the stones in amountain there would be a day that they would leave it."'

And he said, 'Hajaaj bin Minhaal, from Hammaad bin Salma, from Humaid from Hasan that Umar bin al-Khattaab said, "if the People of the Fire were to remain in the Fire to the extent of the stones in a mountain there would be a day that they would leave it.'" He mentioned this in the tafseer of His saying, "they will stay in there for periods" (Naba`a: 23).

So Abd, who is from the Imaams of the Huffaadh and scholars of Sunnah relates from these two noble personalities: Sulaymaan bin Harb and Hajjaaj bin Minhaal, who in turn narrate from Hammad bin Salma, and he narrates from Thaabit and Humaid, and these two from Hasan. And this is sufficient to show the excellence of this isnaad.

And Hasan, even if he did not hear anything from Umar, relates this also from some of the Taabi`een. If this was not authentic from Umar, according to him, then why did he narrate it and designate his narration with certainty by saying, "Umar said"? And why did those Imaams narrate it from him without rejection or refutation when it is known that they rejected anything that contradicted the Sunnah and refuted matters less than this? So if this saying was from those that contradicted the Qur'aan and Sunnah and ijmaa of the Imaams then they would have been the first to reject it.

There is no doubt that the one who sticks to this opinion of Umar, and narrates it from him means a portion/type of the inhabitants of the Fire. For the people (i.e. Muslims) that are punished due to their sins, then these people would leave it and they would not stay in it the extent of the stones in a mountain. And the word, 'People of the Fire' is not specific to the believers in the Oneness of Allaah, rather it is specific to their enemies, as the Prophet (SAW) said, "as for the People of the Fire who are it's inhabitants, then they will neither live or die in their." [Saheeh Muslim]What has preceded does not contradict His saying, 'they will remain in their forever' and His saying, 'and they will never leave it'."

Ibn Mas`ud said, "there will come a time in which there will be no-one in the Fire and that is after they have remained in there for periods." The likes of this is related from Abu Hurayrah, both being reported by al-Baghawee in his tafseer. Then he says after this, "and the meaning of these according to Ahlus Sunnah, if they are established, is that no one of the People of faith will remain in there.".."

['al-Haadee al-Arwaah' (pp. 429 +)]

So with this it is clear that both ibn Taymiyyah and his student did not hold the Hellfire to come to an end or that the punishment would cease for the unbelievers. Were it not for the fear of lengthening the discussion beyond what is necessary, we would quote from the tafseer of ibn Taymiyyah in which he makes clear that certain types of people would remain in the Hellfire forever, for example, Pharaoh.
 
