Question
How would one explain the following Hadith keeping in mind that different parts of the world have summer and winter at different times?
عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال:] قالتِ النّارُ: رَبِّ أَكَلَ بَعْضِي بَعْضًا، فَأْذَنْ لي أَتَنَفَّسْ، فَأْذِنْ لَها بنَفَسَيْنِ، نَفَسٍ في الشِّتاءِ، وَنَفَسٍ في الصَّيْفِ، فَما وَجَدْتُمْ مِن بَرْدٍ، أَوْ زَمْهَرِيرٍ فَمِنْ نَفَسِ جَهَنَّمَ، وَما وَجَدْتُمْ مِن حَرٍّ، أَوْ حَرُورٍ فَمِنْ نَفَسِ جَهَنَّمَ
Answer
‘Allamah Anwar Shah Kashmiri (rahimahullah) has explained: ‘Whenever Jahannam takes a breath in one region by inhaling and bringing about severe cold, at the same time, it also exhales in a different region and brings about severe heat.’
(Al-‘Arfush Shadhiy, vol. 1 pg. 179 and vol. 4 pg. 108, Daru Ihya-it Turath edition)
It is also possible that Allah Ta’ala, out of His extreme compassion, mercy and benevolence, instructs that the heat and cold discharged by Jahannam be stored, and then gradually released, lest everything on earth is destroyed.
(See: Mirqat, Hadith: 590 onwards)
Besides this, a few other explanations have been given as well.
(Refer: Al-Kawkabud Durri, Hadith: 2592, Faydul Bari, Hadith: 538, Fathul Mulhim, Hadith: 1394 onwards, and Al-Yawaqitul Ghaliyah, vol.2 pgs. 54-55; Also see: Awjazul Masalik, Hadith: 27 onwards, and Tuhfatul Alma’i, Hadith: 2590)
See the translation, reference, and brief explanation of the entire Hadith here.
And Allah Ta’ala knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Farhan Shariff
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar