Fourth Ramadan Lecture Presented by Al-Sayyid Abdul Malik Badruddin Al-Houthi, 1445A.H.

Ramadan Lecture Series 1445 A.H.

Presented by Al-Sayyid Abdul Malik Badruddin Al-Houthi

Lecture Four

Friday, 5 Ramadan 1445 A.H. (15 March 2024 A.D.)

The Time for Sorting People and Determining the Destiny of the Criminal Tyrants!

I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

Praise is to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. I believe that there is no god but Allah, the Sovereign and the Manifest Truth, and that Muhammad, our master, is His servant, Messenger, and Last Prophet.

O Allah! Confer Your salat and blessings upon Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad as You conferred Your salat and blessings upon Ibrahim and the Family of Ibrahim. You are Owner of Praise, Owner of Glory! And be pleased with Muhammad's good companions and all Your righteous servants and mujahidin.

O Allah! Guide us and grant us acceptance, for You are the Hearing, the Knowing; accept our repentance, for You are the Relenting and the Merciful.

Brothers and sisters, peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.

In the context of our discussion on the importance of piety and what it means to us in this worldly life, as well as its importance and the need for it in the Hereafter, and in light of some blessed Quranic verses, we spoke about the states of people on the Day of Resurrection. We spoke about man's state on the Day of Resurrection, including at the first stage of the Day of Resurrection—that is, the first blast, the first cry, that will bring about the destruction and reshaping of the world and the destruction of the heavens and the earth followed by reshaping them: {' the day the earth will be changed into a different earth and the heavens as well'}. We also spoke about man's state in the second blast, the gathering for reckoning, the events of reckoning people will face at the individual and collective levels, and when receiving the records of deeds, the books of deeds. Based on the guidance of the blessed verses, we explained some of those states and emphasised the importance of what this means to us in this worldly life so that we may remember while we are still here in this life and the opportunity is still available.

As we continue the discussion, it is important that we all focus on learning the lessons and taking heed and that one realises that all this applies to him—that is, he is one of those about whom the Holy Quran says that they will be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection, held accountable, questioned, and recompensed. Therefore, Allah (Glory be to Him), warns in the Holy Quran about the state of heedlessness, which has a serious impact on a person if it takes hold of him: He becomes indifferent towards his actions, words, and behaviour and acts carelessly according to the inclinations of his soul and his state of mind. This is an extremely dangerous state. Allah (the Almighty) says, {'The reckoning of people has drawn near to them, while they are in negligence, turning away. No fresh admonition comes to them from their Lord, but they listen to it while they play, with their hearts paying no heed'}. We must be keen to listen to the guidance of Allah with attentive ears and with understanding in order to benefit from that.

Based on the blessed Quranic verses, we spoke about the situations of the resurrection, including the reckoning. Among the states and situations on the gathering ground the Holy Quran mentions is what becomes apparent concerning any person: In the case of glad tidings and triumph, one's success and salvation becomes evident, while if the case is different, one's disappointment and loss become evident, where one becomes aware of how evil his actions were. His fate becomes evident, as the signs that indicate his fate show that he is destined for damnation, loss, and Jahannam (We seek refuge in Allah). These manifestations are even apparent on a person's face.

{'On that day some faces will turn white while others will turn black'}—Reflect on the context of this verse!

About the states and situations of the Resurrection Day, Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {'On that day some faces will turn white while others will turn black'}. This is attributed to the deeds that one does in this world. If one adheres to piety in his relationship with Allah, responds to Him, does good deeds that He has commanded in the Holy Quran and in His guidance revealed to His messengers, if he does honourable deeds that do him pride and honour in this world, his face will shine white on the Day of Resurrection. That is because he will be happy, joyful, and pleased on the Day of Resurrection with himself, his deeds, and his positions. Hence, his face will be bright with immense joy, happiness, and excitement, as well as with this sign that Allah grants him as an indication of triumph and success.

