More women in hell fire.
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
(May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
assalamu
alaikum, respected brother in islam,
Regarding recents posts about the status of women... I am a practising muslimah
striving to seek the mercy and blessing of Alah subhanau wa
ta'ala. He has bestowed blessing upon blessing upon me and has
always helped me when I have been in dire need. However....from time to time I become
disheartened when I read Hadith pertaining to women, their role, and their
position in the afterlife.
I am fully aware of all verses in Al Quran which clarify that there is reward
for every believing male and every believing female, and that Allah will not
suffer the works of any believer to be lost, and that not the least injustice
will be done to them. So then, how can hellfire be the destiny of
most women, because they are ungrateful to their husbands? If this is so, then
by contrast, most men, however sinful will be in
So women are told at the outset that there is little chance of them going to
paradise. In contrast, incentives for men to strive for paradise are
frequently given in the Quran and hadith. There are many lucid
descriptions fo the sexual delights awaiting them there. I accept
that many men need enticing with such descriptions in order to keep them on the
straight path. However, are women not in need of some kind of
incentive also? I'm not talking of descriptions of gorgeous men here, (though
many women would be enticed by this!)But surely women would be helped by descriptions
of paradise suited to their feminine nature, romantic love, one gorgeous
heavenly husband etc. The muslim woman is bluntly told that in paradise she
will be with her earthly husband and all his heavenly wives - not so bad if her
husband was lovely, but where is the incentive in this if he was ill tempered and
stingy?
Despite the many blessings Islam has conferred upon women, men seem to have it
all. On earth, a wife who panders to their every whim, and in heaven many
beautiful wives to replace her, because she will be in hell anyway.
Dear brother is Islam, please can you clarify for me, why incentives are
frequently given to men to strive for paradise, but hadith for women seem like
deterrents? Why bother striving for paradise if you are going to go
to hell anyway?
JazaakAllahkhair
(There may be some grammatical and spelling
errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in
confidentiality.)
Answer:
More women in hell
fire
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His
help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide,
and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear
witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear
witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His
Messengers.
Your Question: …..So then, how can hellfire be
the destiny of most women, because they are ungrateful to their husbands? If
this is so, then by contrast, most men, however sinful will be in
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah
Ahzaab verse 35:
35 For muslim men and women, for believing men and
women, for devout men and women, for true men and
women, for men and women who are patient and constant,
for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women
who give in charity, for men and women who fast, for men
and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women
who engage much in Allah's praise; for them has Allah prepared Forgiveness and
a Great Reward.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah
Ahzaab verse 72:
72 Allah hath promised to believers, men and women, Gardens under which rivers flow to dwell
therein and beautiful mansions in gardens of everlasting bliss. But the greatest bliss is the Good Pleasure
of Allah: that is the supreme felicity.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 48 Surah
Al-Fath verse 5:
5 That He may admit the men and women who believe to
Gardens beneath which rivers flow to dwell therein for aye and remove their
ills from them; and that is in the Sight of Allah the Highest Achievement
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 57 Surah
Hadid verses 11-12:
11 Who is he that will loan to Allah a beautiful Loan? For (Allah) will
increase it manifold to his credit and he will have (besides) a liberal reward.
12 One Day shalt thou see the believing men and the believing
women how their Light runs forward before them and by their right
hands: (their greeting will be): "Good News for you this Day! Gardens
beneath which flow rivers! To dwell therein for aye! This is indeed the Highest
Achievement!"
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah
Ahzaab verses 72-73:
72 We did indeed offer the Trust to the Heavens and the Earth and the
Mountains: but they refused to undertake it being afraid thereof: but man
undertook it he was indeed unjust and foolish.
73 (With the result) that Allah has to punish the hypocrites men and
women, and the unbelievers men and women, and Allah turns in Mercy to the
believers men and women: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah
Ale-Imraan verse 195:
195 And their Lord hath accepted of them and answered them: "Never
will I suffer to be lost the work of any of you be he male or female:
ye are members one of another; those who have left their homes or been driven
out therefrom or suffered harm in My Cause or fought or been slain verily I
will blot out from them their iniquities and admit them into Gardens with
rivers flowing beneath; a reward from the presence of Allah and from His presence
is the best of rewards."
