Children in Paradise & Hell on Earth (Ahadith 2876 – 2887)

Bismillah.

Children in Paradise

Volume 4, Book 54, Number 477 :
Narrated by Al-Bara (bin Azib)
The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam), after the death of his son Ibrahim, said, “There is a wet-nurse for him (i.e. Ibrahim) in Paradise.”

Losing a child is one of the toughest things a parent can go through. Nothing in the whole wide world has the power to compensate for such a loss. And while grieving is a natural process, one can find solace in the glad tidings given to such parents in various narrations. For example:

It was narrated that Abu Hassaan said: I said to Abu Hurayrah: Two of my sons have died. Can you narrate to me any hadeeth from the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) which will console us for our loss? He said: Yes: “Their little ones are the little ones (da’aamees) of Paradise. When one of them meets his father – or his parents – he takes hold of his garment – or his hand – as I am taking told of the hem of your garment, and he does not let go until Allaah admits him and his father to Paradise.” [Narrated by Muslim, 2635]

In another narration collected in Bukhari, we find out that those who die in childhood are entered into Paradise and are being looked after by Prophet Ibrahim (`alayhissalaam).

This was narrated in the hadeeth of Samurah ibn Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) often used to say to his companions: “Has anyone among you seen a dream?” and whoever Allaah willed would tell him what he had seen. One day he said: “Last night two people came to me and made me get up, and they said to me: ‘Let’s go.’ So I set off with them…” He mentioned things that he had seen, then he said:

“We set off, and we came to a verdant garden, in which were all the colours of spring, where there was a man who was so tall that I could hardly see his head in the sky. Around the man was the largest number of children I had ever seen…” Then among things that the two angels explained to him was: “As for the tall man who was in the garden, that was Ibraaheem. As for the children who were around him, these are all the children who died in a state of fitrah.” One of the Muslims said: “O Messenger of Allaah, what about the children of the mushrikeen?” He said: “And the children of the mushrikeen.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (7047).

Related: “Where is My Child?”

Reach for the Stars

Volume 4, Book 54, Number 478 :
Narrated by Abu Said Al-Khudri (radiallaahu `anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “The people of Paradise will look at the dwellers of the lofty mansions (i.e. a superior place in Paradise) in the same way as one looks at a brilliant star far away in the East or in the West on the horizon; all that is because of their superiority over one another (in rewards).” On that the people said, “O Allah’s Apostle! Are these lofty mansions for the prophets which nobody else can reach? The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) replied,” No! “By Allah in whose Hands my life is, these are for the men who believed in Allah and also believed in the Apostles.”

We all appreciate a good view of the stars from down here but one always fantasizes about being among them. At least I do. People talk about reaching for the stars as if it’s possible. Yes, that statement carries a lot of hope and motivation in it, but not everybody who tries succeeds.

In this world, some people might be born with silver spoons in their mouths, but nobody gets lucky in Jannah. You want it, you gotta work for it. Those unreachable lofty mansions won’t fill themselves. ;)

Volume 4, Book 54, Number 479 :
Narrated by Sahl bin Sad (radiallaahu `anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “Paradise has eight gates, and one of them is called Ar-Raiyan through which none will enter but those who observe fasting.” The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) also said, “If a person spends two different kinds of something (for Allah’s Cause), he will be called from the gates of Paradise.”

Hell on Earth

Just like Paradise, Hell has various levels which will be assigned to people according to the severity of their misdeeds. We already know a lot about Hell from the detailed accounts found in the Quran and Hadith. This sub-chapter of Book of Creation will cover some of them.

No one here has seen Hell so we start off with what we have seen, can relate to and are familiar with: Sun, fire, heat, burning, warmth, fever, pain, hunger, disgust, desperation, hopelessness etc.

Volume 4, Book 54, Number 480 :
Narrated by Abu Dhar (radiallaahu `anhu)
While the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) was on a journey, he said (regarding the performance of the Zuhr prayer), “Wait till it (i.e. the weather) gets cooler.” He said the same again till the shade of the hillocks extended. Then he said, “Delay the (Zuhr) Prayer till it gets cooler, for the severity of heat is from the increase in heat of Hell (fire).”

Volume 4, Book 54, Number 481 :
Narrated by Abu Sad (radiallaahu `anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “Delay the (Zuhr) Prayer till it gets cooler, for the severity of heat is from the increase in the heat of hell (fire).

Volume 4, Book 54, Number 482 :
Narrated by Abu Huraira
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “The (Hell) Fire complained to its Lord saying, ‘O my Lord! My different parts eat up each other.’ So, He allowed it to take two breaths, one in the winter and the other in summer, and this is the reason for the severe heat and the bitter cold you find (in weather).”

Volume 4, Book 54, Number 483 :
Narrated by Abu Jamra Ad-Dabi
I used to sit with Ibn ‘Abbas (radiallaahu `anhu) in Mecca. Once I had a fever and he said (to me), “Cool your fever with Zam-zam water, for Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said: ‘It, (the Fever) is from the heat of the (Hell) Fire; so, cool it with water (or Zam-zam water).”

Volume 4, Book 54, Number 484 :
Narrated by Rafi bin Khadij (radiallaahu `anhu)
I heard the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) saying, “Fever is from the heat of the (Hell) Fire; so cool it with water.”

Volume 4, Book 54, Number 485 :
Narrated by Aisha (radiallaahu `anhaa)
The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “Fever is from the heat of the (Hell) Fire, so cool it with water.”

Volume 4, Book 54, Number 486 :
Narrated by Ibn ‘Umar (radiallaahu `anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “Fever is from the heat of the (Hell) Fire; so abate fever with water.”

Volume 4, Book 54, Number 487 :
Narrated by Abu Huraira (radiallaahu `anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “Your (ordinary) fire is one of 70 parts of the (Hell) Fire.” Someone asked, “O Allah’s Apostle This (ordinary) fire would have been sufficient (to torture the unbelievers),” Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “The (Hell) Fire has 69 parts more than the ordinary (worldly) fire, each part is as hot as this (worldly) fire.”

To say that Hell has a part to play in the ups and downs of weather on this Earth might seem illogical and far from science, but it’s what we believe in because it’s what we’ve been told in the Sacred texts. Hell is usually thought to be hot. Very hot. But it might come as a surprise to some people that it has cold areas as well, known as Zamhareer. Cold as in severe cold that burns, not cool and breezy where people get to take a break from constant heat and burning.

Question: why does it matter if summer happens when Hell-fire exhales and winter when it inhales, and why does it matter if fever is from the heat of Hell-fire? Yes, we believe it even if it goes against whatever Geography and Biology we have studied, but what does it matter? My point is, all these parables and examples are given so we can visualize the severity of punishment and find motivation to stop ourselves from disobeying Allah, and to seek refuge from it.

Volume 4, Book 54, Number 488 :
Narrated by Yali (radiallaahu `anhu)
That he heard the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) on the pulpit reciting: “They will cry: “O Malik!’ (43.77) (Malik is the gate-keeper (angel) of the (Hell) Fire.)

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