Is There Hell for Muslims?

Is There Hell for Muslims?

Question and answer details
Jabed Khan
2015/05/01
Assalam 'alaikum. As a Muslim, I would like to know more about the afterlife. My questions are: 1. On the Day of Judgment, if a Muslim has sins that Allah has not forgiven, how will he or she be judged? I heard that he or she will be punished according to the level of sins first in the Hell and then he or she will go to Jannah (Paradise). 2. In Jannah, how many partners or wives will a man have? Will it vary according to one's good deeds? How many partners will a woman have? 3. Will a person in Paradise see his or her parents, relatives, and friends? Thank you for your answers in advance. This is a nice, informative site.
Waleed Ahmed Najmeddine
Answer

Salam Dear Jabed, 


Thank you for your questions, and I will do my best to answer them,
insha'Allah (God willing).

Everyone will be gathered on the Day of Judgment in a single place and at a fixed point in time in the future (from our perspective of time). All humanity will be shown their books that will contain all of their deeds in recorded form. These books will leave out nothing, good or bad, that we have done in this life. 


Unfortunately, because none of us is perfect, we are prone to making mistakes and falling into sin. Those from amongst us who chose not to follow what the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) brought, yet believe in the One True God, Allah, as Muslims will have to be purified of their sins by spending some time in the hellfire. We ask Allah keep us from falling into sin and to forgive us for the many sins we commit every day. 


According to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), anyone who says, 
La ilaha illallah (There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah) will not spend eternity in the hellfire. One second of punishment, however, may seem like an eternity by our earthly standards, so we should never assume that we will only be there for a short time.

Now is the time for repentance. Allah can and will forgive us if we turn to Him sincerely in repentance, but if we die before we were able to repent for our sins, then we will suffer in the next life. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 


Allah accepts a bondsman's repentance as long as the latter is not on his deathbed (that is, before the soul of the dying person reaches the throat). 
[This Hadith was reported by At-Tirmidhi].

Men who enter Paradise will be granted several maidens as wives. In some narrations, particularly for the martyrs, it comes as 72 maidens. This is probably a generalization to tell us that the number will be many. That aside, if we were only granted one, she would be sufficient since the wives of Paradise have matchless beauty and grace. 


While some non-Muslims scoff at this idea, every man of sound mind desires this reward. Why would Allah tell us of an unspecific reward that we cannot relate to, when instead He can reach the hearts of most men with promises of something more tangible and desirable. Nevertheless, we cannot 
truly conceptualize the maidens of Paradise as they are beyond worldly description.

In general, women do not desire the same things as men. Most people would look down upon an arrangement of many husbands for a single woman, and few women would actually desire this.
We have been told that a women's beauty in Paradise far outweighs the beauty of her husband's maidens. In her husband's eyes, she is the most beautiful of women in Paradise by far. We can see how this reward in the next life fits in with the nature and desires of women. 

In Paradise, according to an authentic Tradition of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) there will be many levels. Some Companions worried that they would not see the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) again after death because they could never equal him in piety and status before Allah.
He reassured them that they would be with those whom they love, from among the believers. Those of us who hope and pray that we will be reunited with our loved ones in Paradise will also be granted this wish by Allah, in sha' Allah.

I hope this has shed some light on the subject for you and I ask Allah to forgive us and guide us to what pleases Him. 

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