Discussion of the issue of the Fire’s annihilation, and Ibn al-Qayyim’s statement on it.

The Shaykh : ... His Shaykh, Ibn Taymiyyah, that the scholars have two positions on this issue: one is that the Fire does not cease, and the other is that it ceases and no trace of it remains forever.
Ibn al-Qayyim relates this from his Shaykh, but does not mention that he preferred one position over the other. As for Ibn al-Qayyim himself, he elaborated on these two positions after this report with a sufficient explanation, mentioning the evidence for each and discussing them. Then he concluded by directing the reader’s attention to look carefully at the evidence of both groups and to choose from that what appears to him to be the truth.
First: regarding Ibn Taymiyyah, it is not reported from him that he adopted one of the two positions.
Second: some later scholars mention that Ibn Taymiyyah adopted the position of the Fire’s annihilation. Personally, I have not seen him explicitly state this in any of his books. Rather, I found in a manuscript in the "Zahiriyyah Library" in the handwriting of "Yusuf ibn 'Abd al-Hadi al-Hanbali." This man appears to have been a scribe, or rather a copyist... the letters in the "Zahiriyyah Library" in his handwriting. I do not mean a copyist in the sense of a mere scribe, but rather a scholar who was a copyist, because he has many letters in his own handwriting and authorship. Among these letters is an interesting one.
Before the existence of the Zahiriyyah Library, there were many endowment libraries in various locations in Damascus. One was called the "Al-'Umarriyyah Library." When these manuscripts were gathered from these private libraries, they were collected and placed in the Zahiriyyah Library. So the manuscripts currently in the Zahiriyyah Library are actually a collection from libraries that were scattered since ancient times in Islamic households. Among these endowment libraries is the Al-'Umarriyyah Library. "Yusuf ibn 'Abd al-Hadi" has a specific letter listing the endowment manuscripts in the Al-'Umarriyyah Library, and this letter is very useful.

The questioner: A catalog.

The Shaykh: Yes, a catalog. Among what he mentions is a letter from Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah regarding the non-annihilation of the Fire, or stating the permanence of the Fire. This is Ibn Taymiyyah. This is what concerns Ibn Taymiyyah.

Eid Abbasi: But I did not find this.

The Shaykh: I have not seen it, unfortunately.

Eid Abbasi: Glory be to Allah!

The Shaykh: As for Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, he addressed the issue as we mentioned, in the manner we indicated in the previously mentioned book, "Shifa' al-'Alil." He also addressed this issue in the manner mentioned in his other book, "Hadi al-Arwah ila Bilad al-Afrah." There too, you do not get an explicit opinion from him regarding his inclination toward one of the two positions mentioned. However, he orders the reader to take what the evidence indicates. But I found for Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah an explicit statement that can be considered and relied upon; I found another statement by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah on this issue that can be considered the decisive word in it. He mentioned in his book "al-Wabil al-Sayb fi Sharh al-Kalim al-Tayyib" that the Fire is two fires: a Fire that ceases and a Fire that remains and does not cease. The Fire that ceases is the Fire of the monotheists, and the Fire that remains and does not cease is the Fire of the disbelievers. And Allah is sufficient for the believers in fighting.
And peace be upon you.

Those present: And upon you peace.

The questioner: In the hadith: .

The Shaykh : How?

The questioner : .

The Shaykh : Yes.

The questioner : The meaning?

The Shaykh : If you are intelligent, explain it in light of the previous statement.

The questioner : Regarding the Fire that will be extinguished?

Eid Abbasi: Yes, some object to the issue of the Fire’s permanence with a hadith. When the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) saw a woman with a child or a girl... . They said: No, O Messenger of Allah. So they argue by analogy that if the created being does not... a fortiori; how is he refuted?

The Shaykh: There is a verse in the Qur'an containing a word from the words of the hadith you mention...? It is a bit difficult, and the first letter in it is a R; meaning, to help you.

The questioner: But I didn't notice what the...

Eid Abbasi: About the hadith... about this topic?

The Shaykh : Yes?

Eid Abbasi: About the topic... Allah (Mighty and Majestic)?

The Shaykh: What did you ask just now? Let him understand the question again.

The questioner: I didn't notice.

Eid Abbasi: That some object with this hadith and use it as evidence for the total annihilation of the Fire. The hadith: ...?

The Shaykh: Do you know the question now? Do you know what the answer was? Do you know what?

The questioner: But I didn't know the answer.

The Shaykh: Of course.

Eid Abbasi: In the mercy of Allah .

The Shaykh: Well done... today... yes .

Eid Abbasi : .

The Shaykh: ... So interpret the hadith with the verse.

The questioner: In... school students and others sit in the mosque.

Eid Abbasi: Of course.
...

The questioner : ؟

The Shaykh: That he did not say , okay; with all His servants, even Iblis?

Eid Abbasi: It is that woman and her child who would enter... righteous.

The Shaykh: But she is merciful to her child, but Allah is more merciful to His servants, and here you can know the answer from the hadith itself , who are His servants?

The questioner: Those who are characterized by worship.

The Shaykh : It would be.

Eid Abbasi: Meaning, some distinguish and say: this ruling says the word "His servants" was mentioned in the Qur'an and Sunnah for those pleased with and servants in general, so this...

The Shaykh: No, it is not, it is not consistent.

Eid Abbasi: It is not consistent.

The questioner: Sometimes it is like that.

The Shaykh: to the end of the hadith.

Eid Abbasi: In .

The questioner: It is specific.

Eid Abbasi: You hit .

The Shaykh: In the Qur'an there are verses - also - that do not mean the believing servants, yes, not all of them bring it specifically... we have witnessed for you a testimony, do not lose it for us.