Respected Sister in Islam, rest assured that the All-Wise
All-Just Lord does not Judge His creation according to their gender, or color,
or race, or nationality, or anything else over which one did not possess any
control….but the principle of Justice of the Lord Most Just is based on the
beliefs and deeds of each individual, absolutely regardless of their gender or
color, etc.! Whosoever’s weight of good
deeds is heavier in the Supreme Scales of Allah Subhanah will be shown His
Forgiveness and Mercy; and whosoever’s weight of evil is heavier will deserve
the Lord’s Wrath and Anger.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 103 Surah
Al-Qariah verses 6-11:
6 Then he whose balance (of good deeds)
will be (found) heavy
7 Will be in a life of good pleasure and
satisfaction.
8 But he whose balance (of good deeds) will
be (found) light
9 Will have his home in a (bottomless) pit.
10 And what will explain to thee what this
is?
11 (It is) a Fire Blazing fiercely!
Now to answer your specific question regarding the quoted
hadith, whereby the Messenger of Allah (saws) warned that he (saws) was shown
Hell Fire and he (saws) saw that the majority of its inhabitants were women.
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.28 Narrated by Ibn Abbas
The Prophet (saws) said: "I was shown
the Hell-fire and that the majority of its dwellers were women who were
ungrateful." It was asked, "Do they disbelieve in
Allah?" (or are they ungrateful to Allah?)
He (saws) replied, "They are ungrateful to their husbands and are
ungrateful for the favors and the good done to them. If you have always been
good (benevolent) to one of them and then she sees something in you (not of her
liking), she will say, 'I have never received any good from you!"
Although most people have taken this authentic quotation
of the Messenger of Allah (saws) and used it against the womenfolk, the truth
is that most of them have not truly understood the wisdom behind the wise
counsel of the Messenger of Allah (saws) and the depth and reality of the wisdom
behind the statement.
One can only imagine the importance the Prophet (saws) and
Islam lays on the development of peace, tranquility, and harmony in a marriage
in Islam. The above statements of the
Messenger of Allah (saws) were said when he was addressing the womenfolk, and
he (saws) guided them how detestable is their act of constantly complaining and
being ungrateful to their husbands in the Sight of Allah, and how this constant
complaining and nagging effects the very core of the relationship between a
husband and his wife in marriage!
There are several ahadeeths of the Messenger of Allah
(saws) whereby he warned the men, when his audience were men, regarding the
severity and importance of being merciful, kind, charitable, and forgiving towards
their wives, and keeping good harmonious relations with their wives in
marriage.
Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 278 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah
The Prophet (saws) said: ‘The most perfect
Muslim in the matter of faith is one who has excellent behaviour; and the best among
you are those who behave best towards their wives.’
Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 3252 Narrated by Aisha ; Abdullah ibn Abbas
Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "The best
of you is he who is best to his family, and I am the best among you to my
family."
Sahih Muslim Hadith 3465 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As
Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘The whole
world is a provision, and the best object of benefit of the world is the pious
woman.’
Sahih Muslim Hadith 3469 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah
Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘a believing
man should not hate a believing woman (his wife); if he dislikes one of her
characteristics, he will be pleased with another.
Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 3358 Narrated by AbuBakr as-Siddiq
The Prophet (saws) said, "One who
treats badly those under his authority will not enter
The wisdom behind the statement of the Messenger of Allah
(saws) warning the believing woman was not to belittle or demean the role of
women, but rather a warning and a guidance to make sure they fulfill their part
in developing peace, harmony and tranquility in their marriage; and Allah is
our witness sister, nothing is more hurtful to men than to hear these words
from their wives after a lifetime of sacrifices that ‘'I have never received any good from you!"
Respected sister in Islam, I tell you as a man myself,
nothing on this planet earth crushes and crumbles the heart of the man to
pieces than to hear this one statement from the one whom he has cherished and
loved a lifetime!
Rest assured my beloved sister, that the men who harm,
abuse, oppress, tyrannize, and are unjust to anyone, leave alone their wives,
will have to pay retribution in full to the victims of their tyranny in the
Majestic Presence of the Lord Most Majestic on that Inevitable Day of Justice…and
Allah is our witness sister, not a single soul will be wronged in that Majestic
and Tumultuous gathering!
Sahih Muslim Hadith 6251 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah
Allah's Messenger (saws) asked: ‘Do you know
who is a ‘muflis’ (an absolute and abject pauper)?’ They (the Companions of the Prophet (saws))
said: ‘A ‘muflis’ amongst us is one who has neither dirham with him nor
wealth.’ He (the Prophet (saws)) said:
‘The ‘muflis’ (or absolute pauper) of my Ummah would be he who would come on
the Day of Resurrection with prayers and fasts and Zakat but (he would find
himself bankrupt on that day as he would have exhausted his funds of virtues)
since he hurled abuses upon others, brought calumny against others, unlawfully
consumed the wealth of others, shed the blood of others, and beat others, and
his virtues would be credited to the account of one (who suffered at his hand).
