There are seven levels of Jahannam as shown in a hadith narrated by Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Zayd ibn Aslam, “The levels of paradise go up and the levels of Hell go down”. According to some books these levels have names: the first is called Jahannam, the second Ladhaa, the third al-Hutamah, the fourth as-Sa’eer, the fifth Saqar, the sixth al-Jaheem, and the seventh al-Hawiyah.

Each level is not only a different temperature but also have different punishments, and contain different people. It was reported by some of the salaf that the monotheists who enter hell will be in the first level of hell (Jahannam), the jews in the second level (ladhaa), the christians in the third level (al-hutamah), the sabians in the fourth level (as-sa’eer), the magians in the fifth (saqar), the polytheist arabs in the sixth (al-jaheem) and the hypocrites in the seventh (al-hawiyah).

Indeed the hell fire is the dwelling place of them all. It has seven gates and within each gate there is an appropriate punishment for each inhabitant…

Hijr: 44

Imam As Sa’di  رحمه الله mentions in his tafseer: “The gates of Hell are structured one gate below the other descending, opposite the gates of paradise, which have one gate above the other ascending. The distance between each gate is 500 years prepared for Iblees and all of his followers.“

The First Gate: This gate is called Jahannam, as Allah mentions in many verses in the Qur’an:

They said (i.e. the hypocrites): “Don’t go out for war during the heat!” Say (i.e. Muhammad) the fire of Jahannam is even hotter if you only understood.

Tawbah: 81

This gate is called Jahannam because the fire will scorch the faces of the men and women who enter it!

Their faces will be sullen and glum. It will eat away at their flesh and Allah says:

Surely those who reject Our signs, We will cast them into the Fire. Whenever their skin is burnt completely, We will replace it so they will ˹constantly˺ taste the punishment. Indeed, Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.

Nisa:56)

Imam As Sa’di mentioned in his tafsir: “This is in response to their obstinacy and resistance in the life of this world. Just as they continued to reject obedience to Allah and submission to Him, likewise the fire will continue to burn up their flesh and when it reaches the point of almost being obliterated, Allah will remove the old flesh and replace it with new flesh, a just recompense for their rebellion in this life.”

This is the lightest punishment that one can receive in Hell, outside of the specific punishment of Abu Talib, the uncle of the Prophet ﷺ.

The Second Gate: This Gate is called Ladha’

But no! There will certainly be a raging Flame

Ma’arij:15

This level of hell is called Ladha because the fire will eat away at their body parts one by one, both internally and externally. It will invite those who abandoned Tawheed (i.e. Islamic monotheism) and turned away from that which the Prophet ﷺ came with.

The Third Gate: This gate is called Saqar

We will throw him into the Saqar and what will make you know what Saqar is? It is a scorching fire, it spares nothing and leaves nothing behind it will shake them vehemently and over it are nineteen angels

Mudathir: 26-30

It is called “Saqar” because it will eat up the flesh of the human being and not his bones. But listen to what Allah mentioned about those who enter this particular level of hell:

Those in paradise will ask the criminals what has landed you all in Saqar? They will say: “We were not of those who used to pray, and we didn’t feed the poor, and we used to talk vainly with those who talked vain talk; and we used to deny the Day of Recompense until death came to us and we saw the reality of all that we denied

Mudathir:40-47

So there are a total of four things that they were guilty of, which ultimately landed them in this level of the hell fire:

1. The First: They did not offer salat (i.e. prayer) and the scholars also use this as a proof to show that abandoning the salat is Kufr (i.e. disbelief). And it also shows how serious it is because it was the first thing they mentioned out of all the offenses they were guilty of. In essence they refused to give Allah His right.
2. The Second: They did not feed the poor. Meaning they refused to benefit the needy on all levels.
3. The Third: They used to talk vainly with those who talk in vain. Meaning they used to indulge in falsehood and used it to argue unjustly against the truth.
4. The Fourth: They used to deny and reject the Day of Recompense and this is the end result of delving into falsehood.

