The Intensity of the Suffering of the People of Hell

The Fire is an intense punishment, in which there are different types of torment, to escape which people would give the dearest possessions that they own:

As for those who reject Faith, and die rejecting – never would be accepted from any such as much gold as the earth contains, though they should offer it for ransom. For such is [in store] a penalty grievous, and they will find no helpers. (Aali Imran 3:91)

As to those who reject faith – if they had everything on earth and twice repeated, to give as ransom for the Penalty of the Day of Judgement, it would never be accepted of them. Theirs would be a grievous Penalty. (Al-Ma’idah 5:36)

Muslim reports from Anas ibn Malik that the Messenger of Allah salAllahu alayhi wa sallam said:

“One of the people of Hell who found the most pleasure in the life of this world will be brought forth on the Day of Resurrection, and will be dipped into the Fire of Hell. Then he will be asked: ‘O son of Adam, have you ever seen anything good? Have you ever enjoyed any pleasure?’ He will say, ‘No, by Allah, Oh Rabb’” 1

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“They are the True Scholars”

Whoever’s knowledge is not beneficial and deems himself better than those who preceded him in his stances and his elaborate, laborious speech, will also deem himself better than them in knowledge or ranking in the Sight of Allah. He will look down upon those who came before him and mock them for having little knowledge. This pauper does not realize that the lack of speech arising from the Salaf was because of their wara’ and fear of Allah, had they wished to lengthen or detail their discussions, they were fully capable of doing so. When ibn ‘Abbas heard some people debating about the religion he said,

Do you not know that to Allah belong certain servants, though they are fully able to respond and are not dumb, the fear of Allah has silenced them and given them tranquility. They are the true scholars, the eloquent ones, the intelligent, the noble; scholars of the Days of Allah, except that when they brought to mind the greatness of Allah, their minds were overcome, their hearts split for the fear of Allah, and their tongues were silenced. When they recovered from this state they rushed to performing righteous deeds thinking themselves to be amongst those who were negligent when in reality they were sagacious, those of strong determination; thinking themselves to be oppressors and sinners when in reality they were pious worshippers, free of oppression and sin. They did not think that abundant worship was too much for Him; they were not content with little worship, and they did not look down on any acts of worship. Wherever you were to meet them you would find them sombre, solicitous, in a state of dread and fear of their Lord. [Reported by Abu Nu’aym and others.]

• Transcribed from: The Excellence of Knowledge – The Virtue of the Salaf over the Khalaf | Fadl ‘Ilm al-Salaf ‘alal-Khalaf | Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali

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Surat An-Nasr In Focus

When there comes the Help of Allâh and the Conquest. And you see that the people enter Allâh’s religion in crowds. So glorify the Praises of your Lord, and ask for His Forgiveness. Verily, He is the One Who accepts the repentance and forgives. (An-Nasr 110:1-3)

Its Name

It is called Surat An-Nasr because it is a word that appears in the first verse. It literally means “help” and it is referring to Allah’s help that caused the conquest of Makkah. It is also called Surat At-Tawdi’ (farewell, because it suggests the parting of the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam from this world).

The Subject Matter of This Surah

This Surah discusses the conquest of Makkah, through which Allah Almighty granted victory and honor to the Muslims. Islam then spread throughout the Arabian Peninsula, and ever so quickly, Shirk and misguidance were rooted out. With this conquest people entered into Allah’s religion in crowds: the banner of Islam was raised and the religion of statues faded away. That the Prophet salAllaahu alayhi wa sallam was informed about this conquest before it occurred is one of the clear signs that indicate the validity of his Prophethood.

Its Relation To What is Before It

In the previous Surah [Kafirun], Allah Almighty said that the religion that Muhammad salAllahu alayhi wa sallam was calling to was diametrically opposed to the religion of the disbelievers; here, Allah Almighty informs the disbelievers of Makkah that their religion will die away and that the religion called to by the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam will overcome it, and become the religion of the vast majority in their populated areas.

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