Understanding Hell in Islam: An Explanation of Jahannam, Saqar, and Other Qur’anic Terms

There are several and most of them are found in the Qur’an. Some Islamic sources for the stages or types of Hell are contradict­ing.

‘Ali ibn ’Abi Talib said that the levels of Hell are ranked accord­ing to the degree of torture in descending order. Let’s look at the most important terms.

Jahannam

Arabic: جَهَنَّم

Generally used for Hell or Hellfire.

Jahannam is mentioned in the Qur’an 77 times and is usually translated as Hell or Hellfire. A name of the fire with which Allah will punish in the life to come all disobedient, unbelieving slaves.

Some linguists suggest that it was originally a Persian word. Others say that it originates from the Hebrew word Gehinnom (Old Hebrew: גהנום/גהנם, derived from a place outside ancient Jerusalem known in the Hebrew Bible as the Valley of the Son of Hinnom – in Hebrew: גֵיא בֶן־הִנֹּם or גיא בן-הינום, Gai Ben-Hinnom). At this place, some kings sacrificed their children by fire to the idol Moloch.

Sura 50:24: “Hurl/throw every obstinate disbeliever into Hell.”

أَلْقِيَا فِي جَهَنَّمَ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ

Note: The verb here is in the dual (a special grammatical form in Arabic) and the ad­dressee is either the two recording an­gels or two angels who guard Hell.

Hutama

Arabic: الْحُطَمة

Meaning: Crusher (which smashes or breaks into pieces).

A vehement fire that breaks into pieces everything that is cast into it. Some say it is the fourth stage of Hell. Some say it is a gate of Hell.

Sura 104:4: “He will surely be thrown into the Crusher.”

كَلَّا لَيُنبَذَنَّ فِي الْحُطَمَةِ

Saqar

Arabic: سَقَر

Meaning: scorching fire

The verb saqara (سَقَرَ) means to injure by heat, burn (e.g. the sun). Therefore, Hell is called saqar because of the intensity of its heat. Notice: The word saqar (سَقَرُ) is feminine in Arabic! For Arabic speakers: This word is a diptote! This could be an indication that it is of for­eign origin.

Sura 54:48: “Taste the touch of Saqar.”

ذُوقُوا مَسَّ سَقَرَ

Jahim

Arabic: جَحِيم

Meaning: Hellfire; the fierce fire

Al-Jahim (الْجَحِيم) appears 26 times in the Qur’an. It is from the Arabic root j-h-m (ج-ح-م) and describes a burning fire, a fiercely, blazed or flamed fire. Thus, the word Jahim describes a fire burning or blazing or flaming vehemently or having many live coals and is flaming much.

Sura 26:91: “and the Fire is placed in full view of the misguided.”

وَبُرِّزَتِ الْجَحِيمُ لِلْغَاوِينَ

Hawiya

Arabic: هَاوِية

Meaning: abyss/the pit

Hell is called Hawiya because the one who is thrown into it is thrown from top to bottom.

Sura 101:9: “His refuge will be an abyss [bottomless pit].”

فَأُمُّهُ هَاوِيَةٌ

Sa‘ir

Arabic: سَعِير

Meaning: blaze; the burning fire

It is called Sa‘ir because it is kindled and ignited. This is also what the Ar­abic root of the term means.

Sura 42:7: “And warn about the Day of Gathering, of which there is no doubt, when some shall be in the Garden and some in the blazing Flame.”

وَتُنذِرَ يَوْمَ الْجَمْعِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ فَرِيقٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَفَرِيقٌ فِي السَّعِيرِ

Laza

Arabic: لَظَىٰ

Meaning: fierce blaze

Sura 70:15: “But no! There is a raging flame.”

كَلَّا إِنَّهَا لَظَىٰ