Most of Those Who Enter Hell Will be Women

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

Most of Those Who Enter Hell Will be Women

Dr. Umar Sulaiman al-Ashqar

Most of the sinners amongst the monotheists who enter Hell will be women, as is reported in as-Saheehayn, via Ibn 'Abbas: in the khutbah given during a solar eclipse, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, "I saw Hell and I saw that most of its inhabitants were women".

Al-Bukhari and Muslim report from Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, "O women give in charity, for I have seen that you form the majority of the people of Hell." They asked, "Why is that so, O Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him)?" He said, "Because you curse too much and are ungrateful for good treatment".

Al-Bukhaari and Muslim report from Usamah ibn Zayd that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said "I stood at the gate of Hell, and saw that most of those who entered were women".

Muslim reports from 'Imran ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, "Few of the inhabitants of paradise are women".

This does not contradict the fact that every man in Paradise will have more than one wife. What is referred to by the women who will be the majority of the inhabitants of Hell is women who are descendants of Aadam: the inhabitants of Paradise will have many wives from among al-Hoor al-'Iyn.

"Women will be few among the inhabitants of Paradise because in most cases they prefer the immediate pleasures of this life, as they are less wise and unable to keep the Hereafter in mind. They are too weak to strive and prepare themselves for it, and are more inclined towards this world. In spite of all this, they are the strongest factor in this world that distracts men from the Hereafter, because men are inclined to desire them and they are not concerned with the Hereafter. They are quick to follow those who call them to deviate from Islam, and reluctant to follow those pious people who call them to the Hereafter, and righteous deeds". (al-Qurtubee, at-Tadhkirah, 1/369).

In spite of all this, there are many righteous women among them, who stay within the limits set by Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He), adhere to His laws, and obey Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) and His Messenger. Many of these women will enter Paradise, and many of them excel over men in their faith and righteous deeds.