Jahannam
Jahannam (Arabic: جهنم) is the Islamic equivalent to hell. Its roots come from the Hebrew word Gehinnom, which is a valley south of Jerusalem that was used as a garbage dump by the Israelites. In the pre-Israelite times the Canaanites worshipped the god Moloch and performed child sacrifices in the valley, burning them in an offering to the deity. Consequently the valley long had an association with burning fires and distasteful things. According to the Qur'an only God knows who will go to Jahannam and who will go to Jannah, as in Judaism and Calvinism. Those who ignored, or only pretended to believe in Allah remain in Jahannam after Qiyamah (Judgment Day).
The seven levels of Jahannam are Jaheem, Jahanam, Sa'ir, Saqar, Ladha, Hawiyah, and Hutama. The most severe level is Hutama for munafiqin, religious hypocrites.
Zaqqum is a thorned tree that grows in Jahannam. It has bitter thorned fruit which the damned are compelled to eat so as to intensify their torment. Its fruits are shaped like devils' heads. Quote from the Qur'an:
- [44.43] Surely the tree of the Zaqqum,
- [44.44] Is the food of the sinful
- [44.45] Like dregs of oil; it shall boil in (their) bellies,
- [44.46] Like the boiling of hot water.
Surah Al-Baqara of the Qur'an states that along with Muslims, Allah will also save other People of the Book from Hell:
"Those who believe, Jews, Nazarenes (Christians), and Sabians - whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does good deeds - shall be rewarded by their Lord; they have nothing to fear nor are they saddened." :[2.62]
It should be noted that Muslim scholars have commented that those saved from Hell other than Muslims are those people from pre-Islamic times who followed the teachings of their respective prophet. People who did not receive the true message of Islam will also be saved.
One can go to hell in Islam, and then go from there to Heaven after serving your time in Hell. There is a certain ratio for time in earth, to time in hell.
The Qur'an also states:
- [3.117] The likeness of what they spend in the life of this world is as the likeness of wind in which is intense cold (that) smites the seed produce of a people who has done injustice to their souls and destroys it; and Allah is not unjust to them, but they are unjust to themselves.
It has been said by non-Muslims, that the Qur'an, is very descriptive of Hell. Hence Muslims put stress on having piety and God-fearingness. For example, the second chapter of the Qur'an, and the second verse, reads:
[2:2] "This is the book, there is no doubt in it. It is a guide for the God-fearing and pious."
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