The Least Punishment in Hell: 5 Authentic Hadith Explained
- 1. A single ember: the lightest punishment in Hell
- 2. He thinks no one suffers more than him
- 3. Who is this man? The uncle of the Prophet ﷺ
- 4. He would give the whole world as ransom
- 5. One dip that erases a lifetime
- Bringing it together: the punishment is real and it lasts
- Do not lose hope: the door is still open
- Questions people ask
- Key lessons
We often picture Hell only at its worst. But the Prophet ﷺ also told us what its lightest punishment is, and that is where this reminder begins. If the least punishment in the Fire is this severe, what of the rest? This article gathers the authentic least punishment in hell hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim: who receives it, what it feels like to him, what he would give to escape it, and the door of hope that stays open for us while we are still alive.
In this article:
- The five authentic hadith that describe the lightest punishment in Hell
- Who the man is, and why even closeness to the Prophet ﷺ did not save him without faith
- The hope in these hadith: how one moment in Paradise erases a lifetime of hardship
At a glance
- Hadith: 5 authentic hadith, plus 2 Quran verses
- Collections: Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim
- Grade: Sahih (al-Bukhari and Muslim)
- Topic: The lightest punishment in Hellfire (Jahannam)
- One thing to do today: Renew your tawhid: say la ilaha illallah with meaning, and ask Allah for Paradise and protection from the Fire
1. A single ember: the lightest punishment in Hell
إِنَّ أَهْوَنَ أَهْلِ النَّارِ عَذَابًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ لَرَجُلٌ تُوضَعُ فِي أَخْمَصِ قَدَمَيْهِ جَمْرَةٌ يَغْلِي مِنْهَا دِمَاغُهُ
“The person who will have the least punishment from amongst the Hell Fire people on the Day of Resurrection, will be a man under whose arch of the feet a smoldering ember will be placed so that his brain will boil because of it.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 6561 · Narrated by an-Nu‘man ibn Bashir · Translation adapted from Sunnah.com
An-Nu‘man ibn Bashir (may Allah be pleased with him) heard this from the Prophet ﷺ. Notice the size of what is described: not a fire over the whole body, but one ember under the arch of the foot. Yet its heat reaches the brain and makes it boil. In another narration from the same companion, Sahih al-Bukhari 6562, there are two embers, and the brain boils the way a copper pot or a narrow-necked kettle boils with water.
This is the lightest punishment in the Fire. Everything else the hadith describe about Hell is heavier than this.
Take heed: if the smallest punishment in the Fire is one ember that boils the brain, no sin is small enough to treat lightly when it leads there.
2. He thinks no one suffers more than him
إِنَّ أَهْوَنَ أَهْلِ النَّارِ عَذَابًا مَنْ لَهُ نَعْلاَنِ وَشِرَاكَانِ مِنْ نَارٍ يَغْلِي مِنْهُمَا دِمَاغُهُ كَمَا يَغْلِي الْمِرْجَلُ مَا يَرَى أَنَّ أَحَدًا أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ عَذَابًا وَإِنَّهُ لأَهْوَنُهُمْ عَذَابًا
“Verily the least suffering for the inhabitants of Fire would be for him who would have two shoes and two laces of Fire (on his feet), and with these would boil his brain as boils the cooking vessel, and he would think that he would not see anyone in a more grievous torment than him, whereas he would be in the least torment.”
Sahih Muslim 213b · Narrated by an-Nu‘man ibn Bashir · Translation adapted from Sunnah.com
Sahih Muslim adds a detail that is hard to read slowly. The man with the lightest punishment does not feel that it is light. He believes no one in the Fire is suffering more than he is. The explanation on HadeethEnc (hadith 4220) notes that this belief adds to his torment, and that the people of the Fire differ in their punishment according to their deeds.
So there is no “easy” place in Hell. Even the one who has the least of it cannot find comfort in knowing others have more.
Take heed: do not comfort yourself by saying “at least I am not as bad as others.” In the Fire, that comparison brings no relief.
3. Who is this man? The uncle of the Prophet ﷺ
أَهْوَنُ أَهْلِ النَّارِ عَذَابًا أَبُو طَالِبٍ وَهُوَ مُنْتَعِلٌ بِنَعْلَيْنِ يَغْلِي مِنْهُمَا دِمَاغُهُ
“Among the inhabitants of the Fire Abu Talib would have the least suffering, and he would be wearing two shoes (of Fire) which would boil his brain.”
