The Essence of Islam – Volume II — Page 436
436. Essence of Islam II. The wicked will be asked whether the gardens of paradise are better or the tree Zaqqum which is a trial for wrong-doers. It is a tree that springs forth from the bottom of hell, that is to say, it is born of arrogance and self-esteem. Its fruit is like the heads of Satan which means that its eating would be fatal. . . . . It is the food of those dwellers of hell who deliberately choose sin. Its eating is like swallowing molten copper which boils up in the belly like scalding water. . The one condemned to hell is asked to eat it and is reminded that if he had not been arrogant and had not turned away from the truth out of self-esteem, he would not have had to endure these torments: 210 انَّكَ اَنْتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْكَرِيمُ. Thus as God Almighty has likened the words of faith of this world to the trees of paradise, He has likened the words of faithlessness of this world to the tree of hell and has indicated that the root of heaven or hell begins from this world. At another place hell is referred to as the: 211 تارُ اللهِ الْمُوْقَدَةُ ه الَّتِي تَطَّلِعُ عَلَى الافْهِدَة :. That is to say: Hell is a fire the source of which is the wrath of God. It blazes forth from sin and first overcomes the heart. . This is an indication that at the root of this fire are the sorrows and desires and torments that seize the heart, inasmuch as spiritual torment begins with the heart and 210 'Thou didst consider thyself the mighty, the honourable. '-AlDukhān, 44:50 [Publisher] 211 Al-Humazah, 104:7-8 [Publisher]