Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
1.
In this question and answer, Hellfire (Jahannam) adopts the manner of the arrogant, whereas Paradise (Jannah) will express humility and modesty. According to Allah’s decision, it is necessary for both of them to be filled. When the people of Paradise enter Paradise, there will still be much space left unfilled; to fill it, Allah will create a new creation on the spot and settle them there. However, to fill Hellfire, Allah will place His Foot upon it, due to which it will begin to say, “Enough, enough.”

2.
Allah does not wrong anyone by creating a new creation just to throw them into Hellfire to fill it, but in some narrations it is mentioned that Allah will create a new creation on the spot to fill Hellfire. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Tawhid, Hadith: 7449) At this point, Allamah Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahullah has said something very beautiful: He states that to fill the extra space in Paradise, Allah will create a new creation on the spot and settle them there, but there will also be extra space in Hellfire. In one place in Sahih Bukhari, it is mentioned that to fill it, Allah will also create a new creation on the spot, whereas in other narrations of Sahih Bukhari, it is mentioned that Allah will place His Foot upon it. Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has deliberately adopted this approach to clarify the mistake of the narrator: in one place, he points out the mistake, while in other places, he mentions the correct view. (Minhaj al-Sunnah: 25/3)

3.
According to our inclination, Allah will not create any new creation to fill Hellfire; rather, He will place His Foot upon it, and then Hellfire will say, “Enough, enough.” And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary: This is indeed Allah’s placing of His foot, the reality of which is known only to Allah. Delving into its specifics is an innovation (bid‘ah), and affirming it as it is, is the way of the Salaf (pious predecessors).

Hadith Commentary:
➊
The dispute between Paradise and Hell in the presence of Allah Almighty is based on reality.
Allah Almighty will grant them discernment, understanding, and the power of speech.
This is not something exclusive to Paradise or Hell alone; rather, even the mountains used to glorify Allah along with Dawud (alayhis salam), as is explicitly mentioned in the Noble Qur’an. In fact, every single thing in the universe glorifies Allah Almighty, but we are unable to comprehend this glorification. The statement of Allah Almighty is:
“The seven heavens, the earth, and all that is therein glorify Him. There is not a thing but glorifies His praise, but you do not understand their glorification.” ( Bani Isra’il 17:44)

➋
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has established from this hadith that sometimes the term “mercy” is also applied to a created being, as Allah Almighty said to Paradise:
“You are My mercy.” And Paradise is a creation of Allah Almighty, and it is the result of that mercy which is an attribute of Allah Almighty. Paradise is very close to Allah’s sincere and righteous servants.
In one narration, it is mentioned that even after countless creatures have entered Paradise, much of its space will still remain. So, to fill it, Allah Almighty will then create some creatures and settle them in the remaining part of Paradise.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Tawhid, Hadith: 7384)
Also, in Sahih Muslim:
“To fill Paradise, Allah Almighty will create some creatures there.”
(Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Jannah wa Na‘imiha, Hadith: 7175 (2846))
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has also narrated this hadith in Kitab al-Tafsir with the same words, that Allah Almighty will create some creatures to fill Paradise.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Tafsir, Hadith: 4850)
However, in the presented narration, it is mentioned that Allah Almighty will create some creatures to fill Hell, whereas Allah Almighty has stated the principle of filling Hell in these words:
“The truth is, and I only speak the truth, that I will fill Hell with you and with all those who follow you.”
( Sad 38:84–85)

➌
In light of this noble verse, the scholars of the Ummah have adopted two different positions regarding the aforementioned hadith of Sahih Bukhari.
Allamah Kirmani rahimahullah, defending this hadith of Sahih Bukhari, says:
“There is no harm in punishing someone who is not sinful, because if Allah Almighty punishes him, it is not contrary to justice; He can do whatever He wills.” However, we disagree with this position, because such an act is contrary to His noble generosity. He has made mercy obligatory upon Himself.
( al-An‘am: 54)
And in another place He said:
“And your Lord will not wrong anyone (even) the weight of an atom.”
( al-Kahf: 18:49)
However, favor is a different matter; it can be shown to the disobedient, but punishing the innocent is not befitting of Allah’s generosity.
The second position is that the narrators of the hadith made a mistake.
They reversed the matter in their narration; the actual event is that Allah Almighty will create some creatures at that time to fill Paradise, but the narrators, out of forgetfulness, mentioned Hell instead of Paradise.
Hafiz Ibn Qayyim rahimahullah has adopted this position.
(Hawi al-Arwah: 295)
Defending Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, Imam Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahullah writes that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has narrated this hadith in several places in his Sahih, that Allah will create His creatures for Paradise, whereas the aforementioned narration is contrary to this, stating that creatures will be created for Hell at that time.
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah’s purpose is to point out the error of the narrators, as is his habit: when a narrator makes a mistake, he clarifies it by presenting the correct narrations. The same has happened in this instance.
(Minhaj al-Sunnah: 3/25)

➍
Our inclination is also that there has been a reversal in the narration, because it is established from the Noble Qur’an that Allah Almighty sends messengers to people to establish proof, and then, upon persistent denial and rejection, He will punish them on the Day of Resurrection.
As Allah Almighty says:
“And We never punish until We have sent a messenger.”
( Bani Isra’il: 17:15)
And He also said:
“Whenever a group is thrown into Hell, its keepers will ask them: ‘Did no warner come to you?’ They will say: ‘Yes, indeed, a warner did come to us, but we denied him and said: Allah has not sent down anything; you are only in great error.’”
( al-Mulk: 67:6, 9)
In any case, attributing error to the narrators is far easier than adopting a position that would impugn the noble generosity of Allah Almighty.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
Benefits and Issues:
This conversation or debate between Paradise and Hell will take place in the real sense.
Allah, the Exalted, understands the language of everything.
Thus, the debate will occur in the language of speech (zaban-e-qal), not merely in the language of state (zaban-e-hal).
And in Paradise, the majority will be those people who, in the eyes of the world, were considered of low status,
although in the sight of Allah their rank and status was very high.

Benefit:
It is established from this hadith that Paradise and Hellfire exist. In this hadith, there is a refutation of those who deny the Hereafter. This hadith also proves that if someone is to enter Paradise, it will be with the mercy of Allah, and if someone is to enter Hellfire, it will be with the wrath of Allah. May Allah save us from Hellfire and make us inheritors of Paradise, ameen.