THE CONCEPT OF CESSATION OF PUNISHMENT IN ISLAM: AN ANALYTICAL AND SCHOLARLY STUDY OF THE VIEWS OF IMAM IBN QAYYIM AL-JAWZIYYAH

Abstract

The theological debate surrounding the duration of afterlife punishment represents one of the most critical conceptual nexuses in Islamic eschatology, touching directly upon the interplay between divine justice and supreme mercy. This study provides a comprehensive, rigorous analytical investigation into the controversial and highly nuanced views of the prominent Hanbali scholar, Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, regarding the potential non-eternity and eventual cessation of punishment in Hell (Jahannam). Historically, the mainstream theological orthodoxy across classical Ash‘arite, Maturidite, and standard Hadith-centric traditions has maintained a strict consensus (ijma‘) that while sinful monotheists (muwahhidun) will eventually be emancipated from purgatorial flames, absolute disbelievers (kuffar) and polytheists (mushrikun) are condemned to a punishing physical retribution without end (Ebne Ali & Farmanian, 2024). However, drawing inspiration from his master Ibn Taymiyya, Ibn Qayyim systematically interrogates this consensus by examining textual anomalies, linguistic structures within the Qur'anic corpus, and deep rational-philosophical corollaries regarding the ontological nature of God. Utilizing a qualitative, textual-analytical methodology centered on Ibn Qayyim’s seminal texts—predominantly Hadi al-Arwah ila Bilad al-Afrah and Shifa al-Alil—this research maps his multi-layered deliberations. The study uncovers that Ibn Qayyim challenges the traditional eschatological paradigm by framing Hell not merely as a site of eternal, retributive vengeance, but rather as an existential, restorative crucible designed to therapeutically cleanse and purge structural spiritual contamination (kufr) from souls (Hoover, 2009). By tracing his evaluation of specific reports attributed to senior Companions like ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab and Abu Hurayra, alongside his intricate philosophical deductions regarding the absolute precedence of Divine Mercy over Wrath, this study clarifies the deliberate ambiguity Ibn Qayyim maintained. Ultimately, the paper provides a balanced contextualization of Ibn Qayyim’s ideas within the broader landscape of Islamic universalism, demonstrating how his theological alternative re-envisions the final destiny of human creation under an all-encompassing divine mercy.