The following is an excerpt of a fatwa from islamweb, which i felt necessary to translate in the light of people claiming that Imaam Ibn Taymiyyaah Rahimahullaah held the view that Jahannam will come to an end, so Inshaa Allaah this fatwaa might be of some benefit.
The Fatwa.
All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allaah and upon his family and companions.
As for what follows:
The correct chosen view is that Jannah and Jahannam will not come to an end nor perish, and that is the Madhab of the Ahlus Sunnah Was Jamaa’ah, see fatwah number: 1676.
And the attribution of Jahannam ending to Shaykhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah Rahimahullaah is not correct, because his view was that both Jannah and Jahannam will go on eternally and not come to an end, and the Shaykh Rahimahullaah has mentioned that in more than one place in his books, for he has said in his book “Dar’u Ta’aarudh al-‘Aql Wa an-Naql”: And all the people of Islaam say: Jannah and Jahannam has no end, and they will continue to exist, and similarly the people of Jannah will live forever in comfort, and the people of Jahannam will be punished in Jahannam forever, neither of it will come to an end.
And the Shaykh Rahimahullaah has also said in his book “Bayaanu Talbees al-Jahmiyyah”: And there is consensus of the Salaf and their Imaams and the entire Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaa’ah and amongst the creations there are those which will not cease to exist or come to an end in totality, like Jannah and Jahannam and the ‘Arsh and so on, and no one says that all created things will come to an end except a group of the Ahlul Kalaam innovaters, like Jahm bin Safwaan and those who accepted it amongst the Mu’tazilah and their likes, and this is a false view which contradicts the Qur’aan and the Sunnah and the consensus of the Salaf and their Imaams.
See also the words of Shaykhul Islaam in Majmoo’ al-Fataawaa (304/8), (18/307), and in other places in his different books.
The reason for this mistake of people saying that Shaykhul Islaam held the view of Jahannam perishing, is because Ibn al-Qayyim had mentioned in his book “Haadi al-Arwaah” sayings of Jahannam perishing and coming to an end, and he indicated that Ibn Taymiyyah had narrated some of these sayings, one of it being the one that Jahannam is finite, however there is no proof in that to say that Shaykhul Islaam held this false view, because others from the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaa’ah also narrated some of those sayings, like the commentator of Aqeedah at-Tahaawiyyah, and the reason for Shaykhul Islaam mentioning these sayings along with its authors is to refute it, not because he held that view, and this is quite clear which does not require more explanation.
As for Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim, he had two views: The first leans towards Jahannam ending, and he supported and backed it up with proof, in his book “Haadi al-Arwaah” and “Shifaa al-‘Aleel”, and like how he made Tawaqquf (not taking a side) In his book “As-Sawaa’iq al-Mursilah”
His second view is in conformity with the Madhab of the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaa’ah, and that is that they (Jannah and Jahannam) will continue forever and not come to an end, and he has mentioned that in two of his books, “Al-Waabil As-Sayyib” and “Tareeq al-Hijratayn”
Because he has said in Al-Waabil As-Sayyib: As for Jahannam, it is an evil abode in speech and doings and eating and drinking, and it is the abode of the evil people, And Allaah will gather the evil upon each other and pile it up like how things gets piled up upon each other then enter it into Jahannam with its people so that there is nothing but evil in there. And when the people will be of three types, the good one who is not soiled with evil, the evil one who has no good in him, and the rest will be those who have good and evil in them.
Then they will have three abodes, a completely good abode, a completely evil abode, and these two will not come to an end, and the abode of the ones who have good and evil in them and this is the abode which will come to an end, which is the abode of the sinners, because there will not remain of the Muwahhideen sinners in Jahannam, because after they will be punished according to the amount of their sins, they will be taken out of the fire and entered into Jannah, and then only the abodes of total goodness and total evil will remain.
So to make a general statement saying that Ibn al-Qayyim believed that Jahannam will come to an end is wrong, because it is clear that he held two views, the only issue is which of the two views is his chosen view which will abrogate the former one.
And most of the ‘Ulamaa who have researched it have come to the conclusion that what Ibn al-Qayyim has said in “Al-Waabil As-Sayyib” and “Tareeq al-Hijratayn” is an abrogation for what he had said in “Haadi al-Arwaah” and “Shifaa al-‘Aleel”, and “As-Sawaa’iq al-Mursilah”, and this conclusion has been strengthened by some proofs which can be seen in the book “Kashf al-Astaar li Ibtaali Ad’aa Fanaa An-Naar” by ‘Ali al-Harbi.
Jazakumullahu Khairan,
I was extremely worried and finally got the answer.
Shukran
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saying jahanam wil end is kufr and there is no doubt about it. Subki dealt with this and we should not voice this opinion as if it is an ikhtilafi issue
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