As for the other state where a person neglects piety in his relationship with Allah (the Almighty) and takes disgraceful, bad positions, the positions of abandoning the principles, values, and ethics of faith, it is a horrible, terrible, disgraceful state in this worldly life. And on the Day of Resurrection, this state will become evident from the person's sadness, intense regret, overwhelming sense of tremendous loss, and remorse that in itself is a dreadful psychological torment. In addition to all that, there is the sign that he will be marked with: His face will intensely, horribly, and dreadfully blacken!

This verse, {'On that day some faces will turn white while others will turn black,'} comes in a significant context. It comes in Surah Ali 'Imran in the context of those verses that highlight the danger posed by the People of the Scripture (the Jews and Christians), their intense enmity towards Islam and Muslims, the nature of the conflict with them, and their efforts to divert the Ummah and lead it astray from faith and the path of faith: {‘They would turn you back from belief to disbelief.’} Obeying them leads to that result: {‘If you were to obey to a group of those who were given the Scripture, they would turn you back from belief to disbelief’}. The impact of this activity by the People of the Scripture becomes evident in their influence on many of the sons of the Ummah, leading them to retract from important religious aspects, including positions, instructions, and ethical obligations. That is because they focus on the faith aspect in everything: in positions, ethics, and values. They attempt to badly influence the Ummah and divert it from the teachings of Allah (Glory be to Him). {‘As for those whose faces turn black, “Did you disbelieve after having believed? So taste the punishment for your disbelief.” But as for those whose faces turn white, within the mercy of Allah. They will abide therein eternally’}.

To clarify the state that will be apparent on people’s faces on the Day of Resurrection, the faces of those who have earned evil deeds, deviated from the path of Allah, and neglected piety in their relationship with Allah (the Almighty), He (the Almighty) says, {‘As for those who commit evils, the recompense of each evil shall be similar to that evil, and disgrace shall cover them.’} Even while on the gathering ground, they will start to experience a continuous state of humiliation, disgrace, and shame. {‘And disgrace shall cover them. They will have no protector from Allah. It will be as if their faces were covered with pieces of the night—so dark .’} This is a strange expression and depiction of the extreme blackness that will be on their faces on the Day of Resurrection. This a very horrible state! {‘It will be as if their faces are covered with pieces of the night—so dark . Those are the people of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally’}.

In the judgment between people on the Day of Resurrection, significant issues will emerge. The problem of many people in this worldly life is that they view matters from their personal perspective. A person may take a careless or negligent position towards a matter that is extremely dangerous and of great importance and leads to punishment and very severe consequences. That is because he views such a matter from his personal perspective, not through the lens of the Holy Quran. He does not consider the status and importance of this matter in the Holy Quran. Instead, he relies on his own personal estimation and view, which align with his liking. This is a highly dangerous matter for humans, since the Quran is a book of guidance, and Allah (Glory be to Him) will hold us accountable for our deeds on the Day of Resurrection according to the true standard and the correct balance, not according to our whimsical, immature, and limited estimations that are based on incorrect understanding and rooted in the inclinations of the soul and one's personal judgement.

Therefore, when it comes to the blessed verse concerning the danger of the Jews to the Ummah and the severe consequences to its worldly and religious affairs that can result from being careless in the conflict with them, we see that the command of being mindful regarding this matter calls in this specific context for the highest degrees of mindfulness: {‘O believers, be mindful of Allah in the way He deserves’}—{‘in the way He deserves’}. No such phrasing has ever been used in any other context in the Holy Quran. That is due to the immense importance and consequential outcomes of such a matter.

Regarding the act of believing in some of the book and disbelieving some of it when it comes to practical response, obedience, and commitment, Allah (Glory be to Him) says in the Holy Quran, {'So do you believe in part of the Scripture and disbelieve in part? Then the recompense for those who do that among you is only disgrace in worldly life; and on the Day of Resurrection, they will be sent back to the most severe punishment'}. (We seek refuge in Allah.) Accepting some of Allah's teachings and instructions in His book while rejecting others, because they do not align with the desires and inclinations of the soul, leads to severe punishment: disgrace in this worldly life and the most severe torment in the Hereafter (We seek refuge in Allah).

Terrifying scenes to be seen during the reckoning on the Day of Resurrection!

