As-Siraat (The Path)

Ibn Taymiyyah (Sheikh al-Islam)


We believe that after the reckoning and weighing, people will pass over the bridge known as "as-Sirat" set across the Hell-Fire.

Abu Hurayrah who said that some people once asked the Prophet : O Allah's Messenger! Shall we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection? The Prophet said: "Do you have any difficulty in seeing the full moon on a clear night?" They said, "No, O Allah's Messenger". He said, "So you will see Him, like that."

Allah will gather all the people on the Day of Resurrection and say, "Whoever worshipped something (in the world) will follow (that thing). So, whoever worshipped the sun will follow the sun, whoever worshipped the moon shall follow the moon, and whoever use to worship Taaghut (false deities and anything worshipped besides Allah) he will follow Taaghut. And there will remain only this nation with its good people and among them the hypocrites. Allaah will come to them in the appearance they do not know and say: "I am your Lord!" They will (deny Him and) Say, "We shall stay here until our Lord comes, for when our Lord comes, we shall recognize Him". So Allah will come to them in the appearance that they know, and will say, "I am your Lord". They will say, "You are our Lord" so they will follow Him. Then a bridge will be laid across Hell (fire). I and my followers will be the first ones to go across it and none will speak on that day except the Messengers. The invocation of the Messengers on the Day will be, "O Allah, Save!" In Hell (or over the bridge) there will be hooks like the thorns of as-Sa'daan (a thorny plant). Have you seen as-Saa'dan?" They replied, "Yes, O Allah's Messenger!" He said, "So those hooks look like the thorns of as-Saa'dan, but none knows how big they are except Allah. Those hooks will pull the people away according to their deeds. Some of the people will stay in Hell (be destroyed) because of their (evil) deeds and some will be cut or torn by the hooks (and fall into Hell) and some will be punished and then relieved" (Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim)

The Prophet said: "Allah willing, the people of the Tree (those who gave allegiance under it) will never enter the Fire of Hell" Hafsah then quoted the verse: "There is not one of you but will pass over it (Hell): this is with your Lord, a Decree which must be accomplished" (Surah Maryan - Al-Aayah 71)

Thereupon the Prophet said: Allah, the Exalted and Glorious has said: "Then We shall save those who used to fear Allah and were dutiful to Him, And We shall leave the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers) therein (humbled) to their knees (in Hell)." (Surah Maryam - Al-Aayah 72) (Hadith reported by Muslim)

Abu Sa'id al Khudri reported Allah's Messenger as saying: "When the believers pass safely over (the bridge across) Hell, they will be stopped at a bridge between Hell and Paradise where they will retaliate against one another for the injustices done among them in the world, and when they are purified of all their sins, they will be admitted to Paradise. By Him in Whose hands the life of Muhammad is, everybody will recognize his dwelling in Paradise better than he recognizes his dwelling in this world." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Fath Al-Bari)