Jahannam (the Islamic Hell)

by Alan G. Hefner

Jahannam (Hebrew, gehinnom; Greek, gehenna) is the Islamic hell mentioned frequently in the Qur’an, It has seven gates (Qur’an 59. 71; 15. 43) and different levels, the lowest being the tree Zaqqum and a cauldron of pitch and fire. Punishments are in accord to the gravity of sins — a theme much elaborated on by later commentators.