بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

Levels of Hell (In the Light of Hadith)

Hell has multiple levels. The lowest level will have the most severe punishment, while the upper levels will have comparatively lesser punishment.

“Abbas bin ‘Abdul Muttalib (RA) narrated that he said: O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Abu Talib used to protect you and would become angry on your behalf against others. Will that benefit him in any way? The Prophet ﷺ said: Yes. He is in the uppermost level of Hell. If I had not interceded for him, he would have been in the lowest depth of Hell.” (Sahih Muslim)

The hypocrites will be in the lowest level of Hell:

اِنَّ الۡمُنٰفِقِیۡنَ فِی الدَّرۡكِ الۡاَسۡفَلِ مِنَ النَّارِ وَلَنۡ تَجِدَ لَهُمۡ نَصِیۡرًا ۝
Transliteration: Innal-munāfiqīna fid-darkil-asfali minan-nāri wa lan tajida lahum naṣīrā
Translation: "Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire, and you will never find for them any helper." (An-Nisa 145)

The levels of Hell will differ according to sins, and punishments will vary accordingly. Allah knows best.

“Samurah (RA) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: Some people will be burned by the Fire up to their ankles, some up to their waists, and some up to their necks.” (Sahih Muslim)

“Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: The Fire will consume the entire body of the son of Adam except the marks of prostration. Allah has forbidden the Fire from consuming the places of prostration.” (Sunan Ibn Majah)

One level of Hell is “Al-Jaheem” (the blazing pit):

فَاَمَّا مَنۡ طَغٰی ۝ وَ اٰثَرَ الۡحَیٰوةَ الدُّنۡیَا ۝ فَاِنَّ الۡجَحِیۡمَ هِیَ الۡمَاۡوٰی ۝
Transliteration: Fa ammā man ṭaghā, wa ātharal-ḥayātad-dunyā, fa innal-jaḥīma hiyal-ma’wā
Translation: "But as for the one who transgressed and preferred the life of this world, then indeed Hellfire will be his refuge." (An-Nazi‘at 37–39)

Another level is “Al-Hutamah” (the crushing fire):

كَلَّا لَیُنۡۢبَذَنَّ فِی الۡحُطَمَةِ ۝ وَ مَاۤ اَدۡرٰىكَ مَا الۡحُطَمَةُ ۝ نَارُ اللّٰهِ الۡمُوۡقَدَةُ ۝
Transliteration: Kallā layunbaḏanna fil-ḥuṭamah, wa mā adrāka mal-ḥuṭamah, nārullāhil-mūqadah
Translation: "No! He will surely be thrown into the Crusher. And what will make you know what the Crusher is? It is the fire of Allah, intensely kindled." (Al-Humazah 4–6)

Another level is “Hawiyah” (the deep abyss):

فَاَمَّا مَنۡ خَفَّتۡ مَوَازِیۡنُهٗ ۝ فَاُمُّهٗ هَاوِیَةٌ ۝ وَ مَاۤ اَدۡرٰىكَ مَا هِیَهۡ ۝ نَارٌ حَامِیَةٌ ۝
Transliteration: Fa ammā man khaffat mawāzīnuh, fa ummuhū hāwiyah, wa mā adrāka mā hiyah, nārun ḥāmiyah
Translation: "But as for the one whose scales are light, his refuge will be the abyss. And what will make you know what it is? It is a blazing fire." (Al-Qari‘ah 8–11)

Another level is “Saqar” (the intensely scorching fire):

سَاُصۡلِیۡهِ سَقَرَ ۝ وَ مَاۤ اَدۡرٰىكَ مَا سَقَرُ ۝ لَا تُبۡقِیۡ وَ لَا تَذَرُ ۝ لَوَّاحَةٌ لِّلۡبَشَرِ ۝
Transliteration: Sa uṣlīhi saqar, wa mā adrāka mā saqar, lā tubqī wa lā taḏar, lawwāḥatul lil-bashar
Translation: "I will drive him into Saqar. And what will make you know what Saqar is? It neither leaves nor spares, scorching the skin." (Al-Muddaththir 26–29)

Another level is “Laza” (the flaming blaze):

كَلَّاۤ اِنَّهَا لَظٰی ۝ نَزَّاعَةً لِّلشَّوٰی ۝ تَدۡعُوۡا مَنۡ اَدۡبَرَ وَ تَوَلّٰی ۝ وَ جَمَعَ فَاَوۡعٰی ۝
Transliteration: Kallā innahā laẓā, nazzā‘atan lish-shawā, tad‘ū man adbara wa tawallā, wa jama‘a fa aw‘ā
Translation: "No! Indeed, it is the blazing Fire, stripping away the skin, calling the one who turned away and denied, and collected wealth and hoarded it." (Al-Ma‘arij 15–18)

Another level is “Sa‘eer” (the blazing flame):

وَ قَالُوۡا لَوۡ كُنَّا نَسۡمَعُ اَوۡ نَعۡقِلُ مَا كُنَّا فِیۡۤ اَصۡحٰبِ السَّعِیۡرِ ۝ فَاعۡتَرَفُوۡا بِذَنۡۢبِهِمۡ فَسُحۡقًا لِّاَصۡحٰبِ السَّعِیۡرِ ۝
Transliteration: Wa qālū law kunnā nasma‘u aw na‘qilu mā kunnā fī aṣḥābis-sa‘īr, fa‘tarafū biḏambihim fa suḥqan li aṣḥābis-sa‘īr
Translation: "And they will say: If only we had listened or reasoned, we would not be among the companions of the blazing Fire. So they will confess their sins, and away with the companions of the blazing Fire." (Al-Mulk 10–11)

There is also a valley in Hell called “Wail” (destruction and ruin):

اِنۡطَلِقُوۡۤا اِلٰی ظِلٍّ ذِیۡ ثَلٰثِ شُعَبٍ ۝ لَّا ظَلِیۡلٍ وَّ لَا یُغۡنِیۡ مِنَ اللَّہَبِ ۝ اِنَّهَا تَرۡمِیۡ بِشَرَرٍ كَالۡقَصۡرِ ۝ كَاَنَّهٗ جِمٰلَتٌ صُفۡرٌ ۝ وَیۡلٌ یَّوۡمَىِٕذٍ لِّلۡمُكَذِّبِیۡنَ ۝
Transliteration: Intaliqū ilā ẓillin ḏī thalāthi shu‘ab, lā ẓalīlin wa lā yughni minal-lahab, innahā tarmī bishararin kal-qaṣr, ka’annahū jimālātun ṣufr, wailun yawma’idhil lil-mukaḏḏibīn
Translation: "Proceed to a shadow of three columns, neither shading nor protecting from the flame. Indeed, it throws sparks like huge fortresses, as if they were yellow camels. Woe that Day to the deniers." (Al-Mursalat 30–32)