The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم also saw some people in Hell who were hanging from branches of fire. He صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم asked, “O Jibril! Who are these people?”

Jibrīl عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام responded, “They are those who would curse their parents in the world.”^[1]

On that night, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم went to some people who had rags hanging from their front and back, and like four-legged animals, they grazed on thorny grass, thorny trees and stones heated in Hell. The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم asked, “O Jibril! Who are these people?”

He replied, “They are those people who did not give the zakat on their wealth. Allah Almighty has not wronged them, and Allah Almighty does not wrong His people.”^[2]

Dear Islamic brothers, ponder how devastating and disastrous it is to backbite, expose others, swear at parents and not pay zakat after it is due. Unfortunately, all four of these sins are becoming increasingly prevalent in our society, and they are occurring very frequently; we seek the refuge of Allah Almighty! Those who are involved in these evil actions should leave them at once and repent sincerely. Otherwise, if this opportunity slips from our hands and death reaches us before we repent, then we will only face ruin.

It should be remembered that the life of this world is short, but life in the hereafter is eternal. Certainly, the successful person is the one who sincerely repents from his sins and busies himself in bettering his hereafter. Enter Paradise by performing those actions which please