The articles on this website may be reproduced freely as long as the following source reference is provided:
Joseph A Islam www.quransmessage.com
Salamun Alaikum (Peace be upon you
AS-SIRAT (THE PATH, THE BRIDGE OVER HELL)
!opyright " #$$% &oseph A 'slam: Article last modified # nd August #$()
'n popular *uslim thought+ the belief in 'As-Sira' (a.k.a 'pul sirat' / the bridge of the way, the bridge over hell) is often cited as compulsory.
The ,As Sirat, is understood to be an e-tremely narrow (almost the width of a hair follicle and sharp bridge with hooks+ clasps and thorny iron that all so!ls (i"#l!$i"% he ri%heo!s & 'elie(ers) will encounter on the .ay of /esurrection. 't is understood to be surrounded by the raging fire of 0ell and one would need to cross this bridge in order to reach paradise or a state of felicity.
The sinful will allegedly fall into its raging fire whilst those who remained righteous+ will make their way swiftly across this bridge at a pace directly proportional to the good deeds that they would have earned during their earthly abode. The first one to cross the bridge is understood to be Prophet *uhammad. (pbuh *uslim literature and websites are often found giving references and details with regards to this belief.
1rom a 2uran,s perspective+ there is absolutely "o me"io" of this bridge in the e"ire )!ra".
This term and the fanciful narratives associated with it are only found in 'slamic secondary sources such as Ahadith.
'ndeed+ 'impli#i' verses are often cited such as those below+ but as we will see in this article+ such interpretations are countered by e*pli#i e*s and #o"e* $ri(e" hemes from the 2uran that deal with eschatology (death+ 3udgement+ heaven and hell.
+,-.+/+ 4And 5 moreover certainly+ 6e know best those who are most worthy of being burned therein.
+,-0+/, 4And there is not one of 1o! (pro"o!" - '2!m') but will #ome & arri(e & %o $o3" (* warada / warid) (to it. This is+ with thy 7ord+ a .ecree which must be accomplished.4
't remains noteworthy8 that any 'implicit' verse of the 2uran must be understood in light of e*pli#i (erses. A belief or doctrine should arguably "e(er 'e 4orme$ based on 'impli#i' te-t alone+ especially in the presence of e-plicit verses or stronger conte-ts which would deny such a belief.
9o doubt+ the 2uran provides many narratives dealing with es#haolo%1 (death, judgement, heaven and hell).
1or e-ample+ Surah 1a3r (:% cites a succinct narrative of the righteous when they are spoken to after their death and on the .ay of /esurrection (:%:#;. They are welcomed into a place of felicity+ <od,s <arden (y !arden / "aradise #'jannati'). Albeit the intention of the narrative appears to remain succinct+ one does find remarkable that there is "o me"io" of a bridge. 0owever+ a trial (accountability of some sorts is e-pounded in other Surahs such as Surah Araf (!hapter ;+ where a detailed portrayal of the .ay of &udgement is given and the communication of both dwellers of the garden and those of hell is shared. (;:=:ff8 particularly ;:))ff. 0owever+ once again+ one finds "o me"io" of a 'bridge' or the requirement of all <od,s servants to cross over it with a view to reach paradise.
1urthermore+ one would have also arguably e-pected some mention of this bridge in Surah 6aqia (!hapter >? where comprehensive eschatological details are e-pounded in the course of the entire Surah. Again+ "o me"io" of a bridge is found. Surah /ahman also captures a vivid portrayal of what will transpire on the .ay of &udgement and once again+ there is "o me"io" of any bridge+ or any crossing of it for all <od,s servants.
*oving on from conte-t driven narratives dealing with eschatology where one would e-pect mention of a bridge+ what remains noteworthy+ is the e*pli#i me"io" in verses #(:%:@($# that righteous individuals would be 4ar remo(e$ from even so much as the sli%hes so!"$ of hell+ let alone being drawn nigh to it in order to cross over it.
+5,.+-6-,++ 4'ndeed+ you and what you worship besides <od+ are (but fuel 5 firewood 4or HellA To it you will #ome & %o $o3" o i & arri(e (* warid)4
+5,.,+, 4'ndeedA those to whom kindness 5 good has gone forth from Bs+ he1 3ill 'e 4ar remo(e$ 4rom i7
+5,.,+5-,+8 4The1 3ill "o e(e" hear he sli%hes so!"$ & 3hisper (hasis) of it+ and they will abide in that which their souls desire forever. The supreme terror will not grieve them+ and the angels will welcome 5 greet them+ (saying: This is your .ay which you were promised4
9 :ari$ @ from the root verb 'warada' means to come 5 to be present 5 to arrive at something (e.g. a man or camel arriving at water to drink etc.). !lassical le-icologists make it clear that ,arrival, does not necessarily imply that one 3ill ,enter,. 't simply means to arrive at something.
Thus+ if the righteous are not to even ,arrive, (warid) at hell (#(:($( being kept far from it+ then the whole popular belief of the bridge (over hell becomes very questionable. 1urthermore+ if believers are not even to hear the sli%hes so!"$ of 0ell (and hence be kept away from it)+ the belief of all souls passing over a bridge surrounded by hell becomes wholly unwarranted from a 2uranCs perspective. This argument is further strengthened+ when one considers the narratives in verses #>:((@(# where is it made clear that the roar of hell would be so a!$i'le+ that it will even be heard from a distance.