kashif_nazeer

kashif_nazeer

~~~Alhamdulillah~~~
Abu Sarah said:
The Accusation that ibn Taymiyyah held the Hellfire to come to an end​

Another accusation by which the opponents declared ibn Taymiyyah to be misguided due to his contradicting the 'consensus' on this issue. Yet nowhere in the works of ibn Taymiyyah does he say this, in fact what we find from him is the exact opposite, and we challenge anybody who accuses ibn Taymiyyah of this to bring his proof.

Ibn Taymiyyah says,

"The Salaf of this nation, its Imaams, and the whole Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa`ah are agreed that there are some things from the creation that will not come to an end in their entirety like Paradise, Hellfire, the Throne, and others. No one believed that all of the creation would come to an end except for a group from the People of innovated speech (Ahl al-Kalaam) and those who agreed with them from amongst the Mu`tazila and their likes. This is an invalid opinion which contradicts the Book of Allaah, the Sunnah of His Messenger and the consensus of the nation and its Imaams." ['Bayaan Talbees al-Jahmiyyah' (1/851)]

This is from one perspective, as for the other than it is over the issue of the Punishment of the Hellfire coming to an end. This is an issue over which there is a difference of opinion emanating from the Salaf themselves as the reader of the Tafseers of at-Tabari, as-Suyuti and others can see under the verse 11:107 and 6:128. It is possible to explain these narrations in two ways: the first being that the saying of some of the Companions and Taabi`een that, 'their will come a time when there will be no-one in Hellfire' is to be taken literally. The second is that it is to be taken to refer only to the Muslims in the Hellfire.

No matter how we take it, to rule someone's deviancy or unbelief based on this is not possible, for only one who contradicts a consensus that is firmly established to exist, and unequivocal in it's meaning can be ruled to be a deviant or a disbeliever. This is not the case here despite the efforts of some scholars to make it seem so. Even if it were so, then neither ibn Taymiyyah or ibn al-Qayyim held this view, so do not be deceived by what the likes of as-Subki writes in his 'al-I`tibaar bi Baqaa al-Jannah wa an-Naar' (forming part of his 'Risaa`il').

As-Subki says, in the course of his discussion on this point,

"I came across the aforementioned book and he mentioned in it three opinions over the Hellfire coming to an end. 1) both Paradise and Hell will end and he said that no one from the salaf held this opinion. 2) that both are eternal. 3) that Paradise remains and Hellfire will come to an end. And he inclined to this position and said that this was the madhab of the Salaf." ['al-I'tibaar' (pg. 201)]

The opponents who read this book, thought that as-Subki was referring to ibn Taymiyyah and hence the origin of this accusation against ibn Taymiyyah. But in reality this is from the words of ibn al-Qayyim and it seems that as-Subki did not even fully read what this Imaam had to say!"

Ibn al-Qayyim says: 'Al-Haadee al-Arwaah' (pg. 429+),

"And this is an issue over which the latter people differed over, falling into three opinions:

That both Paradise and Hell will come to an end and are not eternal, rather just as all created things they will come to an end.

That both will remain, never coming to an end.

That Paradise is eternal, and the Hellfire will come to an end.

We will mention these opinions and their proponents along with their evidences, and we will reject what contradicts the Book of Allaahand the Sunnah of His Messenger.

1) As for the first saying, then it was said by Jahm bin Safwaan, the Imaam of the Jahmiyyah, and he did not any precedent in this from the Salaf - neither in the Companions, nor the Taabi`een, nor any of the Imaams of Islaam, or indeed anyone from Ahlus Sunnah. Rather this saying was one that was rejected by the Imaams and they declared the unbelief of the ones that held to it, as is mentioned in 'as-Sunnah' of Abdullaah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal reporting from Khaarijah bin Mus`ab that he said, "I declare the Jahmiyyah to be unbelievers due to three verses from the Book of Allaah, Azza wa Jall, 'its (Paradise) provision and food is eternal' and they say it will end. 'Verily this is Our provision which will never finish', and they say they will. 'Whatever is with you will pass away, and what is with Allaah will remain'".

2) As for the saying that the Hellfire is eternal, then Shaykh al-Islaam said, "there are two famous opinions from the Salaf and Khalaf and this difference is known to exist amongst the Taabi`een." I say: and here are seven opinions on this:

That the one entering it will never leave, this being the saying of the Khawaarij and Mu`tazila.

That it's inhabitants will be punished for a time but then this punishment will be changed for them and they will live in a normal manner, gaining pleasure from the Fire, due to its being in conformity to their nature. This is the saying of the Imaam of the Ittihaadiyyah (anthropomorphists) ibn Arabee at-Taa`ee.

