The fruits and results of belief in the Hereafter show then that just as the nature and needs of the stomach, one of man's organs, demonstrate decisively the existence of food, so too the true nature of man, his perfection, natural needs and eternal desires, as well as the truths and potentialities inherent within him, which require the above-mentioned benefits and results of belief in the Hereafter — all of these indicate the Hereafter, Paradise and etemal corporeal pleasure, and bear witness to their future realization in still more decisive fashion. Then also the essential perfections of the universe and its meaningful creational signs, and all of the truths connected with the aforementioned truths inherent in man— these demonstrate and bear witness to the existence of the Hereafter, its future realization, the coming of resurrection, and the opening of the gates of Paradise and Hell. All of this has been established with numerous proofs and in so brilliant a fashion as to leave no doubts İn various sections of the Risale-i Nur, particularly in the Tenth, Twenty-Eighth and Twenty-Ninth Words, the Ninth Ray, and the Treatise on Supplication. We will leave discussion of the matter to those sections, and cut the long story short.
As for the declarations of the Qur'an concerning Hell, they are so clear and manifest as to leave no need for further clarification. There are, however, one or two feeble doubts which need to be refuted by two or three points. We will leave a detailed exposition of these points to other parts of the Risale-i Nur and set forth here only the briefest of summaries.
First Point: The thought of Hell, with the fear that it implies, does not negate the pleasures of the fruits of the belief just mentioned. For the infinite dominical mercy says to fearful man: "Come, enter by the gate of repentance." Then the existence of Hell will serve nol to frighten you, but rather to communicate to you in full the pleasures of Paradise and to give you joy by seeing yourself and innumerable other creatures, whose rights have been denied, avenged on your oppressors. If you sink in misguidance and are unable to emerge from it, still the existence of Heil is a thousand times better for you than eternal annihilation. Indeed, it is even a form of mercy towards the unbeliever. For men, as well as animals [hat produce young, gain joy through the joy and happiness of their relatives, offspring and friends, and thus become partially happy. О atheist! This being che case, because of your misguidance, you will either fall prey to eternal annihilation or enter Hell. Now as for annihilation, which is absolute evil, all your relatives and family whom you love, of whose joys you partake and who give you some share of happiness, will be annihilated together with you, and this will cause your spirit, your heart and your whole being to bum more intensely than will Hell-fire. For if there is no Hell, there is also no Paradise, and everything will fall prey to annihilation by virtue of your unbelief. But if you enter Hell, you will still remain in the sphere of being, and those whom you love and your relatives will either be blessed in Paradise, or at least partake of some degree of mercy by remaining within the sphere of being. In short, from every aspect of the malter, you ought to maintain the existence of Hell. To be against Hell means to be in favour of annihilation, in favour of the effacement of the blessedness of innumerable friends.
As for Hell, it is a most awesome and majestic region of the sphere of being, which is absolute good, and it fulfils the function of the wisely and justly administered prison of the All-Wise Possessor of Glory. It has numerous functions in addition'to being a prison, and serves the world of eternity in various ways: it is, for example, the majestic dwelling place of many living creatures, such as the angels of Hell.
Second Paint: The existence of Hell and its intense torment in no way contradicts the infinite mercy, the true justice and the balanced and perfect wisdom of God. Indeed, it is precisely His mercy, justice and wisdom that require the existence of Hell. For to punish the oppressor who tramples on the rights of a thousand innocent men, and to kill a savage beast that tears apart a hundred meek animals, is a form of mercy for oppressed beings, one exercised in all justice.