2.13 Al-Baqarah— The Fuel of Hell Is People and Stones

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

All praise is due to Allah—Exalted and Most High. May countless blessings be upon our Seal of the Prophets, Muḥammad ﷺ, and may Allah be pleased with all of the noble Companions.

Today we share the topic: the meaning behind the statement that the fuel of Hell is people and stones.

Qur’anic Verses Mentioning “People and Stones” as Fuel

First, let us recite the verses in the Qur’an that mention people and stones as fuel.

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:24)

{فَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُواْ وَلَن تَفْعَلُواْ فَاتَّقُواْ النَّارَ الَّتِي وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْكَافِرِين}[البقرة:24]

2:24.But if you are unable to do so—and you will never be able to do so—then fear the Fire fuelled with people and stones, which is prepared for the disbelievers.

Surah At-Taḥrīm (66:6)

In Surah At-Taḥrīm, verse 6, our Lord tells us: O believers! Protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones:

{يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارًا وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ عَلَيْهَا مَلاَئِكَةٌ غِلاَظٌ شِدَادٌ لاَ يَعْصُونَ اللَّهَ مَا أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُون}[التحريم:6]

66:6.O believers! Protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, overseen by formidable and severe angels, who never disobey whatever Allah orders—always doing as commanded.

Surah Al-Anbiyā’ (21:98)

After that, in Surah Al-Anbiyā’, verse 98, our Lord tells us:

{إِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ أَنتُمْ لَهَا وَارِدُون}[الأنبياء:98]

21:98.Certainly you ˹disbelievers˺ and whatever you worship instead of Allah will be the fuel of Hell. You are ˹all˺ bound to enter it.

Surah Al-Jinn (72:15)

In Surah Al-Jinn, verse 15, our Lord says:

{وَأَمَّا الْقَاسِطُونَ فَكَانُوا لِجَهَنَّمَ حَطَبًا}[الجن:15]

72: 15.And as for the deviant, they will be fuel for Hell.’”

A Hadith About the Stones of Hell

Regarding the stones of Hell, there is an explanation in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim from which we can learn:

Ibn Masʿūd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We heard the sound of something heavy falling. We asked, “What sound is that?” The Messenger of Allah, Muḥammad ﷺ, said: “That is a stone that was thrown from the top of Hell seventy years ago, and now it has reached its bottom (the bottom of Hell).”

Scholars describing the stones of Hell said: they are the kind of foul-smelling, extremely hard, yellow sulfur stones; once ignited, their heat is unimaginably intense.

People as Fuel: Who Falls Into Hell

We all know that anyone who associates partners with our Lord will enter Hell. On the Day of Reckoning, when crossing the Bridge during the accounting, such a person will not pass—no matter what they claim verbally. For example, the hypocrites will fall.

Even some people are not hypocrites: they believe the faith is true, and they believe the religion Allah has given us is the truth, but in their actions they do not perfect their acts of worship; and even if they perfect worship, they still do not do good.

From the hadith we learn of a woman who prayed, yet she mistreated a cat: she tied it up, neither feeding it nor letting it seek food. Such a lack of doing good can also lead a person to fall into Hell.

Knowing the First Fuel: Human Beings

First, we must recognize one of the fuels: people. From the verses, we know that those who have God-consciousness, those who do good, and those who rely upon Allah have Paradise as their final abode—and they are also people of gratitude.

Gratitude to whom? Gratitude to the Creator for His blessings. They bear witness: they recognize their Lord, worship their Lord, and do not associate partners with Him. Within the blessings of this world and the next, all the good they receive leads them to praise and thank Allah—so they are the people of Paradise.

Without these traits, one will certainly enter Hell. So let us look closely: what has our Lord given us, and in what ways must we show gratitude? Because whoever does not show gratitude becomes a root source of being fuel for Hell.

Children Who Are Not Held Accountable

First, consider infants and children who are not legally accountable: they enter Paradise directly after they return to Allah and are resurrected.

This is because the human being has an innate nature—something our Lord has placed within humanity as a mercy. Within our spirituality, we made a covenant with our Lord to bear witness that He is the Creator, the Controller, and the One who alone deserves worship without partners.

Therefore, when all infants and children who are not accountable return to Allah, at the moment the soul separates from the body, they can bear witness, and Paradise becomes their final abode; they will not become fuel for Hell.

As for those who are accountable, they will be reckoned; and the final abode is either Paradise or Hell.

What People Were Given: Intellect, Character, and Strength

First, let us read what people have been given, so that they may become grateful people who guard themselves from Hell: intellect, noble qualities, and strength, and the actions that appear through them.

Let us analyze the first human being, Ādam (peace be upon him). When our Lord created him, He commanded the angels to prostrate to him as a sign of honor.

Ādam (peace be upon him) was given what our Lord granted him: Allah taught him the names of all things—what even the angels did not know—showing how excellent his intellect was, taught directly by our Lord. How clear and evident is this blessing of intellect!

Humans have been given capability: nerves, thought, spirit, and the brain—how refined they are. Our Lord can teach us directly to recognize His created world, without intermediaries. From the example of Ādam (peace be upon him), we also know that humans can receive revelation: angels convey a message to a person, and the person understands immediately.