One of the prominent situations during the reckoning on the Day of Resurrection is how the followed ones will disassociate themselves from those who have followed them in falsehood, in the path of misguidance, in the wrong direction that deviates from the way of Allah, and in negligence of piety: {' when those who have been followed disassociate themselves from those who followed , and they see the punishment, and the ties are cut off from them'}. This will be a great regret for them. That is because in worldly life they followed them in falsehood, stood with them in opposition to the guidance and teachings of Allah, and chose to align themselves with them far away from the light of Allah, His guidance, and His teachings. They supported them, stood with them, loved them, and were loyal to them. They stood by their side and benefited them with their support, allowing them to climb upon their shoulders to attain a certain level of influence and so on. So their disassociation from them on the Day of Resurrection will cause them great regrets. {' when those who have been followed disassociate themselves from those who followed , and they see the punishment,}—seeing the punishment is an extremely terrifying scene—{and the ties are cut off from them.'} The relationships have ended, and they are left with no means of salvation. {'Those who followed will say, "If only we had another turn so we could disassociate ourselves from them as they have disassociated themselves from us." Thus, Allah will show them their deeds as regrets upon them. And they are never to get out of the Fire'}.

In the many situations witnessed during the reckoning on the Day of Resurrection, as various events and situations will take place on the reckoning ground that day, the state of deep remorse will be of the most notable things. Such a feeling will be expressed often on the Day of Resurrection, starting with one's saying, {'If only I had put forth something for my life'}. The regret and remorse a person will express is a result of an extremely dreadful psychological state. It is an incredibly terrifying state of deep remorse, severe psychological anguish, and intense regret. This is because the person will realise that it is his own actions that have led him to the loss he has incurred, despite Allah having provided him with ample opportunities in worldly life to seek what grants him salvation, triumph, success, and safety.

{‘Oh, how sorry I am, for having neglected my duty to Allah}—these will be some of the words that express the deep remorse and regret of those who have ended up losers—{and having been one of the mockers’}. This is a serious state that prevails among many people who are careless. {‘Only if I could have another turn, so I could be in the rank of the good doers’}: Here, he wishes he could return to this life. {'And the day the wrongdoer will bite on his hands and say, "Oh, I wish I had taken with the Messenger a way. Woe to me! I wish I had not taken so-and-so for a close friend. He definitely made me stray away from the reminder after it had come to me"'}. This is a serious state for the person, as he will keep expressing his remorse, regret, and sorrow.

The preparation for leaving the ground of reckoning: {'Stand apart today, O criminals!’}

In the scenes of reckoning on the Day of Resurrection, after the completion of the collective and individual reckoning, the process of sorting begins: {‘ so that Allah may distinguish the wicked from the good’} and distinguish the residents of Jannah from the resident of the Fire. That moment will mark the beginning of separating human society forever: After living in the worldly life together on the planet of earth and sharing regions, countries, cities, and villages, they will begin to be eternally separated. The separation between them will begin from the gathering ground after they have been distinguished and sorted on the reckoning ground. Allah (Glory be to Him) says, {‘Stand apart today, O criminals!’}. This statement applies to all residents of Jahannam, encompassing all their factions and groups. They will be set apart on one side alone, and the believers will be distinguished from them: {‘ so that Allah may distinguish the wicked from the good’}. This will take place at the beginning of the process of transitioning from the reckoning ground.

Of the most horrifying scenes on the gathering ground—when the process of transition from the gathering ground approaches so that the people of Jannah move towards Jannah, while the people of the Fire move towards it—is when Jahannam is brought forth (We seek refuge in Allah). It is an extremely horrifying sight! Allah (the Almighty) says, {‘and on that day, Jahannam is made to come forward’}. That is the horrifying world that all losers will move into. This is a very horrifying situation. In contrast, {‘Jannah will be brought near to the pious, not far off’}.

In the arrangement for the transition to the new abodes of each group—the new abode for the people of Jannah will be Jannah, and the new abode for the people of the Fire will be the Fire (May Allah be our refuge). Before the transition and after all those who will be transferred to the Fire gather—since the process of reckoning has completed, and all those who will head towards the Fire have gathered solely—something will take place, something that is very bad for any human to experience and therefore should be considered seriously so as to beware of being among those who find themselves in that situation.

