The First against whom Hellfire will Rage

 Since our Lord created it, Hellfire has continued to kindel and rage. It almost bursts up with fury upon its inmates. On the Day og Resurrection when allah ttakes account of the first and the last generation, some people will be brought and upon seeing them, Hellfire will flare ip in fury and they will be cast into it before anyone else.

Who are these people?

What is their crime?

Introduction

The foundation of the acceptance of deeds is sincere worship of Allah the Exalted, and following the shari´ah. The deeds must be free of a currop intention and innovation. If a man is free of both, he succeeds.

It has been narrated on the authority of Shufayy Al-Asbahiyy who siad:

´´I entered the mosqye of Madinah and I saw people gathered arround a man. I asked: ´Who is this?´

They said: ´Abu Hurayrah.´

I drew close to him until I sat in front of him as he addressed the people. When he stopped talking and withdrew, I said to him: ´I adjure you to narrate to me a hadith which the Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam narrated to you which you understood and learnt.´

Abu Hurayrah said: ´ I will do so, I will narrate to you a hadith which the Messenger of allah salla alayhi wa sallam narrated to me which I understood and learnt.´ Then Abu Hurayrah sobbed profusely, so he paused for a moment and then came round and said: ´ I will relate to you a hadith which the Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam related me to while I was with him in this house and no other person was present besides me and him. Then Abu Hurayrah broke down in sobs again. He pause for a while and then came round. He wiped his face and said: ´ I will do so. I will relate to you a hadith which the Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam ralted to me while I with him in this house and no other person was present besides me and him. Then he broke into a profuse sobbing and he prostrated on his face and his weeping intensified for a long time. When he came round, he said: ´The Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam related to me:

´On the Day of Resurrection, allah will descend to judge between the servants and each nation on its knees. The first of men (whose case) will be decided will be a man who memorized the Qur´an, a man who was martyred in the path of Allah and a man who had considerable wealth.

Allah, Mighty and Exalted, will say: ´Did I not teach you what I revealed upon My Messengers?´

He will say: ´Certainly, O Lord.´

Allah will said: ´What did you do (to requite these blessings)?´

He will say: ´I recited it (the Qur´an) in prayer night and day (seeking Your pleasure).´

Allah will say: ´You have told a lie.´

The angels too will say to him: ´You have told a lie.´

Then Allah will say: ´Rather, you merely desired that it is said of you. ´´so and so is a Qaari (a good reciter)´´ and such has been said.´ Then orders will be passed against him and he shall be drogged on his face till he is casted into the Fire.´

Then a man whom Allah had made abundantly rich be brought. Allah will (then) ask: ´Didn´t I grant you ample wealth to such an etent that I did not make you needy of anyone?´

He will say: ´Yes, O Lord.´

Allah will say: ´What have you done (to requite these blessings)?´

He will say: ´I used to connect ties of kindship and spend the money in charity.´ Allah will say: ´You have lied.´

And the angels will also say: ´You have lied.´

Allah will say: ´You did (so) that it might be said about (you): ´´So-and-so is a generous fellow,´´ and so it was said:´ Then will Allah pass orders and he will be dragged on his face until he is thrown into Hellfire.

The one who was martyred in the path of allah will be broguth and it will be said to him: ´In what cause were ou martyred?´

He will say: ´i was commanded to fight jihad in Your path and I fought till I was Martyred.´

Allah says: ´ You have told a lie, You fought so that it might be said of you, ´´So and-so is a brave worrior,´´ and such has been said (of you).´ (Then) orders will be passed against him and he will be dragged on his face and casted into Hellfire.´´

Abu Hurayrah then added: ´´Then the Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam patted my knees and said: ´O Abu Hurayrah, these three individuals are the first of Allah´s creatures against whom the hellfire will rage on the Day of Resurrection. ´´´ 134

This hadith points to the magnitude of intention and significance of sincerity for allah the Exalted. hence, it is incumbent upon every slave to review his intention and continuously call himself to account.