Question :
Is Hell currently in existence? Moreover, will the disbelievers remain there eternally?
The Answer :
All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
The belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jama’ah is that Paradise and Hell are already in existence, even before the creation of Adam and Eve. Abu al-Hasan al-Ash’ari (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “They [Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jama’ah, the followers of Hadith] affirm that Paradise and Hell are created .”
Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari (may Allah have mercy on him) also said: "There was a disagreement regarding Paradise and Hell—have they been created or not? The people of Sunnah and uprightness said: They are created. But many of the people of innovation said: They have not been created ."
There are numerous authentic hadiths that indicate the existence of Paradise and Hell. One of them is the saying of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): “When one of you dies, his abode among the inhabitants of paradise will be shown him morning and evening if he is to be one of them; but if he is to be one of the inhabitants of hell, his abode among them will be shown him. He will be told that this is his abode to which God will finally raise him on the day of resurrection.” (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim).
These texts clearly indicate the existence of Paradise and Hell before the Day of Judgment, and there is no need to interpret them in a way that diverges from their apparent meaning. Whoever denies these truths is following notions akin to the fantasies of the deluded, rejecting what they have not witnessed, and contradicting the words of the All-Knowing and the report of His infallible Prophet, who "saw of the greatest signs of his Lord" [An-Najm,18]. This is quoted from "Al-Mukhtasar Al-Mufid Sharh Jawharat Al-Tawhid " by the former Grand Mufti, Dr. Noah Ali Salman (pp. 203-204).
As for eternity, scholars—both the Salaf and the Khalaf—have unanimously agreed that believers will dwell eternally in Paradise and its bliss, and that disbelievers will dwell eternally in Hell and its torment. This is based on Allah’s statement {which means}: “Indeed, Allah has cursed the disbelievers and prepared for them a Blaze. Abiding therein forever, they will find no protector or helper” [Al-Ahzab, 64-65].
There is no statement more conclusive than the words of Allah, and the wisdom behind the eternal punishment of disbelievers is that, had they lived eternally in this world, they would have persisted in their disbelief. As Allah says {what means}: "But if they were returned [to the world], they would certainly go back to what they were forbidden, and indeed they are liars" [Al-An'am, 28]. And Allah The Almighty knows best.