In that situation, as they have all been gathered, Satan stands to address them. Satan, who called them to the torment of the Blaze—{‘He only invites his followers to become inmates of the Blaze’}—and to whom they preferred to respond instead of responding to the instructions, calls, and teachings of Allah, which ensures their salvation, triumph, and success, addresses them: {‘And Satan said, after the judgment has been passed}—the matter and process of reckoning has completed; the people of the Fire have been distinguished; and the divine judgment has been passed upon them, appointing Jahannam as their destiny, what an evil destiny!—{“indeed, Allah has made you a true promise. But I made you a promise, and I failed you. I did not have any authority over you. I only called you, and you responded to me. So do not blame me; blame yourselves"’}.

Contemplate how terrible this situation is! A person should think about himself, imagining what if (May Allah forbid) he was among those whom Satan will speak to, mock, gloat at, and disassociate himself from in that extremely horrifying circumstance, as he has forgotten Allah, forgotten His teachings and instructions and responded to Satan. The situation would be truly horrifying! {‘I cannot save you, nor can you save me. Indeed, I denounce your previous association of me with Allah. Surely the wrongdoers will suffer a painful punishment’}.

Among the situations that will be seen on the ground of the Resurrection Day during the sorting process—when the people of the Fire are distinguished and guided to the Fire, when Allah distinguishes the wicked from the righteous, and when the people of Jannah move in the direction that leads to the world of Jannah—there is also a very striking and impactful situation mentioned in the Holy Quran: This involves the hypocrites, who are affiliated with Islam, who are considered to be of the Islamic Ummah, and who live among its members as if they are part of it. On the Day of Resurrection, they are not allowed to go with them , and they will be strongly prevented. This is an extremely terrifying situation! Allah describes it in the Holy Quran, saying, {‘On the day the hypocrites (men and women) will say to those who believed, “Wait for us that we may acquire some of your light.” It is said, “Go back behind you and seek light.” And a wall will be placed between them with a door whose interior containing mercy, but on the outside of it torment. They will call to them , “Were we not with you?” They will say, “Yes, but you afflicted yourselves and awaited and doubted, and wishful thinking deluded you until there came the command of Allah. And the Deceiver deceived you concerning Allah. So today no ransom will be taken from you or from those who disbelieved. Your refuge is the Fire. It is most worthy of you, and wretched is the destination”’}. The problem of the hypocrites was their loyalty to the enemies of Islam, their habit of awaiting misfortune for the Ummah, their doubts, their subversion of the internal situation of the Ummah, and the deluding hopes they pursue instead of earnest work and practical response to Allah, the Almighty.

Then, as we mentioned, human society will be separated forever: {‘And the day the Hour appears, that Day they will become separated’}. Many will be separated, even families and those who are united by a commonplace, a village, a city, or a neighbourhood where they gather for events and other occasions. In fact, the consequences of their deeds will eternally divide them and place them in different directions.

The time for transition from the gathering ground and the determination of destiny!

Then begins the transition from the gathering ground, the planet of earth, in that state where it has been prepared to become a desolate field, devoid of any signs of life—it has transformed into a field, a barren land, solely for the purpose of reckoning. Then, the people of the Fire will begin to be forcibly transferred to the Fire (We seek refuge in Allah), because they do not desire that. They rather try to resist and cling to staying there on the ground of reckoning for they realise the terrifying horror and immense loss that lie in being transferred to Jahannam.

The path to Jahannam is a distant path compared to the path that leads to Jannah. Therefore, Allah (Gory be to Him) refers to it in the Holy Quran as the path of Jahannam. He addresses the angels saying, {‘and guide them’}: Guide them and take them away. {‘And guide them to the path of Hellfire’}. Allah knows the best. We cannot imagine what the means that will be used to transport them to Jahannam (We seek refuge in Allah).