Sahih Muslim 212 · Narrated by ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas · Translation adapted from Sunnah.com
Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the man with the lightest punishment is Abu Talib, the Prophet’s ﷺ own uncle, who protected him and was angered on his behalf. His brother al-‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) once asked the Prophet ﷺ about him:
مَا أَغْنَيْتَ عَنْ عَمِّكَ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ يَحُوطُكَ وَيَغْضَبُ لَكَ. قَالَ هُوَ فِي ضَحْضَاحٍ مِنْ نَارٍ، وَلَوْلاَ أَنَا لَكَانَ فِي الدَّرَكِ الأَسْفَلِ مِنَ النَّارِ
“You have not been of any avail to your uncle (Abu Talib) (though) by Allah, he used to protect you and used to become angry on your behalf.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “He is in a shallow fire, and had it not been for me, he would have been in the bottom of the (Hell) Fire.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 3883 · Narrated by al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib · Translation adapted from Sunnah.com
In Sahih al-Bukhari 3885, the Prophet ﷺ says he hopes his intercession will help Abu Talib so that he is placed in a shallow fire that reaches his ankles, and even then his brain boils from it. And Sahih al-Bukhari 3884 records Abu Talib’s last moments: the Prophet ﷺ begged him to say la ilaha illallah, but Abu Jahl and another man pressed him not to leave the religion of his father, and his last words were that he remained on the religion of ‘Abd al-Muttalib.
He was the closest of relatives, he defended the Prophet ﷺ, and the Prophet ﷺ longed for his guidance until his last breath. Yet without faith, all of that only lightened his punishment. It did not take him out of the Fire.
Take heed: family ties, good character and even love for the Prophet ﷺ cannot replace faith in Allah. What saves a person is the testimony of tawhid, held to until death.
4. He would give the whole world as ransom
يَقُولُ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى لأَهْوَنِ أَهْلِ النَّارِ عَذَابًا لَوْ كَانَتْ لَكَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا أَكُنْتَ مُفْتَدِيًا بِهَا فَيَقُولُ نَعَمْ فَيَقُولُ قَدْ أَرَدْتُ مِنْكَ أَهْوَنَ مِنْ هَذَا وَأَنْتَ فِي صُلْبِ آدَمَ أَنْ لاَ تُشْرِكَ - أَحْسَبُهُ قَالَ - وَلاَ أُدْخِلَكَ النَّارَ فَأَبَيْتَ إِلاَّ الشِّرْكَ
“Allah, the Exalted and High, would say to one who shall have to undergo the least torture (on the Day of Resurrection): Would you like to go as ransom if you had all worldly riches; he would say: Yes. Allah would say to him: When you were in the loins of Adam, I demanded from you something easier than this that you should not associate anything with Me. (The narrator says): I think He also said: I would not cause you to enter Hell-Fire but you defied and attributed Divinity (to others besides Me).”
Sahih Muslim 2805a · Narrated by Anas ibn Malik · Translation from Sunnah.com
Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates this, and al-Bukhari has it too (Sahih al-Bukhari 6557). The person with the lightest punishment is asked whether he would pay the whole world and everything in it to be freed. He says yes, at once. Then he is reminded that far less was asked of him: not to associate partners with Allah.
The explanation on HadeethEnc (hadith 8315) says this refers to the covenant Allah took from the children of Adam before they came into the world, which they broke by choosing shirk. It also points out that holding to tawhid is easier than people assume, and that no amount of wealth will ransom anyone on that Day.
Take heed: the thing we would give the whole world for on the Day of Judgment is free to us today. Guard your tawhid, and do not let anything share in the worship that belongs to Allah alone.
5. One dip that erases a lifetime
يُؤْتَى بِأَنْعَمِ أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا مِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَيُصْبَغُ فِي النَّارِ صَبْغَةً ثُمَّ يُقَالُ يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ هَلْ رَأَيْتَ خَيْرًا قَطُّ هَلْ مَرَّ بِكَ نَعِيمٌ قَطُّ فَيَقُولُ لاَ وَاللَّهِ يَا رَبِّ. وَيُؤْتَى بِأَشَدِّ النَّاسِ بُؤْسًا فِي الدُّنْيَا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ فَيُصْبَغُ صَبْغَةً فِي الْجَنَّةِ فَيُقَالُ لَهُ يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ هَلْ رَأَيْتَ بُؤْسًا قَطُّ هَلْ مَرَّ بِكَ شِدَّةٌ قَطُّ فَيَقُولُ لاَ وَاللَّهِ يَا رَبِّ مَا مَرَّ بِي بُؤُسٌ قَطُّ وَلاَ رَأَيْتُ شِدَّةً قَطُّ
“The one amongst the denizens of Hell who had led a life of ease and plenty amongst the people of the world would be made to dip in Fire only once on the Day of Resurrection and then it would be said to him: O son of Adam, did you find any comfort, did you happen to get any material blessing? He would say: By Allah, no, my Lord. And then that person from amongst the persons of the world would be brought who had led the most miserable life (in the world) from amongst the inmates of Paradise, and he would be made to dip once in Paradise and it would be said to him: O son of Adam, did you face any hardship? Or had any distress fallen to your lot? And he would say: By Allah, no, my Lord, never did I face any hardship or experience any distress.”