And if his good deeds fall short to clear the account, then his sins would be
entered in (his account) and he would be thrown in the Hell-Fire!’
Although most people who do not fully and truly understand
the wisdom behind the statement of the Messenger of Allah (saws) and have taken
the words ‘I was shown the Hell-fire and that the
majority of its dwellers were women who were ungrateful’ literally,
assume that the Hell Fire mentioned in the above hadith refers to the complete
expanse and all the inhabitants of the Hell-Fire! The Truth is that just as
When the Messenger of Allah (saws) relates in truth that
the inhabitants of the Hell-Fire he was shown had a majority of women as its
inhabitants, it is very probable that he (saws) was warning about only a
particular section and level of Hell where those who were constantly ungrateful
were held. There are many authentic
narrations whereby the Messenger of Allah (saws) was shown and talks about
particular sections and levels of the Hell Fire and its inhabitants…..
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.468 Narrated by Samura bin Jundab (part)
The Prophet (saws) said: ….. I had seen (a
dream) last night that two men (Angels) came to me, caught hold of my hands,
and took me to the
The man went to pick it up and by the time he
returned to him, the crushed head had returned to its normal state and the man
came back and struck him again (and so on). I said, 'Who is this?' They told me
to proceed on; so we proceeded on and passed by a hole like an oven; with a
narrow top and wide bottom, and the fire was kindling underneath that hole.
Whenever the fire-flame went up, the people were lifted up to such an extent
that they were about to get out of it, and whenever the fire got quieter, the
people went down into it, and there were naked men and women in it. I said,
'Who is this?' They told me to proceed on. So we proceeded on till we reached a
river of blood and a man was in it, and another man was standing at its bank
with stones in front of him, facing the man standing in the river. Whenever the
man in the river wanted to come out, the other one threw a stone in his mouth
and caused him to retreat to his original position; and so whenever he wanted
to come out the other would throw a stone in his mouth, and he would retreat to
his original position. I asked, 'What is this?' They told me to proceed on and
we did so till we reached a well-flourished green garden having a huge tree and
near its root was sitting an old man with some children. (I saw) another man
near the tree with fire in front of him and he was kindling it up. Then they
(i.e. my two companions) made me climb up the tree and made me enter a house,
better than which I have ever seen. In it were some old men and young men,
women and children.
Then they took me out of this house and made
me climb up the tree and made me enter another house that was better and
superior (to the first) containing old and young people. I said to them (i.e.
my two companions), 'You have made me ramble all the night. Tell me all about
that I have seen.' They said, 'Yes. As for the one whose cheek you saw being
torn away, he was a liar and he used to tell lies, and the people would report
those lies on his authority till they spread all over the world. So, he will be
punished like that till the Day of Resurrection.
The one whose head you saw being crushed is
the one whom Allah had given the knowledge of Qur'an (i.e. knowing it by heart)
but he used to sleep at night (i.e. he did not recite it then) and did not use
to act upon it (i.e. upon its orders etc.) by day; and so this punishment will
go on till the Day of Resurrection. And those you saw in the hole (like oven)
were adulterers (those men and women who commit illegal sexual intercourse).
And those you saw in the river of blood were those dealing in Riba (usury). And
the old man who was sitting at the base of the tree was Abraham and the little
children around him were the offspring of the people. And the one who was
kindling the fire was Malik, the gatekeeper of the Hell-fire. And the first
house in which you have gone was the house of the common believers, and the second
house was of the martyrs. I am Jibrael and this is Michael. Raise your head.' I
raised my head and saw a thing like a cloud over me. They said, 'That is your
place.' I said, 'Let me enter my place.' They said, 'You still have some life
which you have not yet completed, and when you complete (that remaining portion
of your life) you will then enter your place.' "
In light of the above absolutely clear guidance of the
Quran and Sunnah, it is absolutely evident that the Lord Most High does not
base His Justice, His Rewards, and His Sentences of Punishments based on one’s
gender or race or color, etc.; but every soul shall reap the results of only
what one had sown in their test period of one life on this earth; and Allah is
our witness sister, no one will be wronged in the least in that Majestic and
Supreme Presence of their Lord Most High.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 36 Surah
Yaseen verses 53-54:
53 It will be no more than a Single Blast when lo! They will all be
brought up before Us!
54 Then on that Day not a soul will be wronged in the least, and ye
shall but be repaid (in full) the meeds of your past deeds.
Your Question: Dear
brother is Islam, please can you clarify for me, why incentives are frequently
given to men to strive for paradise, but hadith for women seem like deterrents?
