The first verse mentioned the famous name “Jahannam” which has been used 77 times in the Qura’n. This verse speaks about the followers of Satan, “Hell shall be the abode for all of them; it has seven gates.”

The word “Jahannam” has been described by the linguists as “Fire” and some as “Deep and profound”. Lisan-ol-Arab says that “Jihinnam” means a great depth so the term so the term “Biirun Jahannam wa Jihinnam” means a deep well and the book has quoted other linguists to have said that this word is actually Aramaic and is derived from “Kihinnam”.

 In Arabic it became Jahannam” but some say that it has been derived from the Aramaic word “ Jihinun”(1) Some consider it to be an Arabic word though some have declared it to be a Persian word. The underground space used to create heat for the above floor is also called Jahannam. (2)

Whatever be the truth the word is used in the Qura’n to denote a place which is full of various kinds of torments and is the center of God’s wrath with various stages. We can generally say that the verse says that it has seven gates and Inshallah we will discuss this in detail a little later.

In the second verse Hell has another name and that is “Saqar”. After narrating the story of Waleed ibn Mogheera an arrogant polytheist God says, “Soon I will throw him in Hell and what do you know what Hell is? It leaves out none nor does it spare and shrivels the human body.”

So “Saqar” is one of the names of Hell derived from “Saqr” which means that which changes or melts in the heat of the sun. (3)

Some consider it to be one of the terrifying stage of Hell as has been quoted from Imam Sadiq “There is an abyss named Saqar which is the abode of the vain people and it blazes the fire of Hell every time it breathes.” (4)

Sahah-ol-loghat says the fierce heat of the sun is called “Saqaratus Shams” and the hot and burning day is calle3d “Yom Mustaqar”. The book At-Tahqiq says that it is a very great heat that changes the colors and features of things.

But later this word became on of the names of Hell. It is a blazing fire that changes everything. The features described in this verse suit our contention because the verse says this fire will shrivel the skin and the body and then says that it will not let any thing remain in its original form.

 The third verse has used the word “Naar” which’ has been used frequently (about 145 times) in the Qura’n for Hell and has also been used to denote the fire of Hell. In some instances of course it has been used as the fire in this world. The Book then speaks to those disbelieve in it and says, “ If you do not bring any Surah like the ones in the Qura’n and you shall never bring it then fear this fire whose fuel are the sinners and the stones and which has been prepared for the disbelievers.” The word “Naar” is used for all kinds of fires. Raghib in Mafuradat says “Naar” is the flame which is evident to the human sense of feeling and heat too is given the same name. Some people believe that “Naar” and “Noor” are derived from the same source and both are together. Anyway this word has been used in the Qura’n umpteen of times and thus has become one of the names of Hell.

The Qura’n in verse 10 of Surah Al Imran speaks about a group of sinners and says, “They are themselves the fuel for the fire.” In many verses we find the term “As-haabun-naar” for the people in Hell against “As-haabol Jannah” the people of paradise (5).

One of the attributes of Hell is that their fuels are the human beings and stones and thus this fire cannot be compared to the worldly fires.

The center of God’s wrath in the 4th verse has been termed “Sa’eer”. After describing the aim of the revelation of the Qura’n the Book says:

““A party shall be in the garden and a party shall be in Hell.”

This word has been used 16 times in the Qura’n and its plural “Su’ar” has been used twice. This word has been derived from “Saar” which means to blaze the fire and also for a blazing fire. So the word means that fire which rises in flames. This word has been used for mania also because a person becomes inflamed in this condition. A mad camel too is called “Naqa Masuura” (6)

In this verse it has been used opposite Paradise (Jannah) and we learn that it is one of the names of Hell. In some verses the term “As-Habus Saeer” has been used (7) but we have to admit that in Qura’n it has been used mostly to denote the blazing fire of Hell.

The word “Jahiim” in the 5th verse has been used 25 times in the Qura’n. This verse says, ““As for him who has transgressed the bounds and preferred the life of this world, then verily his abode shall be Hell.”

So the Qura’n tells us that “Jahiim” is one of the names of Hell and is derived from the word “Jahim” which means a great blazing fire.

This meaning has been confirmed by Maqayis-ol-Loghat but the Sahah-ol-loghat has called it a great fire which has a high temperature but has also been used for a piercing fire in this world.

