Source: Fatāwā Rāshidiyyah, p. 95
Is it true that Hell has seven (7) and Paradise has eight (8)? What is their extent, and how many levels do they have? Kindly explain in the light of Qur’an and Sunnah.
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
◄ Neither the Qur’an nor any authentic ḥadīth states that Hell itself is seven or Paradise is eight.
◄ However, it is established that Hell has seven gates, as Allah says:
﴿لَهَا سَبْعَةُ أَبْوَٰبٍ لِّكُلِّ بَابٍ مِّنْهُمْ جُزْءٌ مَّقْسُومٌ﴾ (الحجر: ٤٤)
“It has seven gates, for every gate is of them a portion designated.”
Allah says:
﴿إِنَّ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ فِى ٱلدَّرْكِ ٱلْأَسْفَلِ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ﴾ (النساء: ١٤٥)
“Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire.”
◄ This proves that Hell has multiple levels, and the hypocrites will be in its lowest level.
Allah says:
﴿لَأَمْلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنَ ٱلْجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ﴾ (حم السجدة: ١٣)
“I will surely fill Hell with jinn and men all together.”
◄ This indicates its vastness and expanse.
From a ḥadīth:
Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ once heard a sound and said:
“Do you know what that was?”
The Companions said: “Allah and His Messenger know best.”
He ﷺ said: “It was a stone that was thrown into Hell seventy years ago, and it has been falling until now it reached its bottom today.”
(Saḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Jannah wa-Naʿīmihā, ḥadīth 7167)
◄ This clearly demonstrates the immense depth and vastness of Hell.
Authentic aḥādīth confirm that Paradise has eight gates:
➊ Sahl ibn Saʿd (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“In Paradise there are eight gates. One of them is called al-Rayyan, and none shall enter it except those who fast (abundantly beyond just the obligations).”
(Saḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Jannah wa-Naʿīmihā, ḥadīth 7167)
➋ ʿUqbah ibn ʿĀmir and ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (رضي الله عنهما) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever performs wuḍūʾ perfectly and then says:
أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمداً عبده ورسوله
for him the eight gates of Paradise will be opened, and he may enter through whichever he wishes.”
(Saḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Ṭahārah, ḥadīth 553)
Allah says:
﴿وَسَارِعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتُ وَٱلْأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ﴾ (آل عمران: ١٣٣)
“Hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the righteous.”
Just as Hell has levels, Paradise has degrees.
From ḥadīth: Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and ʿUbādah ibn al-Ṣāmit (رضي الله عنه) in al-Tirmidhī narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Paradise has one hundred (100) levels, and the distance between each two levels is like that between the heaven and the earth.”
◈ Hell has seven gates and multiple levels.
◈ Paradise has eight gates and one hundred degrees.
◈ Both their vastness and depth are explicitly established in Qur’an and Sunnah.
ھذا ما عندي واللہ أعلم بالصواب
(This is what I hold; and Allah knows best what is correct.)
Question
Is it true that Hell has seven (7) and Paradise has eight (8)? What is their extent, and how many levels do they have? Kindly explain in the light of Qur’an and Sunnah.
Answer
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
Number of Hell and Paradise
◄ Neither the Qur’an nor any authentic ḥadīth states that Hell itself is seven or Paradise is eight.
◄ However, it is established that Hell has seven gates, as Allah says:
﴿لَهَا سَبْعَةُ أَبْوَٰبٍ لِّكُلِّ بَابٍ مِّنْهُمْ جُزْءٌ مَّقْسُومٌ﴾ (الحجر: ٤٤)
“It has seven gates, for every gate is of them a portion designated.”
Levels of Hell
Allah says:
﴿إِنَّ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ فِى ٱلدَّرْكِ ٱلْأَسْفَلِ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ﴾ (النساء: ١٤٥)
“Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire.”
◄ This proves that Hell has multiple levels, and the hypocrites will be in its lowest level.
Vastness and Depth of Hell
Allah says:
﴿لَأَمْلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنَ ٱلْجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ﴾ (حم السجدة: ١٣)
“I will surely fill Hell with jinn and men all together.”
◄ This indicates its vastness and expanse.
From a ḥadīth:
Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ once heard a sound and said:
“Do you know what that was?”
The Companions said: “Allah and His Messenger know best.”
He ﷺ said: “It was a stone that was thrown into Hell seventy years ago, and it has been falling until now it reached its bottom today.”
(Saḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Jannah wa-Naʿīmihā, ḥadīth 7167)
◄ This clearly demonstrates the immense depth and vastness of Hell.
Gates of Paradise
Authentic aḥādīth confirm that Paradise has eight gates:
➊ Sahl ibn Saʿd (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“In Paradise there are eight gates. One of them is called al-Rayyan, and none shall enter it except those who fast (abundantly beyond just the obligations).”
(Saḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Jannah wa-Naʿīmihā, ḥadīth 7167)
➋ ʿUqbah ibn ʿĀmir and ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (رضي الله عنهما) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever performs wuḍūʾ perfectly and then says:
أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمداً عبده ورسوله
for him the eight gates of Paradise will be opened, and he may enter through whichever he wishes.”
(Saḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Ṭahārah, ḥadīth 553)
Vastness of Paradise
Allah says:
﴿وَسَارِعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتُ وَٱلْأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ﴾ (آل عمران: ١٣٣)
“Hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the righteous.”
Levels of Paradise
Just as Hell has levels, Paradise has degrees.
From ḥadīth: Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and ʿUbādah ibn al-Ṣāmit (رضي الله عنه) in al-Tirmidhī narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Paradise has one hundred (100) levels, and the distance between each two levels is like that between the heaven and the earth.”
Summary
◈ Hell has seven gates and multiple levels.
◈ Paradise has eight gates and one hundred degrees.
◈ Both their vastness and depth are explicitly established in Qur’an and Sunnah.
ھذا ما عندي واللہ أعلم بالصواب
(This is what I hold; and Allah knows best what is correct.)
