Hafiz Muhammad Ameen
1141. Commentary:
➊ The Sirat, commonly known as the Bridge of Sirat, will be placed over Hell, and everyone will have to cross it, even the Prophets (alayhim as-salam). However, those of the highest rank will not even sense the presence of Hell, while sinners will be stopped, pulled, and wounded by the obstacles of the Sirat. Some will be wounded but will attain salvation and enter Paradise, while the rest will fall into Hell. The disbelievers and hypocrites will remain as fuel for Hell forever, and sinful believers will burn in the fire like tarnished gold. When their sins and the effects of their sins are burnt away and only their good deeds remain, they will be taken out and placed in the Water of Life, which will be brought from Paradise. When they become as beautiful as the people of Paradise, they will be taken to Paradise, just as happens with gold in a furnace.
➋ There is great vitality in the debris left by a flood, so after the flood subsides, the seeds remaining in that debris grow the best, most quickly, and most beautifully. Similarly, the Water of Life from Paradise will remove the effects of the fire and make them shine like beautiful gold, and then they will enter Paradise.
➌ Just as fire consumes all filth but does not consume gold, in the same way, the fire of Hell will consume sins and the effects of sins. It will not be able to consume good deeds, faith (iman), and their effects. Therefore, there is no rational objection in this. In contrast, since the disbeliever is entirely sin, Hell will burn them completely like fuel. Thus, it is as if the disbeliever is thrown into Hell to be burnt, while the sinful believer is thrown in for purification. Therefore, both will be distinguished by this difference.
➍ The noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) were at the highest level of etiquette: when one would speak, the others would listen silently, even if they already knew what was being said.
➎ Proof of intercession (shafa‘ah) for the Messengers and the angels. The Mu‘tazilah and the Khawarij deny this. The hadith refutes their position.
➏ Proof of the Bridge of Sirat, and also that the believers will cross it as well.
➐ Statement of the virtue of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and his ummah, that they will cross the Bridge of Sirat before all other communities.
➑ Some believers will be thrown into Hell to receive punishment for their sins; later, Allah, exalted is He, will have mercy on them and remove them from Hell and admit them to Paradise.
➒ The nature of the punishment for the believers will be different from that of the disbelievers: the fire will burn the entire body of the disbeliever, while the limbs of prostration (a‘da’ as-sujud) of the believer will remain protected from the fire, and this will be their distinguishing sign. The intercessors will recognize them by this sign and remove them from the fire.
Source: Sunan Nasa'i: Translation and Benefits by Shaykh Hafiz Muhammad Amin Hafizullah, Page: 1141