Hell

Medieval illustration of Hell in the Hortus deliciarum manuscript of Herrad of Landsberg (about 1180) In many religious traditions, Hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife , often in the underworld . Religions with a linear divine history often depict Hell as endless (for example, see Hell in Christian beliefs ). Religions with a cyclic history often depict Hell as an intermediary period between incarnations (for example, see Chinese Diyu ). Punishment in Hell typically corresponds to sins committed during life. Sometimes these distinctions are specific, with damned souls suffering for each sin committed (see for example Plato's myth of Er or Dante's The Divine Comedy ), and sometimes they are general, with sinners being relegated to one or more chamber of Hell or level of suffering. In Christianity , however, faith and repentance play a larger role than actions in determining a soul's afterlife destiny. In Christianity and Islam, Hell is traditionally depicted as fiery and painful, inflicting guilt and suffering. Some other traditions, however, portray Hell as cold and gloomy. Despite the common depictions of Hell as a fire, Dante 's Inferno portrays the innermost (9th) circle of Hell as a frozen lake of blood and guilt. Hell is often portrayed as populated with demons , who torment the damned. Many are ruled by a death god , such as Nergal or the Christian or Islamic Devil . In contrast to Hell, other types of afterlives are abodes of the dead and paradises . Abodes of the dead are neutral places for all the dead (for example, see sheol ) rather than prisons of punishment for sinners. A paradise is a happy afterlife for some or all of the dead (for example, see heaven ). Modern understandings of Hell often depict it abstractly, as a state of loss rather than as fiery torture literally underground. Numerous verses in the Qu'ran and New Testament. New York : Penguin. : Check date values in: |year= ( help ) ; Unknown parameter |month= ignored ( help ) CS1 maint: year ( link )

Nicolas in Raduil, Bulgaria In many mythological, folklore and religious traditions, hell is a place of torment and punishment in an afterlife . It is viewed by most Abrahamic traditions as punishment . Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as eternal destinations. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations . Typically these traditions locate hell in another dimension or under the Earth 's surface and often include entrances to Hell from the land of the living. Other afterlife destinations include Heaven , Purgatory , Paradise , and Limbo . Other traditions, which do not conceive of the afterlife as a place of punishment or reward, merely describe hell as an abode of the dead, the grave , a neutral place located under the surface of Earth (for example, see sheol and Hades ). Hell is sometimes portrayed as populated with demons who torment those dwelling there. Many are ruled by a death god such as Nergal , Hades , Hel , Enma or the Devil .

Afterlife location in which souls are subjected to punitive suffering, often torture This article is about the abode of the dead in various cultures and religious traditions around the world. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as eternal destinations, the biggest examples of which are Christianity and Islam , whereas religions with reincarnation usually depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations , as is the case in the dharmic religions . Religions typically locate hell in another dimension or under Earth 's surface. Other afterlife destinations include Heaven , Paradise , Purgatory , Limbo , and the underworld . Other religions, which do not conceive of the afterlife as a place of punishment or reward, merely describe an abode of the dead, the grave , a neutral place that is located under the surface of Earth (for example, see Kur , Hades , and Sheol ). Such places are sometimes equated with the English word hell , though a more correct translation would be "underworld" or "world of the dead". The ancient Mesopotamian, Greek, Roman, and Finnic religions include entrances to the underworld from the land of the living.

Abode of the dead in various cultures This article is about the abode of the dead in various cultures and religious traditions around the world. Medieval illustration of Hell in the Hortus deliciarum manuscript of Herrad of Landsberg (about 1180) Hell – detail from a fresco in the medieval church of St Nicholas in Raduil, Bulgaria Belief in Hell by country (2017–2020) In religion and folklore , hell is a location or state in the afterlife in which souls are subjected to punitive suffering , most often through torture , as eternal punishment after death. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as eternal destinations, the biggest examples of which are Christianity and Islam , whereas religions with reincarnation usually depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations , as is the case in the dharmic religions . Religions typically locate hell in another dimension or under Earth 's surface. Other afterlife destinations include heaven , paradise , purgatory , limbo , and the underworld . Other religions, which do not conceive of the afterlife as a place of punishment or reward, merely describe an abode of the dead, the grave , a neutral place that is located under the surface of Earth (for example, see Kur , Hades , and Sheol ). Such places are sometimes equated with the English word hell , though a more correct translation would be "underworld" or "world of the dead". The ancient Mesopotamian , Greek , Roman , and Finnic religions include entrances to the underworld from the land of the living.

Abode of the dead, in various cultures This article is about the abode of the dead in various cultures and religious traditions around the world. The Last Judgment (detail), c.1431, by Fra Angelico depicting people being tormented in hell In religion and folklore , hell is a location or state in the afterlife in which souls are subjected to punishment after death. Religions with a linear divine history sometimes depict hells as eternal , such as in some versions of Christianity and Islam , whereas religions with reincarnation usually depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations , as is the case in the Indian religions . Religions typically locate hell in another dimension or under Earth 's surface. Other afterlife destinations include heaven , paradise , purgatory , limbo , and the underworld . Other religions, which do not conceive of the afterlife as a place of punishment or reward, merely describe an abode of the dead, the grave , a neutral place that is located under the surface of Earth (for example, see Kur , Hades , and Sheol ). Such places are sometimes equated with the English word hell , though a more correct translation would be "underworld" or "world of the dead". The ancient Mesopotamian , Greek , Roman , and Finnic religions include entrances to the underworld from the land of the living.