The verse 97 of Surah Saffat quotes the words of the polytheists of the days of Apostle Abraham. It says:

“They said: Build a furnace and thrown him (Abraham) into the piercing fire.” But this des c r i p tion does not mean that Jahiim is not a name of Hell.

In the 6th verse the book uses the word “Hutama” and is used twice in Surah Humaza. After speaking about those who backbite and slander and are covetous of wealth the verse says:

“No! He will be flung into the crushing fire (Hutama) and what do you know what Hutamah is? It is a fire that God has kindled and shall mount above the hearts.”

According to Sahah-ol-loghat and Majmaul Bahrain on of the name of Hell is derived from “”Hatm” and means to break or shatter. This is why the days of famine are called “Hutmah” because such days break everything and destroy the people. The stone installed in the Ka’aba is called “Hatiim” because people gather there in multitude and seems that bones may be crushed because of the rush. Hutamah is so named because its flames will break or crush everything and destroy them. Qura’n has described it as “a blazing fire that God has kindled and that will singe the hearts.” And it confirms our views. But from some traditions we learn that these names of Hell refer to different sectors in it. (8)

The 7th verse speaks of “Haawiya”. The verse says:

“And has for him whose deeds are light; his home shall be a burning abyss and what do know about it? It is a fire blazing fiercely.”

According to Ibn Manzoor in Lisan-ol-Arab “Haawiya” is one of the names of Hell so “Ummuhuu Haawiya” will mean “his abode is in Hell”. (9) Maqayis-ol-loghat and Mafuradat Raghib also say the same. This word has been derived from “Hawii” which means to fall because the disbelievers and sinners will fall into it. It also reminds us about the depth of Hell.

The word “Umm” has been used to denote the place and is often used for mother. Hell will take the sinners into itself the way a mother takes her child. Some have said that this mean the brain and say that it is one of features of the dwellers of hell for they fall on their heads into it but the first interpretation is better.

The 8th and final des c r i p tion is the word “Lazzaa” which has been used only once in the Qura’n. After describing the conditions of the sinners the verse says:

“Never! Verily it is the flaming of Hell fire dragging the scalp claiming him who turned his back and went away.”

The word “Lazzaa” means fire or the flames of the fire but Lisan-ol-Arab and Mafuradat Raghib say that it is one of the names of Hell.

The word means something which separates in repetition and “ Shawaa” means hands and legs ( but is often used for roasting but here the first meaning is more appropriate because when something is put in the fire the outer portion burns first so here it means the skins or the hairs on the head.)

This fire has a peculiarity that it calls the sinners. Does the hell have any life, and sensibility? Is there any magnetic force in hell that pulls only the sinners and criminals?

Both the possibilities are acceptable but the literal meaning is more proper. The point to note is that the word “Naar” has nowhere been used as a name of Hell. There are seven other names and each one of them speaks about a particular section or stage. No single name includes the entire Hell.

Imam Amirul Muminin is reported to have said in one hadith, “there are seven gates of hell and these are the stages or sections one on top of the other.” And then the Imam put one hand on top of the other and said, “Like this. The lowest portion is Jahannam, on top of it is Lazzaa; above it is Hutamah, and then is Saqar, then Jahiim, Saeer, and above all is Haawiya.” (But in some hadiths we find that Haawiya is the lowest rung and the topmost is Jahannam. (10)

It may not be wrong to say that these names may sometimes denote the entire Hell and some times a portion of it as we find in the names of the world. A single name is sometimes used for the whole state and some times for a city only which is a part of the state.

1. Qamoos Dahkhuda for jahannam

2. Qamoos Dahkhuda, At-Tahqiq, Lisan-ol-Arab, Munjid and Aqrabol Mawarid.

3. Maqayis-ol-Loghat and Mafuradat Raghib

4. Tafsir Safi for verse 47 of Surah Qamar.

5. See Surah A’raf 24 and Hashr 20.

6. Maqayis-0l-loghat, Sahah-ol-loghat, At-Tahqiq, and Mafuradat of Raghib.

7. See verses-10 and 11 of Surah Mulk and verse 6 of Surah Fatir.

8. Tafsir Nurus Saqlain vol.3 page 17 hadith 60

9.Lisan-ol-Arab for the word Hawa

10. Tafsir Majmaul Bayan vol.5/6 page 338, Tafsir Nurus Saqlain vol.3 page 19 hadith 64 and hadith 60 also records a hadith from Imam Baqir in details.