However, before moving, they will be asked to stop. Allah says, {‘and stop them’} because they will transport them in a vast multitude, billions of humans, large crowds from the people of the early and late generations. Indeed, the Quran clarifies that the majority of people, unfortunately, will be perished and end up losers due to their deviation from the path of Allah and their failure to respond to Him. {‘And he had already led astray from among you much of creation’}: Satan succeeded in misleading so many people because of their obedience to him and their succumbing to their desires. Allah will say, {‘And stop them; indeed, they are to be questioned. , “What is with you that you do not help each other?”’}. Despite their enormous numbers and massive crowds, can they refuse, decide otherwise, rebel, or protect themselves from that dreadful destiny, the punishment of Jahannam, (We seek refuge in Allah)? No, they cannot; they can never abstain, and they cannot protect themselves.

{‘, “What is with you that you do not help each other?” Instead, they, that day, are in surrender’}. They will be in a state of surrender. Then, the angels, the guards of Jahannam, will forcibly transport them after they have been shackled with severe, terrifying shackles, which will be part of their punishment. {‘ the Day they will be fiercely shoved into the Fire of Jahannam’}: They will be pushed forcefully and taken against their will. {‘The wicked will be recognised by their appearance, then will be seized by forelocks and feet’}—pushing and pulling by force.

They will be driven to Jahannam in a horrible state of extreme thirst, with a horrifying appearance: their faces blackened, their colours changed, and their state expressing misery and wretchedness (We seek refuge in Allah). They will be driven without any honour and subjected to humiliation, just like how animals are driven. {‘And We will drive the criminals to Jahannam as to the watering hole’}.

They will be driven in groups and crowds, as mentioned in the blessed verse, {‘And those who disbelieved will be driven to Jahannam in groups’}. They will be a vast multitude. When they reach the gates of Jahannam, their huge numbers will astonish those angels guarding Jahannam: What about the guidance of Allah that was within your reach? Why did you not follow it? The doomed ones among the sons of the Islamic Ummah will be asked about how they dealt with the Quran and how they responded to the revelations of Allah, the Almighty! {‘When they arrive there, its gates will be opened, and its keepers will say to them, “Did there not come to you messengers from yourselves, reciting to you the verses of your Lord and warning you of the meeting of this day of yours?” They will say, “Yes, but the word of punishment has come into effect upon the disbelievers”’}—that is because the problem lies with them due to their deviation from the path of Allah. {‘It will be said , “Enter the gates of Jahannam to abide eternally therein. What an evil home for the arrogant!”’}.

The ultimate regret: The criminals at the brink of Jahannam!

One of the most terrifying situations is when they reach the outskirts of Jahannam, when they approach Jahannam after being transported to it. It is an extremely terrifying situation where their intense fear, deep sense of loss, regret, and psychological torment intensify. In that state of extreme fear and anxiety, they try to deny once again what they have been found guilty of, even in the records of their actions. They try to deny again the deeds that led them to Jahannam. But what happens then? Allah says, {‘The day when the enemies of Allah will be gathered to the Fire, assembled in rows.}—because they are huge in number—{Until, when they reach it, their hearing, their eyes, and their skins will testify against them of what they used to do. And they will say to their skins, “Why have you testified against us?” They will say, “We were made to speak by Allah, Who has made everything speak; and He created you the first time, and to Him you are returned”’}. At that point, there is no room at all for denial. Their senses, limbs, and skins have testified, leaving no space at all for denial. They experience feelings of regret, anger, self-hatred, self-frustration, and self-shame that they have allowed themselves to reach such a terrible state!

In that situation, they will be prepared to be sent into the Fire after opening its doors: {‘It has seven doors; each door has its determined part’}. Indeed, it contains different levels of torment according to their deeds, crimes, and sins. There are various forms of punishment (We seek refuge in Allah). They will be made to enter Jahannam by force, forcibly thrown into it. They will not enter willingly or in a normal manner. Rather, they will be thrown into it. Massive crowds will be collectively thrown into the Fire, despite their unwillingness. In that state, they will show no solidarity, support, or empathy among themselves. Instead, it is as Allah says about them, {‘Every time a nation enters, it will curse its sister’}. He also says about them, {‘, “This is a company bursting in with you”’}. One group arrives in Jahannam only to find another group has followed, so they say, {‘This is a company bursting in with you. No welcome for them}—there is no welcome, no consolation, no solidarity, no empathy, or anything of that sort—{Indeed, they will burn in the Fire. They will say, “Nor you! No welcome for you. You brought this upon us, and wretched is the settlement”’}. Even those who were with them in the worldly life in a position of falsehood and followed the same path that ran counter to the guidance of Allah (Glory be to Him) will not welcome them. Instead, they live among themselves in an atmosphere of discord and cursing.

