INFERNO BY DANTE ALIGHIERI AND ITS

SIMILARITIES WITH HELL AS PORTRAYAL IN ISLAM

Compiled by:
Fina Choerul Fuida 16150044
Nurila Azhary 16150045
Rike Dwi Santari 16150049
An American Studies
What we are going to discuss ?

Background Discussion Conclusion

A. Background
Death is a part of creature’s journey. It means that everything in this life such as
human and animals will face the death in a time that has decided by God. According
to Cambridge dictionary death means the cause of the end of life. Hence, the death is
a condition when biological functions of creatures is stopped and showed no more life
signs. Meanwhile according to Qur’an surah Ali-Imran (3:185) cited that everyone is
bound to taste death and you shall receive your full reward on the Day of Resurrection.
 Life after death is a part of someone’s journey after they pass the death. After
life often describe as a part where someone face the judgement from God for
everything that they have done in their life. In Islam, after someone face the death, they
will arrive at the barzakh place where the soul of the dead person experiences their own
hell or heaven until the resurrection on the judgement day. There are many depiction
about what happen in a life after death such as hell and heaven. Dante Alighieri in his
work The Divine Comedy: Inferno is one of work that tries to depicted what kind of life
that human will face on the life after death
Dante Alighieri in his work The Divine Comedy: Inferno is one of work that tries to
depicted what kind of life that human will face on the life after death.
Inferno is discuss about the hell and its part also the condition in there as a part of
torturing the sinner. Meanwhile, Allah in Qur’an also stated that there hell and heaven is
exist in Islam as a part of judgment for everything that they have done when they live.
Reasons why we choose this subject
(i) The writer wants to know what kind of hell that Dante depicted in The Divine
Comedy: Inferno,
(ii) (ii) The writer wants to determine the same situation and the kind of torturing that
happen in each Canto of Inferno with the hell that depicted in Islam as cited in
Qur’an and
(iii) to see the relation between Inferno and hell in Islam specifically in Jahanam hell and
Betrayal hell. In this paper the writer analysing Inferno and Hell in Islam by comparing the
Dante’s work and the Surah in Qur’an to find the answer.
B. Discussion
1. Hell Definition
◦ What is Hell in Islam? Hell is a real place prepared for those who reject the truth after it
becomes real to them and does evil deeds. Or often we hear, Hell is a place for bad
people, who did more crimes. Then how Dante's or Christian's point of view? For the
Medieval faithful, Hell was the place of turmoil, chaos, pain, despair, wretchedness,
and a general bad time.
2. Types of Hell
◦ In the Islamic perspective, hell has 7 different layers. Each layer has criteria.
What's different. In the Qur'an passes 7 names of hell, that is
◦ Hāwīya: a deep drop, like someone being dropped from the top to the
bottom of a deep place 7. "As for the one whose scales are light, then the
Hawiyah will embrace him like a mother embraces her child.
And what will make you know what Al Hawiyah is? It is a kindled fir burning
hot." (Al Qa'riah: 8-11)
◦ Jahīm: A blazing fire.
"Seize him and shackle him!! Then roast him in Jaheem (i.e. hell fire) in chains
that are seventy cubits long. This is because he did not believe in Allah, the
Magnificent and he did not encourage the feeding of the
poor." (Al Haqq: 30-34)
◦ Saqar: It is given this name because of the intensity of its heat.
"Those in paradise will ask the criminals what has landed you all in Saqar?
They will say: "We were not of those who used to pray and we didn't feed the
poor and we used to talk vainly with those who talked vain talk and we used
to deny the Day of Recompense until death came to us and we saw the
reality of all that we denied" (Mudathir:40-47)
◦ Laẓā: blazing flames.
"There is no way out for them, except the Ladha (i.e. Fierce Blaze) will certainly scorch
the inward organs and the outward flesh! It will invite everyone who turned away from
following the truth, heedless of it and gathered wealth but refused to spend it in the
cause of Allah…" (Ma'arij:15)
◦ Ḥuṭama: Debris and broken pieces, because it crushes and breaks everything that is
thrown into it.
"Nay they will be thrown into Al Hutamah (i.e. Crushing Fire). And what will make you
know what Al Hutamah is? The fire of Allah kindled by men and stones which scorches
the hearts. Surely it is vaulted over them in pillars widely extended." (Humazah: 4-9)
◦ Saʿīr: An ignited or kindled fire.
"And they will say: "If we had listened and used our intellect we would not be
inhabitants of As Sa'eer (i.e. blazing fire)!! They confessed their sins but away with the
companions of As Sa'eer" (Mulk: 10-11)
◦ Jahannam: This name implies a deep pit.
"They said (i.e. the hypocrites): "Don't go out for war during the heat!" Say (i.e.
Muhammad) the fire of Jahannam is even hotter if you only understood." (Tawbah: 81).
Imam As Sa'di (Rahimahullah) mentioned in his tafseer: this is in response to their
obstinacy and resistance in the life of this world. Just as they continued to reject
obedience to Allah and submission to Him, likewise the fire will continue to burn up their
flesh and when it reaches the point of almost being obliterated, Allah will remove the
old flesh and replace it with new flesh, a just recompense for their rebellion in this life."
There are 9 layers of Hell in
Inferno theory namely:
◦ Lumbo
◦ Lustful
◦ Gluttonous
◦ The Hoarders and the Spendthrifts
◦ The River Styx : The Wrathful and The Sullen
◦ The City of Dis : Heretics
◦ The Violent
◦ THE FRAUDULENT
◦ THE TRAITORS
◦ Jahanam hell and Betrayal hell are hell on the base layer
◦ The sinners who goes to hell commits sin betraying God and creature
◦ In betrayal hell there are rounds named based on sinners like Caina, Antero,
Ptolomaea, and Judecca
◦ Thus Round 1 is named Caina after Cain who killed his brother Abel
◦ Round 2 is named Antenora after Anthenor of Troy who was Priam’s counselor during
the Trojan War
◦ Round 3 is named Ptolomaea after Ptolemy (son of Abubus)
◦ Round 4 is named Judecca after Judas Iscariot, the apostle who betrayed Jesus with a
kiss.
◦ In a jahanam hell guarded by ferocious dogs and malikat who have been
commanded by God to have no mercy
◦ in hell betrayal there are also guarded by the terrifying giants including Nimrod,
Ephialtes, and Antaeus.
C. Conclusion
As Conclusion for discussion above we can infer that there are similarities in
inferno hell by Dante Alighieri specially Betrayal hell and Jahanam hell in Islam. The
similarities can be seen from the layer, where Jahanam and Betrayal is in the lowest layer
of the hell. Next, the similarities between Jahanam and Betrayal hell is that the people
who enter that hell is people who really have big sin such as Shirk or Betrayal and last but
not least the torture that the sinner get in Jahanam or Betrayal hell is really hard and
most painful one.
Thank you 