The Essence of Islam – Volume II — Page 421
Resurrection 421. This means that the spiritual blindness of this world will be felt physically in the other world. . At another place it is said: الخُذُوهُ فَخُلُوهُ ثُمَّ الْجَحِيمَ صَلُّوهُ ثُمَّ في سلسلة ذَرْعُهَا سَبْعُونَ ذِرَاعًا فَاسْلُكُودُه 186. Seize this denizen of hell and fetter him and burn him in hell-fire and bind him with a chain the length of which is seventy yards. . These verses show that the spiritual torment of this world will appear in physical form in the hereafter. The collar of worldly desires which had bent a person's head towards the earth will appear manifestly in the second life. In the same way the chain of worldly desires will be seen around the feet. The burning sensation of worldly desires will be seen as a fiercely flaming fire. . A disobedient person has inside of him a hell of worldly desires and feels the burning of that hell in his failures. . When he is cast away from his mortal desires and is confronted with eternal despair, God Almighty will cause this despair to appear to him as physical fire. As He has said: وحِيلٌ بَينَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ مَا يَشْتَهُونَ 187. A curtain will be drawn between them and that which they desire. . This will be the root of the torment. The direction to bind him with a chain the length of which is seventy yards is an indication that a disobedient one often attains the age 186 Al-Haqqah, 69:31-33 [Publisher] 187. Al-Saba', 34:55 [Publisher]