In the Fire, upon entering it, they are shackled, in Allah’s chains that are unparalleled and made of His wrath and punishment: {‘Nor can anyone shackle like He will shackle’}. This state is too horrible. Allah orders the angels saying, {‘Seize him and shackle him’]. It is a too horrible state when a person is shackled to his neck!

The clothing, drink, and food of the people of the Fire!

When they enter the fire, there come the fiery clothes, terrifying clothes that are part of their intense torment: {‘Garments of fire will be cut out for them’}. They will be provided with garments that are tailored for every one of them. However, these garments are made of fire and will keep burning on their bodies, causing them torment due to intense heat. There are also those garments that Allah (the Almighty) described as, {‘with garments of tar’}. The body secretes tar as it burns with the blazing garment, causing a hideous transformation in shape and colour. This sight is extremely terrifying and incredibly dreadful! Instead of adorning themselves with beautiful garments, this is a garment of fire that consumes their body, causing the secretion of tar. The sight of a person experiencing that state of torture is horrifying (We seek refuge in Allah).

Then comes the state of extreme thirst and hunger, which is part of their torment. Since they were on the gathering ground, they have been suffering hunger and extreme thirst. Nothing was provided to them on the gathering ground to drink or eat; rather, they were prevented from all of that, as they called on the believers to {‘pour upon us some water or from whatever Allah has provided you’}. Indeed, they refused and told them that this is prohibited and forbidden for them. Therefore, they get to Jahannam as described by Allah, {‘And We will drive the criminals to Jahannam as to the watering hole’}: like animals being driven while they are so thirsty.

In a state of extreme thirst in the Fire, with their bodies burning and the intensity of their inflammation, their thirst increases greatly. They cry out for help, but what is offered to them when they do so? {‘And if they call for relief,}—as they are too thirsty—{they will be relieved with water like murky oil’}: It is not pure, clear, or drinkable water. Rather, it is {‘like murky oil}—like the dregs of oil—{which scalds faces’}. That water, which is extremely turbid and completely impure, is in a state of intense heat, so as soon as it approaches them to drink it, it sears their faces with its tremendous heat. The heat is so intense that their faces scorch just from it getting close to their faces. However, due to their extreme thirst, they drink that water. The result is as Allah (Glory be to Him) has said, {‘They will be given boiling water to drink, and it will tear their bowels into pieces’}. As it approaches them to drink it, it sears their faces, and as they consume it, it cuts their intestines inside them. It becomes a severe and scorching torment for them (We seek refuge in Allah). Despite that, they continue drinking, yet they never quench their thirst. The state of thirst remains, no matter how much they drink of that boiling water that sears their faces, cuts their intestines, and burns them from within. Indeed, they never quench their thirst at all. {‘And you will drink like thirsty camels do’}: camels that suffer from polydipsia, a disease of extreme thirst, so they drink but do not quench their thirst. This is an incredibly terrible condition.

One of the various drinks they will drink in the Fire is pus (May Allah be our refuge), although it is repulsive, and everything in is disgusting, including its smell, its stench, and its taste, which is an extremely bad taste: {‘And he will be given a drink of purulent water. He will try to swallow it in small sips. But he can barely swallow it’}. These are extremely terrible situations.

The same applies to food. They are tormented by severe hunger, which drives them to eat Zaqqum . They eat Zaqqum, which is exceedingly terrible food in the Fire. It is part of the torment in Jahannam, with a very repulsive form, as Allah says about it, {'Its fruits are like the heads of devils'}. To manifest its repugnant taste and very extreme heat, He says, {‘Surely, the tree of Zaqqum will be the food of the evildoer. Like murky oil, it will boil in the bellies like the boiling of hot water’}. This is Zaqqum, the dry thorns about which Allah says, {‘which neither nourishes nor avails against hunger’}.