That its inhabitants will be punished for a time, then they will be removed from it, and another creation placed in Hell. This opinion was one that the Jews related to the Messenger (SAW) and he declared them liars due to it as did Allaah by saying, "and they (the Jews) say: the Fire will not touch us but for a few days. Say: have you taken a covenant from Allaah, so that Allaah will not break His Covenant? Or is it that you say of Allaah what you know not. And those who believe and do righteous deeds, they are dwellers of Paradise, they will dwell therein forever." This saying is then the saying of the enemies of Allaah, the Jews, and they are the shaykhs of its proponents. The Qur`aan, Sunnah, and the consensus of the Sahaabah and the Taabi`een and the Imaams indicate this opinions invalidity. Allaah says, 'and they will not leave it'...

That its inhabitants will leave it and the Fire will remain, being empty, this is related by Shaykh al-Islaam (ibn Taymiyyah). And this opinion is also refuted by the Qur'aan and Sunnah as has preceded.

That it will come to an end due to its being created. It is impossible for anything that is created to remain forever, this is the saying of Jahm bin Safwaan, and he does not distinguish in this between the Fire and Paradise.

That its inhabitants will die and lose movement and remain in there as inanimate things, and they will not be affected by pain. This is the saying of Abu al-Hudhail al-Alaaf, the Imaam of the Mu`tazila, and in this ruling he does distinguish between Paradise and Hell.

That its Creator and Lord will cause it to come to an end, for He has given it a limited period.

Shaykh al-Islaam said, "this (last) saying was related from Umar, ibn Mas`ud, Abu Hurayrah, Abu Sa`eed and others." Abd bin Humaid related - and he is from the most noble of the scholars of hadeeth - in his famous tafseer, 'Sulaymaan bin Harb reported to us, from Salma, from Thaabit from Hasan who said, "Umar said: if the people of Hell were to remain in the Fire to the extent of the stones in amountain there would be a day that they would leave it."'

And he said, 'Hajaaj bin Minhaal, from Hammaad bin Salma, from Humaid from Hasan that Umar bin al-Khattaab said, "if the People of the Fire were to remain in the Fire to the extent of the stones in a mountain there would be a day that they would leave it.'" He mentioned this in the tafseer of His saying, "they will stay in there for periods" (Naba`a: 23).

So Abd, who is from the Imaams of the Huffaadh and scholars of Sunnah relates from these two noble personalities: Sulaymaan bin Harb and Hajjaaj bin Minhaal, who in turn narrate from Hammad bin Salma, and he narrates from Thaabit and Humaid, and these two from Hasan. And this is sufficient to show the excellence of this isnaad.

And Hasan, even if he did not hear anything from Umar, relates this also from some of the Taabi`een. If this was not authentic from Umar, according to him, then why did he narrate it and designate his narration with certainty by saying, "Umar said"? And why did those Imaams narrate it from him without rejection or refutation when it is known that they rejected anything that contradicted the Sunnah and refuted matters less than this? So if this saying was from those that contradicted the Qur'aan and Sunnah and ijmaa of the Imaams then they would have been the first to reject it.

There is no doubt that the one who sticks to this opinion of Umar, and narrates it from him means a portion/type of the inhabitants of the Fire. For the people (i.e. Muslims) that are punished due to their sins, then these people would leave it and they would not stay in it the extent of the stones in a mountain. And the word, 'People of the Fire' is not specific to the believers in the Oneness of Allaah, rather it is specific to their enemies, as the Prophet (SAW) said, "as for the People of the Fire who are it's inhabitants, then they will neither live or die in their." [Saheeh Muslim]What has preceded does not contradict His saying, 'they will remain in their forever' and His saying, 'and they will never leave it'."

Ibn Mas`ud said, "there will come a time in which there will be no-one in the Fire and that is after they have remained in there for periods." The likes of this is related from Abu Hurayrah, both being reported by al-Baghawee in his tafseer. Then he says after this, "and the meaning of these according to Ahlus Sunnah, if they are established, is that no one of the People of faith will remain in there.".."

['al-Haadee al-Arwaah' (pp. 429 +)]

So with this it is clear that both ibn Taymiyyah and his student did not hold the Hellfire to come to an end or that the punishment would cease for the unbelievers. Were it not for the fear of lengthening the discussion beyond what is necessary, we would quote from the tafseer of ibn Taymiyyah in which he makes clear that certain types of people would remain in the Hellfire forever, for example, Pharaoh.
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:jazaak: for the explanation and proofs.
 
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