jahannam

Jahannam is the Islamic term for Hell, the place of punishment in the afterlife for those deemed guilty of disbelief or grave sins without repentance. The word is Arabic and its root is associated with burning or fiery heat. In Islamic theology, Jahannam stands as the counterpart to Jannah (Paradise) and serves as a warning about moral accountability before God.

Descriptions of Jahannam appear in the Qur’an and in hadith literature. It is depicted as a blazing fire with gates and guardians, and as a setting for various punishments designed to fit the offenses of its inhabitants. The imagery includes intense heat, boiling substances, chains, and other forms of torment. Some traditions state that Jahannam is divided into multiple levels or gates, with different groups of sinners assigned to different sections.

The inhabitants of Jahannam are described as those who reject belief in God, as well as certain sinners who persist in wrongdoing without seeking repentance. The Qur’an emphasizes that the Fire is prepared for disbelievers and for those who persist in corruption. The question of punishment duration is a matter of theological interpretation: mainstream Islamic thought generally holds that disbelievers face eternal punishment, while believers who fall into sin may undergo purification and may eventually enter Paradise, though opinions on the exact mechanisms and timelines vary among scholars.

Jahannam functions within Islamic eschatology as a moral and theological framework that underscores accountability before God, the consequences of faith and conduct, and the ultimate distinction between the paths leading to punishment and to eternal reward.