Paradise: Questions & Answers

A Note Concerning Hell

As was proven in the Second and Eighth Words, faith carries within itself the seed of a spiritual Paradise. Unbelief, on the other hand, conceals the seed of a spiritual Hell. Just as unbelief is the core of Hell, so Hell is also its fruit.

Likewise, unbelief is not only the reason for a person’s entry into Hell, but also a cause of its existence and creation. For if even a minor ruler with modest honor, limited dignity, and little majesty were confronted by a shameless rebel who defiantly said, “You cannot and will not punish me,” then that ruler, even if no prison existed, would establish one solely for that rebel and imprison him in it.

However, an unbeliever who denies Hell rejects an Infinitely Powerful One Who possesses absolute honor, zeal, and majesty, and accuses Him of impotence and falsehood. He deeply wounds His honor, gravely offends His dignity, and rebelliously slanders His majesty. Thus, even if there were no other reason for the existence of Hell, a Hell would be created for such unbelief—which contains such denial and attribution of impotence—and that unbeliever would be cast into it.

رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَذَا بَاطِلًا سُبْحَانَك فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