So the blessings of nerves and the brain that Allah gave us are meant for reflection and contemplation. We must not face the created world only to seek our own benefits while failing to know the Creator. In the end, if one does not bear witness, then that person is among the losers.

Some people even use their minds to do evil—plotting against others and not doing good. Tell me: is such a mind and such nerves not fuel for Hell?

Such a mind has no excuse. One cannot argue that they did not receive revelation directly and therefore did not know the created world. Did not our Lord send messengers and prophets? And the messengers and prophets left scriptures. Even if people follow their desires and distort the scripture with false interpretations, our Lord still revealed the final, preserved Book. No matter what, a person can use this Book to contemplate; and among humanity there are continually righteous people calling others to recognize the Lord.

If the mind does not become still and engage in reflection, then in the end the traits of fuel will inevitably emerge.

The Beauty of Morals, Faith, and Patience

Second, consider the beauty of the morals and character people possess: faith, compassion, and good character. Our Lord granted us these traits.

Again, take Ādam (peace be upon him) as an example. Allah knew these qualities would appear in human beings. Allah forbade him from approaching the tree; he was tempted by Satan and also by his own desires and approached it, but he quickly made sincere repentance. Before his Lord he felt shame—showing he possessed moral character, not someone who refuses repentance and simply lets desire grow unchecked.

Not only did he repent, but he and his wife later showed patience. Allah sent them down to the earth, and they had many descendants, including twins. These trials made them hold firmly to faith: they were the first humans. Why did Allah teach them so much excellent knowledge? Not merely to seek worldly benefit, but also to recognize and worship the Lord. So they held to faith, becoming the first prophet and messenger to convey to his descendants: while seeking blessings, do not forget to recognize and worship the Lord.

Then there is a prophet and messenger whom Allah described among the patient: Ayyūb (peace be upon him). No matter how Satan tried to harm him or envy him, he held tightly to faith and relied upon his Lord. And Yūsuf (peace be upon him)—how he held firm to faith and did not yield to the temptation of powerful women, becoming among the God-fearing.

From this we know that our Lord created within us appetite, sexual desire, and spiritual interests—these interests and desires seek fulfillment, and the ego wants to assert itself. To restrain these desires requires patience, and humanity constantly calls for endurance and patience.

But this patience—for whose sake is it? It has a standard. Some people endure only to gain something in this world: social status, power, or reputation, displaying fine manners for worldly aims.

Yet the highest moral trait is to endure for the sake of our Lord. Allah gave us standards: lawful and unlawful, truth and falsehood, good and evil. To hold firmly to what is lawful requires patience; to regulate the two desires—appetite and sexual desire—requires patience. To pursue truth and avoid falsehood also requires patience. Allah’s truth is not only for gaining worldly blessings and uncovering mysteries; in pursuing the eternal Hereafter, we must also recognize Him and worship Him—this requires patience. One cannot simply follow fleeting spiritual interests for temporary pleasure. And goodness must be practiced with the standards of good and evil—this requires compassion and virtue.

For example: the standard of good and evil that comes from faith is that one remembers the Lord and does good—only then has one truly held to faith. But if a person does not follow the standards of lawful and unlawful—eating whatever they want, sleeping with whoever they want—deciding the satisfaction of appetite and desire by themselves rather than by Allah’s standards, then the bodily parts satisfied through taste and touch become fuel.

هوى (Spiritual Inclination) and the Tongue That Leads to Sin

A person also has هوى. Pronunciation: hawā. It is spiritual inclination—what one’s inner impulse leans toward.

With every inhale and exhale of the lungs, some people are singing. What are they singing? Songs that lead people into sin. Their mouths speak words that cause people to commit sins—lying, and other speech that contains no goodness—speaking everything in line with desire rather than doing good.

A person’s هوى can also gain power and reputation, enabling them to give orders; yet they commit wrongdoing, do not uphold justice, do not speak truth, and even use their power and reputation to oppose the truth.

Naturally, such a person’s breathing lungs and the mouth that speaks—everything lacking goodness—those tissues that follow desire in speech also become fuel for Hell.

The Self (Nafs), Image-Making, and Showing Off

Regarding the self, our Lord gave us the human self (nafs). This nafs likes self-realization and self-display and hopes for an “image.” For example, a person organizes their appearance: grooming hair, trimming nails—basic things.

But some people care about their appearance with hypocrisy: for instance, participating in ceremonial events as a show, so that people will notice them as a “good person.” This is not faith—only hypocrisy.

Some women adorn themselves and appear beautiful, but not for those whom it is lawful for them to display themselves to; instead, they freely beautify themselves in front of anyone, shaping eyebrows and applying makeup and decoration. Such a person has no faith: she does not believe in the Hereafter where Allah will hold people to account. If this appearance is without faith, then it too becomes fuel.

So anyone who loses faith yet establishes an image of themselves—grooming and adorning the face, the hands, or any part of the body—while possessing hypocrisy and lacking faith: the very parts they adorn will become fuel for Hell.