The Fourth Gate: This gate is called Al Hutamah

Nay they will be thrown into Al Hutamah (i.e. Crushing Fire). And what will make you know what Al Hutamah is? The fire of Allah kindled by men and stones which scorches the hearts. Surely it is vaulted over them in pillars widely extended.

Humazah: 4-9

It is called Al Hutamah because it will shatter the bones of the human being and burn the heart and other internal organs. The fire will start at his feet and burn all the way through until it reaches the heart.

Indeed it (i.e. the hell fire) spits out sparks the size of mansions, as if they were yellow herds

Mursalat: 32-33

The individual in the fire will turn completely black when the sparks ascend up and scorch their faces, hands and bodies. They will cry tears until their tear ducts are completely exhausted then they will cry blood and when the blood is completely exhausted they will cry pus until the pus is completely exhausted!!!! They will leave behind a pool so great that if a ship wanted to set sail on top of what they cried it would have no problem doing so!

The Fifth Gate: This particular gate is called Jaheem

Seize him and shackle him! Then roast him in Jaheem (i.e. hell fire) in chains that are seventy cubits long. This is because he did not believe in Allah, the Magnificent and he did not encourage the feeding of the poor.

Al Haqq: 30-34

This gate is called Jaheem because it is actually one big piece of hot coal that is bigger than the lowest heaven as we know it. And look at the crimes of the one who enters this particular gate:

1. The First: He did not have the correct belief in Allah. This is to correct the misunderstanding of those who deride having the correct aqeedah and make discouraging statements such as “Why do they spend so much time studying Aqeedah?!!” or “We can learn Tawheed in 10 minutes!” or those who simply say: “I just believe in Allah!” This is a very nonchalant approach towards the greatest right over us as human beings, which is the right of Allah (i.e. Tawheed) the right to be worshiped alone without any partners.
2. The Second: They refused to give the creation their rights, which is the most important right after the right of Allah. He did not encourage the feeding of the poor.

The Sixth Gate: This gate is called Sa’eer

A group in paradise and a group in Sa’eer (i.e. the blazing fire)

Shurah: 7

And they will say: “If we had listened and used our intellect we would not be inhabitants of the blazing fire! They confessed their sins but away with the companions of As Sa’eer

Mulk: 10-11

This gate of Hell is called As Sa’eer because it is constantly kindling, rather it has never ceased to kindle from the moment it was created!! In it are 300 castles and in each castle there are 300 houses and in each house there are 300 types of punishments.

In this particular level of hell there are scorpions and snakes, ropes, chains and shackles!! There is also something call the “Pit of Agony”, which is incomparable and unparalleled to any other type of punishment in hell. When the door of this pit is opened the people in the hell fire will grieve austerely!

The Seventh Gate: This gate is called Al Haawiyah

As for the one whose scales are light, then the Hawiyah will embrace him like a mother embraces her child. And what will make you know what Al Hawiyah is? It is a kindled fir burning hot.

Al Qa’riah: 8-11

This gate of hell is called Al Hawiyah because whoever enters this level of the hell fire will never come out! Notice Allah said that the fire will embrace him like a mother embraces her child! In this level of the hell fire there is a well that will let out a breeze of fire and when this breeze comes out it will be so hot and powerful that all of the fires in the other levels of hell will seek refuge in Allah from it!

In this level of the hell fire there is a mountain made of fire and the enemies of Allah will be laid on their faces on this mountain and their hands will be tied to their necks and their necks tied to their feet and over them will stand the Zabaaniyah, who are angels that guard this particular level of the hell fire, as Allah says:

And We will call the Zabaaniyah

Alaq: 18

The hands of the Zabaaniyah will be like iron and when they strike one of those in the hell fire one time with their hands they let out a scream so loud that both the Jinn and mankind can hear.