How to Save Oneself From the Fire
As it is kufr that will condemn a person to eternal Hell, the way to be saved from Hell is through îmân and righteous deeds. So the Muslims pray to their Rabb with faith to save them from the Fire:
“Those who say, “Our Rabb! We have indeed believed, forgive us then, our
sins and save us from the agony of the Fire”. (3:16)
“…Our Rabb! Not for naught have You created [all] this, glory to You! Give
us salvation from the torment of the Fire. Our Rabb! Any whom You admit to
the Fire, truly You cover with shame, and never will wrongdoers find any
helpers. Our Rabb! We have heard the call of one calling [us] to faith:
“Believe in your Rabb,” and we have believed. Our Rabb! Forgive us our sins
and blot out from us our inequities, and take to Yourself our souls in the
company of the righteous [al-Abrâr]. Our Rabb! Grant us what You did
promise unto us through Your Messengers and save us from shame on the Day of
Judgement, for You never break Your Promise”. (3:191-194)
Many ahadîth speak in detail about this matter and describe the deeds that
will protect one from the Fire, for example, love of Allâh subhânû wa ta’âla. In al-Hâkim’s al-Mustadrak, and Ahmad’s al-Musnad, a report from Anas ibn
Mâlik radiallâhû ‘anhû states,
“The Messenger of Allâh salallâhu alayhe wa salam said, “By Allâh subhânû wa ta’âla, Allâh will never
throw one whom He loves into the Fire” (sahîh, See Sahîh al-Jâmi’ 6/104)
Fasting is also a source of protection from the Fire, as Ahmad reports in al-Musnad and al-Bayhaqî in Shu’ab al-Imân, with a hasan isnâd from Jâbir
ibn ‘Abdullâh:
“The Prophet salallâhu alayhe wa salam said, “ Allâh subhânû wa ta’âla says, “Fasting is a shield with which
one may protect oneself from the Fire”. (Sahîh al-Jâmî, 4/114)
In Shu’ab al-Imân, al-Bayhaqi reports from ‘Uthmân ibn Abil-Aas that the
Prophet salallâhu alayhe wa salam said,
“Fasting is a shield from the punishment of Allâh subhânû wa ta’âla”
It was reported by Ahmad, an-Nasâ’î, Ibn Mâjah and Ibn Khuzaymah and its
isnâd is sahîh (Sahîh al-Jâmî’ 3/264).
If fasting is accomplished at the time of jihâd against the enemy, then
that is a great victory, as it was reported from Abû Sa’îd al-Khudrî that
the Messenger of Allâh salallâhu alayhe wa salam said:
“Whoever fasts for one day when he is engaged in jihâd for the sake of
Allâh, Allâh will remove him [lit. his face] seventy years distance from
the Fire”. (Ahmad, al-Bukhârî, Muslim, at-Tirmidhî and an-Nasâ’î – Sahîh
al-Jâmî’ 5/310)
Other means of salvation from the Fire are fear of Allâh and jihâd for His sake :
“But for him who fears the standing before his Rabb, there will be two
gardens [ie in Paradise]” (55:46)
at-Tirmidhî and an-Nasâ’î reported from Abû Hurayrah radiallâhû ‘anhû that the
Messenger of Allâh salallâhu alayhe wa salam said:
“No one who weeps out of fear of Allâh will enter Hell until the milk goes
back into the breast [i.e. never] and a man will never have both the dust
from fighting in the way of Allâh subhânû wa ta’âla and the smoke of Hell”. (Mishkât
al-Masâbîh, 2/356, no. 3828, isnâd is sahîh)
al-Bukhârî reports from Abû ‘Abs that the Messenger of Allâh salallâhu alayhe wa salam said,
“No two feet that get dusty for the sake of Allâh subhânû wa ta’âla will never meet in
the Fire of Hell”. (Mishkât al-Masâbîh, 2/349, no. 3794)
Muslim reports from Abû Hurayrah radiallâhû ‘anhû that the Messenger of Allâh salallâhu alayhe wa salam
said,
“A Kâfir and the one who kills him will never meet in the Fire of
Hell.” (Mishkât al-Masâbîh, 2/349, no. 3795)
We may also be shielded from the Fire by seeking protection with Allâh from
it:
“Those who say, “our Rabb! Avert from us the wrath of Hell, for its wrath is
indeed an affliction grievous.” Evil indeed is it as an abode and as a place
to rest in”. (25:64-65)
Ahmad, Ibn Mâjah, Ibn Hibbân, and al-Hâkim report with a sahîh isnâd from
Anas, that the Messenger of Allâh salallâhu alayhe wa salam said,
“No one asks Allâh subhânû wa ta’âla)
for Paradise three times, but Paradise will say, “O Allâh subhânû wa ta’âla admit him to
Paradise”. And no Muslim asks Allâh for protection from Hell three times,
but Hell will say, “O Allâh save him from me”” (Sahîh al-Jâmi, 5/145,
no.5506)
Al-Bukhârî and Muslim report from Abû Hurayrah radiallâhû ‘anhû that when the Prophet
salallâhu alayhe wa salam was discussing the angels who seek out gatherings of dhikr he said,
“Allâh subhânû wa ta’âla asks them and He knows best, “What are they seeking protection
from?”They tell Him, “From the Fire”. He asks, “And have they seen it.”
They say, “No, by Allâh, O Rabb, They have not seen it.” He says, “How
would it be if they had seen it?” They say, “They would be even more afraid
and anxious to escape it”. He subhânû wa ta’âla says, “Bear witness that I have forgiven
them”“. (Sahîh al-Jâmî’, 2/233, no. 2169)