The Power of Human Deeds and Who Becomes People of Paradise

Now let us read about the beautiful deeds humans possess. Human action is the most powerful—how so?

Human beings were granted existence in the visible world. Through Allah’s blessings, people can train animals and use plants to benefit humanity, becoming a blessing for humankind. People can even make the natural elements—wind, fire, water, and earth, though non-living—serve humanity.

Human beings can even subdue the jinn; the story of Sulaymān (peace be upon him) is the clearest example. Even angels descended to earth to bring scriptures to humanity and to participate in struggle in the path of Allah; for example, in the Battle of Badr, angels supported our Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ and those who followed him. These are stories we can read.

Why are human deeds so honored—showing such beautiful traits? Because when a person becomes God-fearing, relies upon Allah, and does good, Allah is with them and aids them.

How do we attain such beautiful deeds that appear through Allah’s aid? Our Lord, through His Prophet, tells us: draw near to Him through obligatory duties, and seek His pleasure and love through voluntary deeds. Once Allah accepts these acts of worship and good deeds from His servant, He becomes for them the hand with which they grasp, the foot with which they walk, the ear with which they hear, and the eye with which they see.

How beautiful are the deeds of the person who has such qualities! And this is for all people—not only prophets and messengers—because our Lord has given every person this blessing: the possibility of striving to become among His close friends.

Drawing near through obligations and pursuing His pleasure through voluntary acts means that prayer, fasting, charity, and pilgrimage must be fulfilled. Prayer requires standing; and the night prayer includes standing as well—yet a person may be elderly, sick, or weak and can pray sitting; and even at the minimum, one may indicate voluntary prayer with finger joints. So the bones that stand, the muscles and joints that move—the body has worshipped the Lord; this is beautiful action.

There is also fasting: clenching one’s teeth and enduring hunger and thirst. There is also charity: striving upon the earth seeking provision—blood flowing, joints moving—giving for charity and for Allah’s pleasure. And pilgrimage, whether obligatory or voluntary: it requires wealth and physical striving; the body moves, the heart beats, the blood flows.

And those who strive in the path of Allah for the weak, to give women, children, the elderly, and the vulnerable a secure home so they can worship Allah peacefully—those who proclaim the truth like a solid wall, firm and unshaken, pouring out their lifeblood—these are certainly people of Paradise!

But those moving joints, that beating heart, and that flowing blood—without even a trace of remembering Allah—if they are not fuel, then what are they?!

Stones as Fuel: When Hearts Become Like Stone

Finally, let us recognize that stones are fuel for Hell. Here we must rely on the Qur’anic verse in which our Lord compares the human heart to stone.

In Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 74, Allah tells us about the People of the Scripture after the time of Mūsā: because they did not strictly follow the scripture Mūsā left—worshipping the Lord and seeking blessings—Allah said their hearts hardened, becoming like stones, or even harder.

Yet Allah mentions that stones can be better than such hearts, because—as the verse states—some stones have rivers that gush forth from them; some stones split open and water springs from them; and some stones fall down out of fear of Allah.

{ثُمَّ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُكُم مِّن بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ فَهِيَ كَالْحِجَارَةِ أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةً وَإِنَّ مِنَ الْحِجَارَةِ لَمَا يَتَفَجَّرُ مِنْهُ الأَنْهَارُ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَشَّقَّقُ فَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ الْمَاء وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَهْبِطُ مِنْ خَشْيَةِ اللّهِ وَمَا اللّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُون}[البقرة:74]

2:74 Even then your hearts became hardened like a rock or even harder, for some rocks gush rivers; others split, spilling water; while others are humbled in awe of Allah. And Allah is never unaware of what you do.

Allah uses stones as a comparison for human hearts. Stones are cold and hard; when a person has desires, they can show a cold and cruel nature. Humans were created from earth; the human body also has earth-like qualities—minerals—so comparing humans to stone is very appropriate.

But we must understand the symbolic meaning: how can self-interest become so severe that it is harder than stone?

It refers to those who received Allah’s blessings and received scripture—so they should have become excellent God-fearing people and a guide for God-consciousness—yet because they possessed scripture, they considered themselves noble and others lowly.

When a person becomes consumed by self-pride, the heart becomes cold like stone. When a person possesses the truth but does not proclaim it through the truth—instead using the truth to fulfill selfish desires and twisting the truth with false interpretations—then the heart becomes like a foul-smelling, hard stone.

When a person knows the truth but does not support it—instead opposing it, resisting it, and calling the truth false—then that person’s heart is harder than stone. In such a state, it is natural that in Hell there is a kind of fuel called stones.

Closing

Finally, we ask our Lord to guide our intellect, our moral character, and our deeds, so that we become God-fearing people, people who do good, and people who rely upon Him. We ask His protection so that we are spared from the punishment of Hell and become residents of Paradise.

This is what we share today. If there are slips of the tongue or unclear explanations, we ask Allah—Exalted and Most High—to forgive us. Dear readers, please excuse us. Thank you all for sharing.

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

Qur’an translation source: The Clear Qur’an — Dr. Mustafa Khattab.

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