The
fortunate people, men or women, who will be rewarded Paradise by Allah
Subhanah, will get an abundance of things from their Lord: eternal life of pleasure, gardens, wealth, properties, palaces, servants, canals of milk and honey,
natural springs, abundance of food and
fruits, and loving spouses, children,
family, etc. And above all, they
will get the Pleasure and Good Will of their Lord and Creator!
Allah
has promised the fortunate dwellers of
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 50 Surah Qaaf verse 35:
There they (the men and women of
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 25 Surah Furqan verses 15-16:
Ask them, “Is this (the Fire) better, or the
As
regards the rewards that the successful people of
Allah
Subhanah, Who Created everything in
existence, also created its nature. And since man was created polygamous by
nature, one of the rewards which The All
Knowing and All Wise Lord has promised the fortunate men of Paradise is the
companionship of many chaste,
beautiful, and obedient wives in that
Eternal Abode of the Hereafter.
The
nature granted by Allah to women is not the same that was granted to men.
Unlike men, a woman is not polygamous by nature. The things that a woman desires most from her
husband is that he love her, cherish
her, honor her, respect her, and treat her like a queen. And every woman also has the desire to be the
most beautiful of all!
Thus,
of all the heavenly wives of the righteous men of
Allah says in the Holy
Quran Chapter 32 Surah Sajdah verse 17:
No living being knows
what comfort of the eyes has been kept hidden from them, as a recompense for their (righteous) deeds!
Sahih Al-Bukhari
Hadith 4.467 Narrated by Abu
Huraira
Allah's Messenger
(saws) said, "Allah, The High and Exalted He is, said, 'I have prepared
for My pious slaves (men and women) things which have never been seen by an
eye, or heard by an ear, or imagined by a human being.'
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 36 Surah Ya
Seen verses 55-58:
Verily the People of the Gardens shall that Day
enjoy in everything that they do; they
and their wives will be in groves of (cool) shade, reclining on Thrones (of dignity). They shall have all kinds of tasteful fruits,
and they shall have there, whatever they
may desire. They will have been greeted
with ‘Peace’, a Word (of salutation) from a Lord, Most Merciful.
Allah Say sin the Holy Quran Chapter 40 Surah
Ghafir verses 7-9:
7 Those (Angels) who sustain the Throne (of Allah) and those around it
sing Glory and Praise to their Lord; believe in Him; and implore forgiveness
for those who believe: "O Our Lord! Thy reach is over all things in Mercy
and Knowledge. Forgive then those who
turn in repentance and follow Thy Path: and preserve them from the Penalty of
the Blazing Fire!
8 "And grant O our Lord! That they enter the Gardens of Eternity
which Thou hast promised to them and to the righteous among their fathers,
their wives, and their posterity! For Thou art (He) the Exalted in
Might Full of Wisdom.
Without an iota of a doubt, the married couple amongst the
believers who lived their lives on this earth in the obedience and awe of Allah
Subhanah and both were fortunate enough to enter Paradise, the Lord Most High,
Most Merciful will re-unite the pious couple in
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 78 Surah
Nabaa verses 31-37:
31 Verily for the righteous (men and women) there (in
32 Gardens enclosed and Grape-vines;
33 Companions of Equal Age;
34 And a Cup full (to the Brim).
35 No Vanity shall they hear therein nor
Untruth
36 Recompense from thy Lord a Gift (amply)
sufficient
37 (From) the Lord of the heavens and the earth and all between
(Allah), The Most Gracious:
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 76 Surah
Dahr verses 11-22:
11 But Allah will deliver them (the Righteous, men and women) from the
evil of that Day and will shed over them a light of Beauty and a (blissful)
Joy.
12 And because they were patient and constant He will reward them with
a Garden and (garments of) silk.
13 Reclining in the (Garden) on raised thrones (of Dignity) they will
see there neither the sun's (excessive heat) nor (the moon's) excessive cold.
14 And the shades of the (Garden) will come low over them and the
bunches (of fruit) there will hang low in humility.
15 And amongst them will be passed round vessels of silver and goblets
of crystal
16 Crystal-clear made of silver: they will determine the measure
thereof (according to their wishes).
17 And they will be given to drink there of
a Cup (of Wine) mixed with Zanjabil
18 A fountain there called Salsabil.
19 And round about them will (serve) youths of perpetual (freshness):
if thou seest them thou wouldst think them scattered Pearls.
20 And when thou lookest it is there thou wilt see a Bliss and a Realm
Magnificent.
21 Upon them will be green Garments of fine silk and heavy brocade and
they will be adorned with Bracelets of silver; and their Lord will give to them
to drink of a Wine Pure and Holy.