What they inhale in the Fire, instead of oxygen of this life, is scorching heat, which is very extremely hot air. It goes into the body to fill every cell of the person with extreme heat. This happens to the extent that the people of Jannah then praise Allah and thank Him and feel Allah's grace upon them that they are safe from that kind of torment! That is, if there only were the torment of scorching heat in Jahannam, it alone would be too horrible. Allah says that the people of Jannah say, {‘So Allah has graced us and protected us from the torment of scorching heat’}.

As for the state of the people of the Fire, Allah says about them, {‘ in scorching heat and boiling water’}. Whenever they inhale it, they inhale it with difficulty. {‘Where they will be sighing and gasping’}: In that state, they breathe that scorching heat in and out with extreme difficulty. This state is part of their severe torment, which even includes the act of breathing inside the Fire (We seek refuge in Allah)!

Regarding bathing in the Fire, they wash in boiling water of an extremely hot temperature: {‘And boiling water will be poured over their heads, melting whatever is in their bellies, along with their skins’}. This is a truly terrible state!

Swimming is not optional. {'When the shackles are around their necks and the chains; they will be dragged in boiling water; then in the Fire they will be filled with flame'}. The angels pull them, as they are in chains, in the midst of the boiling water of intensely severe fires of Jahannam (We seek refuge in Allah).

Facing severe pains and extremely horrible psychological and physical torment, one remains in a comparable state of suffering and pain; it is a truly terrible state! He suffers pain in every part of his body, and he suffers and feels intense pains all over his body. Had death still existed, a small portion of such pain would have caused his death. That is why Allah says about them, {'So on that day no one can punish as He will punish'}. Indeed, it is an extremely severe torment: {'And death comes at him from everywhere but he is not to die'}. He also says, {'They will have a severe punishment,'} {'They will suffer a tremendous punishment,'} {'They will suffer a painful punishment,'} and {'They will receive a humiliating torment.'} It is torment in every sense of the word: incredibly tremendous suffering and extremely severe pains, at extreme levels that surpass what a human can imagine!

No prayers, no appeals, no tears, no cries—Nothing will be of any benefit on that day!

With all those types of torment, suffering, and pain and those very terrible conditions, neither invocation nor supplication will be of no use, nor will crying or screaming. {'And they scream aloud therein'}. They keep screaming as they turn over and move aimlessly in torment. They know no rest: They cannot sit or stay calm due to the severity of their pain and torment. Therefore, they supplicate to Allah, {'Our Lord, take us out. We will do good, unlike what we used to do'}. They have realised that what led them to their current state is their neglect of righteous deeds in their worldly life. Allah holds the proof against them , {'Did We not give you a lifelong enough to take warning if you were going to? And the warner came to you. So taste'}. There is absolutely no room for return.

They supplicate to Allah while they are in that terrible state of unparalleled humility, bitterly crying with burned faces and cracked lips. {'And their lips are twisted'}. It is a very terrible state. They are consumed by its fires, experiencing the utmost torment, pain, and suffering. {‘Our Lord, remove us from it, and if we were to return , we would indeed be wrongdoers’}. They ask for another opportunity to return to this life and do good deeds. {‘He said, “Be despised therein and do not speak to Me"’}. They will eventually be even prohibited from supplicating!

After they despair of going out of Jahannam, they seek to decrease even for a single day, as the state in the Fire is an extremely terrible state (We seek refuge in Allah)! Torment there is not decreased even for a single moment, and the very terrible pain and suffering experienced there know no decrease even for a single moment. They are in extremely severe mental suffering, where all forms of mental torment converge upon them: extreme boredom, extreme sadness, and anger towards themselves and towards those who led them to such intense agony. They face all kinds of mental torment, as well as pains from the intense burning. They feel the trouble and that they have neglected themselves. It is an extremely dreadful state! They will never see any mercy or a moment without torment—not even a brief respite! It is a truly terrible state (We seek refuge in Allah)!

