06 January 2013

Oh Father, Does Allah have a fire whose fuel is men and stones?


There was a king who had a lot of wealth, and he had a daughter and no other children. He loved her very much, and he used to let her enjoy all kinds of entertainment. This went on for a long time. Beside the king there lived a devoted worshipper, and whilst he was reciting one night, he raised his voice saying, “O you who believe! Ward off yourselves and your families against a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones “[al-Tahreem 66:6 – interpretation of the meaning]. The girl heard his recitation and said to her servants, “Stop!” But they did not stop. The worshipper started to repeat the verse, and the girl kept telling them to stop, but they did not stop. She put her hands to her collar and tore her garment, and they went to her father and told him the story.

He went to her and said, “My dear, what happened to you tonight? What made you weep?” and he hugged her. She said, “I ask you by Allah, O my father, to tell me, does Allah have a Fire, the fuel of which is men and stones?” He said, “Yes.” She asked him, “Why did you not tell me? By Allah I will not eat any good food or sleep on any soft bed until I know whether my abode is in Paradise or Hell.” 

Ibn al-Jawzi, Safwat al-Safwah, 4/437-438 

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