Sahih Muslim 2807 · Narrated by Anas ibn Malik · Translation adapted from Sunnah.com
This hadith, also from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), compares two people. The one who had the most comfortable life in this world but ends in the Fire is dipped in it once, and he forgets every pleasure he ever had. The one who had the hardest life in this world but enters Paradise is dipped in it once, and he forgets every hardship. HadeethEnc (hadith 4248) explains that the comfort and the suffering of this world are short, and both fade beside what lasts in the Hereafter.
Take heed: a whole life of ease is wiped out by one moment in the Fire. Do not sell your Hereafter for comforts you will not even remember.
Bringing it together: the punishment is real and it lasts
The Quran describes the Fire with the same seriousness. Allah says about those who disbelieve in His verses:
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا سَوْفَ نُصْلِيهِمْ نَارًا كُلَّمَا نَضِجَتْ جُلُودُهُم بَدَّلْنَـٰهُمْ جُلُودًا غَيْرَهَا لِيَذُوقُوا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا
“Indeed, those who disbelieve in Our verses – We will drive them into a fire. Every time their skins are roasted through, We will replace them with other skins so they may taste the punishment. Indeed, Allāh is ever Exalted in Might and Wise.”
Surah An-Nisa’ 4:56 · Translation: Saheeh International, from Quran.com
Put the five hadith side by side and the picture is clear. The lightest punishment is one ember, or two shoes of fire, and the brain boils. The man who receives it thinks no one has it worse. He is the uncle of the Prophet ﷺ, yet he is not taken out. He would give the world to escape, but the world is no longer his to give. And a single moment in the Fire makes him forget every good thing he had. For more of what the authentic hadith say about Hell itself, see Hellfire in Islam: 6 Authentic Hadith About Jahannam.
Do not lose hope: the door is still open
These hadith are a warning, not a reason to despair. The same hadith that describes a dip in the Fire also describes a dip in Paradise, given to the person who suffered most in this world. One moment there, and he swears by Allah that he never saw hardship at all. Every illness, loss and difficulty a believer carries with patience is forgotten in an instant.
كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَآئِقَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۗ وَإِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوْنَ أُجُورَكُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۖ فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ ٱلنَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ ۗ وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا مَتَـٰعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ
“Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion.”
Surah Ali ‘Imran 3:185 · Translation: Saheeh International, from Quran.com
The one who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has truly succeeded. That success is still within reach for anyone who is alive and reading these words. Allah’s forgiveness is wider than our sins, as the hadith qudsi in O Son of Adam, I Will Forgive You shows.
Reflection: it is striking that the lightest punishment in Hell was given to someone who protected the Prophet ﷺ all his life. If love and loyalty without faith could not save him, then the faith we already have is a blessing we should never take for granted. Holding to it, and dying on it, is the whole matter.
Questions people ask
What is the least punishment in Hell according to hadith?
In Sahih al-Bukhari 6561, the Prophet ﷺ said the least punished person in the Fire is a man with an ember placed under the arch of his feet, which makes his brain boil. Sahih Muslim 213b describes two shoes and laces of fire, and adds that he thinks no one is punished more than him.
Who will have the lightest punishment in Hell?
Sahih Muslim 212, narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas, says it is Abu Talib, the uncle of the Prophet ﷺ. Sahih al-Bukhari 3883 explains that he is in a shallow part of the Fire, and that without the Prophet ﷺ he would have been in its lowest level.
Are there levels of punishment in Hell?
Yes. These hadith show that the punishment of the people of the Fire differs, and HadeethEnc’s explanation of Sahih Muslim 213 states that it varies according to their deeds. Even the lightest level is described as unbearable.
Can anyone ransom himself from Hell?
No. In Sahih Muslim 2805a and Sahih al-Bukhari 6557, the least punished person would give the whole world as ransom, but he is reminded that all that was asked of him was not to associate partners with Allah.
Key lessons
- The lightest punishment in Hell is one ember or two shoes of fire that make the brain boil (al-Bukhari 6561, Muslim 213b).
- The one who receives it believes no one suffers more than him.
- Abu Talib protected the Prophet ﷺ, yet without faith that only lightened his punishment (Muslim 212, al-Bukhari 3883).
- Tawhid is what Allah asked of us, and the whole world cannot ransom anyone on the Day of Judgment (Muslim 2805a).
- One moment in Paradise erases a lifetime of hardship for the believer (Muslim 2807), so keep hope and keep going.
May Allah protect us and our families from the Fire, keep us firm on la ilaha illallah until our last breath, and make us among those drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise.
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