At that time, they ask for the torment to be reduced. {'And those in the Fire will say to the keepers of Jahannam ,}—for they are prohibited from supplicating—{"Pray to your Lord to lighten the torment for us for one day." They will say, "Did there not come to you your messengers with clear proofs?" They will say, "Yes"'}. The messengers came; the warner came; guidance came; and the call of Allah reached them, but the problem lies with them. {'They will reply, "Then supplicate "'}. That means the keepers cannot allow themselves to supplicate for them. They refuse to pray for them or to intercede on their behalf. {'But the supplication of the disbelievers is only in error'}.

They then seek death to rid themselves of what they are in. While the fear of death is the reason that leads many people to do what leads them into the Fire and forsake what grants them salvation from the Fire, those in Jahannam seek death: {'And they will call, "O Malik, let your Lord put an end to us!" He will say, "Indeed, you will remain"'}. There is absolutely no way, even that death they long for. All their attempts to break free and escape fail, and this even becomes part of their torment. Allah (Glory be to Him) says about the angels, describing what is in their hands, {'They have maces of iron; whenever they intend to come out of it due to their anguish, they will be forced back to it, and , "Taste the punishment of the Burning Fire!"'}. It is a dreadful journey in the fire of Jahannam. They strive to escape from its flames, so they are struck with iron hammers and endure the torment of burning (We Seek refuge in Allah)!

These are just examples of what the Quran presents, as it extensively discusses the conditions of the Hereafter, the events of accountability, and the states of humans in the fire of Jahannam. These examples are part of the warning that Allah has warned His servants with. He has warned them in this world and guided us towards what ensures our salvation and what protects us from that torment. Thus, this allows no argument against Allah by His servants, and it will leave them with no excuse on the Day of Resurrection.

On the gathering ground, Allah addresses humans and jinn, both of them, not only humans, {‘O company of jinn and mankind, did there not come to you messengers from among you, relating to you My verses and warning you of the meeting of this Day of yours? They will say, "We bear witness against ourselves"; and the worldly life had deluded them’}. They bear witness against themselves that Allah's argument has been established upon them. They even say about themselves in fire of Jahannam, {‘And they will lament, “If only we had listened and reasoned, we would not be among the residents of the Blaze." And they will admit their sin, so alienation for the people of the Blaze’}.

Appreciate the priceless opportunity granted by Allah to be saved from this dreadful destiny!

Therefore, it is important for us to realise the value of this opportunity in this life. We should realise the value of these opportunities that Allah has bestowed upon us, such as the blessed month of Ramadan and its blessings, which nurtures us in the fear of Allah and strengthens our relationship with the Holy Quran and the guidance and teachings of Allah so as to reflect on practical reality. That is because there is nothing, including all fears, that is worth jeopardising one's salvation, making him feel fears of other matters that lead him to the fire of Jahannam: fearing tyrants or fearing criminals, and thus submitting to them and going against the instructions and teachings of Allah out of fear for the transient worldly interests. Any fear that leads a person to Jahannam is indeed a tremendous folly. The same applies to desires, ambitions, and temptations that lead a person to Jahannam and make him forget everything. This is an extremely horrible, dangerous matter. Imagine this happening, while Allah has outlined for us the path of goodness, success, honour, dignity, and righteous life that leads to Jannah and its immense bliss in the Hereafter.

We must all pay attention to Allah's reminders and His calls for us to save ourselves from that severe punishment: {'O you who believe, protect yourselves and your families from a fire whose fuel is people and stones, and is overseen by rigorous, stern angels, who never disobey whatever Allah commands and do whatever they are commanded'}. They cannot sympathise with you, nor can they show pity or mercy towards you: {‘who never disobey whatever Allah commands and do whatever they are commanded'}.

It is important for individuals to seise the opportunity of the blessed month to turn towards Allah (Glory be to Him) by supplicating for liberation from the Fire, striving to strengthen their connection with the guidance of Allah, enhancing their faith in Allah, and practically turning themselves according to the instructions of Allah, the Almighty.

We ask Allah (Glory be to Him) to grant us success in seeking what pleases Him. O Allah! Have mercy on our virtuous martyrs, heal the wounded among us, set free our captives, and grant us victory. You are the Hearer of Prayer!

Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.