Hawiya

Hawiya [“Abyss”] is one of the names of the hell mentioned in the Qur’an. According to a hadith, hawiya is the lowest level of the hell and according to another hadith, it is the place for those who deny wilaya of Imam Ali (a).

Meaning

“Hawiya” literally means “to fall” and the hell is called so, because disbelievers and criminals fall into it.

In the Qur’an

Hawiya is once mentioned in the surah al-Qari’a, “But as for him whose deeds weigh light in the scales, * his home will be the Abyss. * And what will show you what it is? * It is a scorching fire!” (101:8 – 11) Some exegetes interpreted the word “umm” as “place” [“home”] and the same way a mother embraces her child, the hell embraces people. But, some others interpreted “umm” as “brain” and say that “hawiya” refers to the way people fall in it by their heads.

In Hadiths

In a hadith from Imam Ali (a), he (a) mentions “hawiya” the first level from the seven levels of the hell. Also, in some hadiths, “hawiya” refers to the seventh and the lowest level of the hell.

According to a hadith, Prophet Jesus (a) passed by a town and saw that all its people were dead and their bodies were left on the ground. He (a) revived one of them by the request of one of his companions and asked him, “what happened to you?” He said, “we enjoyed the night in happiness, but in the morning we were sent to ‘hawiya’ of the hell.” Prophet Jesus (a) asked him, “what is hawiya?” He answered, “It is Sijjin.” Prophet Jesus (a) asked him, “what is Sijjin?” He answered, “Mountains of rocks turned to fire lit up to us.”

Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (a) said, “One who denies wilaya of Imam Ali (a), his abode is hawiya.”