+5;0+,, 49ay+ they deny the 0our (the .ay of /esurrection+ and for those who deny the 0our+ 6e have prepared for those a blaDing 1ire (i.e. 0ell.4
+5;0+,5 7:he" i (Hell) sees hem 4rom a 4ar pla#e, he1 3ill hear is ra%i"% a"$ is roari"%.7
+5;0+,8 4And when they shall be thrown into a narrow place thereof+ bound in chains+ they will e-claim therein for destruction.4
't is thus clear that in order for the roar of hell to remain inaudible to the righteous+ they will "e(er be brought nigh to it+ which is also supported by the e-plicit te-t of verse #(:($(.
6e thus find in the 2uran+ e-plicit and conte-t driven verses dealing with eschatology+ that completely negates the common beliefs of *uslims pertaining to ,The Eridge,+ which is predominantly sourced from 'slamic secondary sources such as Ahadith.
I<PLI=IT DED>=TIO?
As briefly mentioned in the initial paragraphs of this article+ the 2uranic evidence cited for such a common belief in *uslim thought+ attempts to seek support from verses (%:;$@;(:
+,-.+/+ 4And 5 moreover certainly+ 6e know best those who are most worthy of being burned therein.
+,-0+/, 4And there is not one of 1o! (pro"o!" - '2!m') but will #ome & arri(e & %o $o3" (* warada / warid) (to it. This is+ with thy 7ord+ a .ecree which must be accomplished.4
The first point to note is that there is no mention of a bridge in these verses. Secondly+ if the conte-t of the verses is studied+ the pronoun '1o!' (2!m) (those that will go down / arrive at it) seems to be clearly linked to hose who were most stubborn and rebellious from all sects mentioned in the previous verse+ (%:?%. This is made clear when the verses are read in conte-t.
+,-.+@- 4Then 5 moreover surely :e 3ill $ra% o! 4rom e(er1 se# all hose 3ho 3ere 3ors i" o'si"ae re'ellio" against the most gracious (<od (*ost Powerful.4
+,-.+/+ 4And 5 moreover certainly+ 6e know best those who are most worthy of being burned therein.
+,-0+/, 4And there is not one of 1o! (pro"o!" - '2!m') but will #ome & arri(e & %o $o3" (* warada / warid) (to it. This is+ with thy 7ord+ a .ecree which must be accomplished.4
Therefore+ the pronoun (1o!) arguably references those wicked leaders and followers in sin+ who refused to alter their ways and remained obstinately rebellious against <od ((%:?%. This is further supported by other verses which make it clear that it is the sinners that will be led into hell.
+,,.+-6 40e will go before his people on the .ay of &udgement+ and lea$ hem (3ara$a - ma3r!$) into the 1ire (as cattle are led to water. And wretched 5 woeful is the place to which they are ledA4
Fne notes that the same root verb 'warada' (to come, go down, arrive, one which is led down to) that is used in verses ((:%: and #(:($$+ is also used in verse (%:;(+ all dealing with he %!il1.
Thus the target audience consistently remains the evil@doers+ and there is "o i"$i#aio" that every soul will be driven to hell+ will pass by it via a bridge+ or will be brought nigh to it.
=ITI?G THE EA=EPTIO? - THE )>RA?'S >SE OB 'TH><<A'
Some will note the e-ception in verse (%:;# and raise the question as to where the righteous will be saved from+ if not hellG
A common translation is noted:
+,-.+/5 $%ut (&humma) 'e shall save those who guarded against evil, and 'e shall leave the wrong#doers therein, (humbled) to their knees.$
The Arabic phrase 'thumma' often translated as ,and,+ but, or ,then, does not always imply a sequence. 1rom a 2uran,s perspective+ this phrase is also understood to signify 'parallelism' or two events occurring together 5 simultaneously 5 concurrently and "o necessarily in sequence (or one after the other.
1or e-ample in Surah )(:((+ we note the phrase $thumma 'istawa$ signifying <od,s instructions to the heavens when it was still smoke+ to form. This was not an action carried out in sequence+ or after the creation of mountains on the earth ()(:($+ but rather+ it was an action in tandem or simultaneously with the creation of the Harth. Thus 'thumma' is better rendered in such conte-ts as 'moreover' or signifying a sim!la"eo!s a#io" rather than one in sequence. This phrase is also used to signify repetitive stress as can be seen in Surah ($#.
Therefore+ verse (%:;# is better understood as a simultaneous action where whilst the guilty will be left in the pits of 0ell+ the righteous will be saved from such a trial which is also supported by verse #(:($(.
+,-0+/5 4<oreo(er (h!mma) we will deliver those who feared 5 guarded against evil and 6e will leave the guilty 5 wrong@doers therein bent on knees4
+5,.,+, 4'ndeedA those to whom kindness 5 good has gone forth from Bs+ he1 3ill 'e 4ar remo(e$ 4rom i7
BI?AL THO>GHTS
The belief that all so!ls will be brought near a narrow bridge called the '(s#)irat' on the .ay of &udgement finds no e-plicit support in the 2uran.
1rom a 2uranic perspective+ one notes e-plicit and conte-t driven verses dealing with eschatology+ that appear to completely negate this common belief which is predominantly sourced from 'slamic secondary sources such as Ahadith. As noted+ implicit lean on verses such as (%:;$@;# to support such a mainstay belief appears to be wholly unwarranted.
&oseph 'slam " #$($ 2uransmessage.com All /ights /eserved