Question:
There are hadith stating that Hell breathes twice a year — one breath causes the severe heat of summer and the other causes the severe cold of winter. Are these hadith authentic? Is there cold in Hell? Does this contradict the Qur’an?
Answer:
In Qur’an 78:24 states, that in Hell, they will not taste coolness. It was also pointed out that seasons are not uniform across the globe. The northern and southern hemispheres experience opposite seasons. Seasonal changes are due to the earth’s tilt and its position relative to the sun. Something located beyond human reach, like Hell, cannot physically affect the earth’s climate. Fire does not produce cold wind. If Allahuﷻ says something, it applies universally — not only to one region.
The hadith, as described, gives the impression of someone observing only the Arabian region. If Hell breathes heat once, and that breath reaches the earth, then the whole earth should experience heat simultaneously. For example, if January becomes hot because of that breath, then every part of the world should be hot in January. But that is not the case. Some regions are cold while others are hot.
Also, some regions — like the polar regions — remain cold throughout the year. So, the explanation that seasonal variation is caused by Hell’s breathing contradicts observable reality.
A counterargument was raised: The verse you cited only says that they will not be given cool drink in Hell but boiling water. How can you conclude that there is no cold at all? If a restaurant in Chennai serves cold drinks, does that mean Chennai is cold like Kashmir?
First, we must understand what “Hell” means. In Arabic, it is called “Nar,” which means fire. The Qur’an repeatedly says, “Fear the Fire.” Fire by definition is heat. When Ibrahim (Alaihis Salam) was thrown into the fire, Allahuﷻ addressed it as “O Fire.” Fire inherently signifies heat.
So, when we speak of Hell (Nar), it fundamentally means blazing fire. It is not merely about hot drinks. The entire nature of Hell is burning heat. There is no basis for coldness within fire. If you translate “Nar” as “fire,” and then say that fire breathes cold, how would that make sense?
The example of a restaurant serving cold drinks does not apply. Hell, itself is defined as fire — burning heat. It is not like a place where both hot and cold items are available. Everything in Hell is described as burning, blazing, and scorching. Allahuﷻ says that when their skins are burned, they will be replaced so that they may continue to taste the punishment.
Therefore, saying that cold comes from Hell contradicts the very meaning of Nar (fire). That example does not apply here.
He asks a second question. What is he asking? He says that the report does not necessarily mean that heat and cold occur because of the breath of Hell. Rather, it only says that Hell breathes once in summer and once in winter, which could simply indicate that those seasons already exist.
Furthermore, the wording says that the intense heat of summer and the intense cold of winter are due to its breath. That could mean that its breath only increases the intensity during those seasons, not that it is the complete cause of the seasons themselves. So, it is not saying that cold happens only because Hell breathes, or that heat happens only because Hell breathes. Cold and heat already exist, and Hell’s breath only increases them — that is the argument he puts forward.
Even if we accept that interpretation, my question still remains. It still does not fit reality. If that were the case, it should happen everywhere. Now you are saying heat already existed before Hell breathed, but when it breathes twice a year, we feel it more intensely. Fine — let us accept your explanation. Even then, does it match reality?
You say that during summer, because of that breath from Hell, intense heat is felt. Let me accept that. Where that intense heat be felt? It should be felt across the whole earth, shouldn’t it? But it is not. In the polar regions there is no heat — it remains cold. At the same time that one region is cold, another region is in peak summer. When we have summer, someone else is in winter. So, the effect you describe does not occur globally at the same time.
If you say the breath increases heat, fine, let us accept that for argument’s sake. But even then, it does not increase everywhere. In winter, when it supposedly breathes cold, only some regions are cold while other regions are not. If its breath is the cause, everyone should feel its effect equally.
You have studied that in the North and South Poles there are six months of day and six months of night. During certain long nights it remains cold continuously — no heat at all. So, if the breath produces heat, why does it not reach there? The reality is that the earth’s tilt — around 23 degrees (23.44) — and its rotation are what cause seasonal changes. That is the factual explanation.
Whatever interpretation you give — whether you say it creates heat or merely increases it — the result does not match observation. When Hell breathes, if heat increases for me, it should increase everywhere at the same time. But it does not. Months later, another region experiences heat. So, whether you say it produces heat or increases it, both interpretations are incorrect.
This is not speech of revelation. It is not from Allah. Therefore, your explanation does not hold.
Another question is raised: How can we ask how the breath of Hell — which is beyond human reach and far from the earth — could affect the earth? Within Islamic belief, how can such a question be raised? If Allahuﷻ wills, its breath could reach — that is another matter. But the point is: if it reaches, we should see the described result — and we do not.