The Reality of the Ṣirāṭ Bridge in Light of Qur’an and Sunnah
Source: Fatāwā Amonpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amonpuri
Question:
What is the reality of the Ṣirāṭ Bridge (Pul Ṣirāṭ)?
Answer:
The Ṣirāṭ Bridge is true and established. It is a bridge set over Hell, thinner than a hair and sharper than a sword. Every person — whether destined for Paradise or Hell — must cross it. The manner of crossing will depend on each person’s deeds: some will pass like lightning, some stumbling, and others will fall into Hell. The first to cross it will be the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Source: Fatāwā Amonpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amonpuri
Question:
What is the reality of the Ṣirāṭ Bridge (Pul Ṣirāṭ)?
Answer:
The Ṣirāṭ Bridge is true and established. It is a bridge set over Hell, thinner than a hair and sharper than a sword. Every person — whether destined for Paradise or Hell — must cross it. The manner of crossing will depend on each person’s deeds: some will pass like lightning, some stumbling, and others will fall into Hell. The first to cross it will be the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
- Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
يضرب جسر جهنم فأكون أول من يجير، ودعاء الرسل يومئذ؛ اللهم سلم سلم، وبه كلاليب مثل شوك السعدان...
“A bridge will be placed over Hell. I will be the first to cross it. On that day the call of the Prophets will be: ‘O Allah, grant safety, grant safety.’ On the Ṣirāṭ there will be hooks like the thorns of the Saʿdān tree. Have you seen the thorns of Saʿdān?” They said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” He said: “Indeed, they will be like the thorns of Saʿdān, except that none knows their size except Allah. They will seize people according to their deeds; some will be destroyed due to their deeds, and others will be scratched but saved.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6573, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 182) - Ḥāfiẓ al-Nawawī رحمه الله (676H) said:
في هذا إثبات الصراط ومذهب أهل الحق إثباته وقد أجمع السلف على إثباته...
“This hadith establishes the Ṣirāṭ. According to Ahl al-Ḥaqq, it is affirmed, and the Salaf are unanimously agreed upon it. It is a bridge over Hell upon which all people will pass. Believers will be saved according to their rank and state, while others will fall into Hell. May Allah al-Karīm protect us from it.”
(Sharḥ al-Nawawī 3/20)
