notifications_active Weekly Meshkat-e Noor Session: Thursdays at 20:30 at Haj Reza Mosque
Greetings again,
With reference to point 36 of “A Ramadan Gift” and verse 29 of Sūrat al-ʿAnkabūt:
“«يَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِالْعَذَابِ وَإِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ لَمُحِيطَةٌ بِالْكَافِرِينَ»”
I would also be grateful for guidance on how Hell encompasses the unbelievers in this world.
َّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحيمِ
Hell encompasses the unbelievers in this world in the sense that they are held in the embrace of the Fire, imprisoned there for eternity. This encompassing is due to the realm of the unseen encompassing the material world; yet it does not burn them until the divine command to do so is given.
Because of their disbelief, the disbelievers are surrounded by Hell, held in the embrace of its fire. In reality, this encompassing means that the higher realm surrounds the lower: the Malakūt encompasses the Mulk. The reason Hell does not burn them despite surrounding them is that God has not issued the command for it to burn. The disbelievers are imprisoned in Hell, with no possibility of escape or release.
Hell is like a severe illness that afflicts the disbelievers; its pain will begin in its appointed time.
Section 36: Asking God not to open Hell’s closed doors before us.