IslamiCity.org Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > Religion - Islam > Interfaith Dialogue
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - The Problem of Hell (What to Do There?)  What is Islam What is Islam  Donate Donate
  FAQ FAQ  Quran Search Quran Search  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

The Problem of Hell (What to Do There?)

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  12>
Author
Message
SilentScope001 View Drop Down
Starter
Starter

Joined: 21 February 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 3
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SilentScope001 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: The Problem of Hell (What to Do There?)
    Posted: 21 February 2007 at 1:44pm

In the hope of learning more about how people view the world...as well as preparing for Day of Judgement...well...

You see, I feel myself to be quite a religious person. This means that I believe in religion. But the problem lies in the fact that my belief is not "doctrinally pure". I do not know if I am following my religion correctly or if I am betraying my God, and making my God angry. You may make the argument that it's impossible to me to find out, but I may find out if I die and God tells me that I disobeyed him.

So, this is my fear...that I could go to Hell. I know Hell is a bad place, and I would obey God so that I go to Heaven. But for all the people talking about why Hell is a bad place, not one of them gave me any tips for living in Hell, for preparing for Hell and for prospering in Hell. I don't need any tips for living in Heaven, it's supposed to be a utopia. But, Hell...is not a utopia, it's a prison, and one that last forever.

This troubles me so, the thought of me going to Hell. And the problem is...how do I live in Hell? Should I form a cult to worship God so that I don't get punishment? Should I lead a rebellion to try and overthrow God and free Hell? Should I accept my punishment and moan and weep? I don't know.

So, here is a thought experiment. Let us suppose the following:
1. God exist and he creates Hell so that he can place Bad People(tm) in there..
2. You have been told by God that you are going to Hell, since you are indeed...a Bad Person(tm).
3. You will likely stay in Hell forever, or at least for a very long time.

Obivously, it would be good to go to Heaven, but any business person and economist knows that you can't put all your eggs in one basket. You have to prepare for any sort of disaster that can befall you (like eternal damnation), and react to it in a calm manner.

This thread, in not only helping me understand how to deal with Hell, can also help me understand people's thought processes in how God operates, how Hell operates, and how people in Hell operate when placed in Hell.

I hope this will not be a bad thread, and I really don't like flame wars and arguments. I really hope this will be a civil discussion.

Thank you in advance for all those who reply.

Back to Top
Seif View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar
Joined: 07 February 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 18
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Seif Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 February 2007 at 2:54pm

Asalam Alaykum,

Just the fact that you are concerned about hell is a major plus in your favor, most people drift through live without a second thought.  Only Allah knows who is going to hell.  As far as following a doctrine, well that is tricky, everyone thinks that their way is right. 

As far as living in hell, well... I guess it is something you will deal with when and if you have to deal with it.  I am no help at all, I know.

Seif

 

Back to Top
seekshidayath View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar
Female Islam
Joined: 26 March 2006
Location: India
Status: Offline
Points: 3357
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote seekshidayath Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 February 2007 at 12:15am

As'salamualaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu,

I wish your post be answered by any of our members here who have sound knowledge of deen. I would insha-allah make a try and pray Allah ta'ala to be of any help to you. First of all we need to be an optimist in our lives. It does n't mean that we gurantee ourselves of jannah and do not act good here in this world. But instead of preparing yourselves as how to over throw God -Nauzbillah, or other tactics,   divert our minds as how well can we try our best to increase our ranks in Jannah. Whenever we act a good deed , then believe that its accepted by Allah. We need to also remember that any deed we accomplish , intends to be only for the sake of Allah ta'ala.

Just an exmple here , though may sound childish. If a teacher says loudly in her noisy class to her students , "Don't make noise or else i will beat you" So shud those students prepare themselves for the after effects of her beatings or be quiet.

Alhamdullilah as you said u are a relligious person. Try to follow religion sincerly and thus implement islam in our lives. All these thoughts of yours are merely 'Waswasas": i.e  whisperings of satan. So whenever we feel so lets seek refuge from satan and try to busy our hearts with zikr. Also remembers our DUA's are incomplete unless we seek from Allah to keep us away from Hell-fire and to place us in amongst the highest rank of jannah i.e jaanatul firdaus.

You must be knowing that none of our deeds qualify us to jannah unless Allah's rahmah is added to it. So one of the attributes of Allah ta'ala is the Most Merciful. But we need to try hard to earn our best here too.

May Allah guide all of us on the righteous path and thus keep us away from the strayed path

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: �All the descendants of Adam are sinners, and the best of sinners are those who repent."
Back to Top
Sadija View Drop Down
Groupie
Groupie
Avatar
Joined: 20 February 2007
Location: South Africa
Status: Offline
Points: 88
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sadija Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 February 2007 at 1:01am

Salaam

I agree with Seif at least you are concern.

But somewhere you have a guilty concious.  Maybe you are doing sin with the intention to do it.  I am trying to be straightfoward becasue with Allah there is very less excuses.

If you know you are doing enough to be good then you won't have the fear to go hell.  But Shaytaan makes us lazy and makes us believe that hell is maybe not so bad. Shaytaan can only be overcome when you pracice your deen fully.  Try to acknowledge what is wrong and right. Come on you know what is a sin and not.  So stop being lazy and start praying and reading Quran. 

I am not harsh only helping . The truth hurts but it heals.....

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing , you will be successfull
Back to Top
hat2010 View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior  Member


Joined: 10 October 2006
Location: Neutral Zone
Status: Offline
Points: 561
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hat2010 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 February 2007 at 1:59am
To answer your question as I have understood Hell as presented in the
Quran:

If you are in Hell, you will not be able to deal with it; your postive power to
act independently is over.

Back to Top
Sadija View Drop Down
Groupie
Groupie
Avatar
Joined: 20 February 2007
Location: South Africa
Status: Offline
Points: 88
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sadija Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 February 2007 at 2:02am
Ouch hard to handle that one hey?
Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing , you will be successfull
Back to Top
Fallen View Drop Down
Groupie
Groupie

Joined: 15 February 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 48
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Fallen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 February 2007 at 5:09am

This is exactly the problem I have with religions.

Good people concerned about whether they are following the correct path and possibly being doomed for hell. What kind of God would condemn someone who is good? in the sense, of what we define as good. I mean, I know good Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhist and I think to myself is God truly exist and is a personal god, why would he condemn people for simply sharing different religions. Even to a lesser degree why would he condemn someone for simply not following doctrine word for word?

I've heard many explanations on God in Islam and nobody can really explain it in a way that best fit anything that makes sense.

Back to Top
hat2010 View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior  Member


Joined: 10 October 2006
Location: Neutral Zone
Status: Offline
Points: 561
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hat2010 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 February 2007 at 11:48am
Peace -

"I've heard many explanations on God in Islam and nobody can really
explain it in a way that best fit anything that makes sense."

Bismillah.
We say that God is the Most Merciful.

And Mercy is always the perogative of the most powerful.

So, rather than comprimise our intellectual integrity and put ourselves
simultaneously as humble supplicant and also as God, we leave the Grace
and Mercy of God to be the last threshold to pass through in the
judgement on our lives.

And, of course, we have faith that we will be rewarded for the 'loans of
righteousness' that we have given on Earth - and God will not "condemn
someone for simply not following doctrine word for word" or "condemn
someone who is good"

"I've heard many explanations on God in Islam and nobody can really
explain it in a way that best fit anything that makes sense."

Read the Quran from cover to cover - listen to it. If things still don't
make sense...well, boo - different strokes.

Peace y'all
Jam
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  12>
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.03
Copyright ©2001-2019 Web Wiz Ltd.