22 Verily this is a Reward for you and your Endeavor is accepted and
recognized.
Allah
has promised the fortunate dwellers of
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah
Maidah verse 119:
Allah will say:
"This is a Day on which the Truthful will profit from their Truth: theirs
are Gardens with rivers flowing beneath their eternal home: Allah
well-pleased with them and they with Allah: that is the Great Salvation
(the fulfillment of all desires).
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 98 Surah
Al-Bayyinah verse 8:
Their reward is with
Allah: Gardens of Eternity Beneath which rivers flow; They will dwell therein
for ever; Allah well pleased with them and they with Him: all this for such as fear their Lord and
Cherisher.
Every single good, bliss, joy, happiness, pleasure, and
honor one can only imagine through their wildest imaginations and much much
more will be made available in an instant by the Lord Most Gracious, Most
Benevolent to the fortunate dwellers in the Realms of Paradise!
Your Question: Dear
brother is Islam, please can you clarify for me, why incentives are frequently
given to men to strive for paradise, but hadith for women seem like deterrents?
Respected sister, the truth is that the Quran and the
Sunnah relate an extremely healthy balance between the hope of
If truth be told sister, most deterrents are generic and
applicable to both men and women, whist others are specific to a gender. If one counts (or were able to count) the
deterrents made available in the Quran and the Sunnah by gender, we assure you
that the count would be similar.
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah
Ahzaab verse 36:
It does not behove a believing man and a
believing woman that when Allah and His Messenger have given their decision in
a matter, they should exercise an option in that matter of theirs. For whoever disobeys Allah and His
Messenger, has indeed strayed into
manifest error.
Respected sister, although it simply does not behove nor
befit the character of a believer who has professed belief in Allah and the
Last Day to complain or challenge or claim even an iota of bias or injustice in
any of the determinations of Allah and His Messenger (saws)…..and The Lord Most
Just Most Majestic is our witness there is none…..only for arguments sake, and
to re-assure the hearts of our sisters in faith that there is none…..(and I
humbly and sincerely seek the forgiveness of the Lord Most Gracious from even
saying this!)…..if one amongst the two genders has a right to complain or claim
bias, it would have to be the male gender!!!
Shocked? Please
don’t be! Please allow us to explain….
If one merely looks at the duties and obligations that the
Lord Most Just, Most Supreme has laid on
the shoulders of the men (as compared to the women) who wish to attain success
in the Hereafter….one would notice a stark disparity:
And the criteria for a woman to attain not only salvation,
but ultimate success in the Hereafter, whereby she may enter
Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 3254 Narrated by Anas ibn Malik
Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "When a
woman observes the five times of prayer, fasts during Ramadan, preserves her
chastity and obeys her husband, she
may enter by any of the gates of
If one who is devoid of the wisdom of the Quran and the
Sunnah were to merely look at the duties and responsibilities of the women
compared to the men, one would have to admit that the test does indeed seem
easier for the womenfolk!
Worshiping Allah Subhanah Alone and guarding one’s
chastity being the same, one amongst the men could ask ‘how difficult can it be
for one to be devoutly obedient to only one person’….especially if the promised
reward is entrance into Paradise through any of its gates!!!
But if one truly trusts the Absolute Knowledge, the
Perfect Wisdom, and the level of Justice of the Lord Who Created, one would
have to believe and admit that because of the inherent nature bestowed on the
womenfolk, this condition of ‘being devoutly obedient to one’s husband’ must
and does indeed balance all the other obligations which are laid by the Lord
All-Knowing All-Just on the shoulders of the men!
If a believing man were told that he can enter any gate of
Paradise he wishes if he fulfils the three conditions: worships Allah, guards
his chastity, and devoutly obeys his wife…..because of his inherent nature, any
day of the week, he would accept these three conditions instead of the
additional and extra duties which are laid upon him!!! No Jihaad, no working day and night to earn
one’s livelihood lawfully, no obligation to pray five prayers every day in
congregation in the mosques, etc….but instead to devoutly obey one who fully
pays for my food, my shelter, and my upkeep until I die…..piece of cake!!!!
But the truth is sister, as difficult as it may be for a
man to imagine it…..because of the inherent nature bestowed on the women, this
being ‘devoutly obedient to one’s husband’ must be so overbearing and so
overwhelming for a woman, that in the Scales of Justice of the Lord, this one
deed of the women balances all the other obligations which are laid exclusively
upon the men in Islam! And Allah Alone
Knows Best.
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only
due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me
alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is
the Only Source of Strength.
Your brother and
well wisher in Islam,
Burhan