Zaqqum

Tree of Hell

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Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zaqqum 

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According to the Quran, Zaqqoum or Zaqqum (Arabic: زقوم) is a tree that "springs out of the bottom of Hell". It is mentioned in verses 17:60 (as the "cursed tree"), 37:62-68, 44:43, and 56:52, of the Quran.

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Religious references

The Qur'an says:

[44.43] Surely the tree of Zaqqum,

[44.44] Is the food of the sinful

[44.45] Like dregs of oil; it shall boil in (their) bellies,

[44.46] Like the boiling of hot water.

The fruits of Zaqqum are shaped like heads of devils (Qur'an 37:62-68). Some Islamic scholars believe in a literal meaning of this tree grown in fire, showing the inverted flora of hell. The inhabitants of hell are forced to eat the tree's fruits, which tears their bodies apart and releases bodily fluids as a punishment.

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According to Umar Sulayman Al-Ashqar, a leading Salafi scholar and professor at the University of Jordan, once the palate of the sinners is satiated, the fruit in their bellies churns like burning oil. Other scholars suggest the tree is grown by the seeds of the evil deeds of the sinners, therefore the devilish fruits are the fruits of their bad actions during lifetime; as Ibn Arabi stated, the tree stands for the arrogant self.

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Tree of life in Islam

Source: https://silentbalance.com/muslim-tree-of-life/

The tree of life in Islam is a motif found in Islamic art, religion and mythology. It represents the eternal nature of God’s love, the possibility of eternal life in paradise for those who follow the path of righteousness, and interconnectedness among all living things.

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The tree of life in Islam is also referred to as the tree of immortality or shajarat al-kholoud. In Sufi teachings, it symbolizes the spiritual journey towards enlightenment by following its path; this leads to discovering reality’s true nature and achieving spiritual growth and development.

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The Tree of Life is found in the Quran and the Old Testament

In Islam, there is only one tree in Eden (called Sidrat al-Muntaha) which Satan whispered to Adam as the tree of immortality, but Allah specifically forbade him and Eve from eating from it. Satan disguised himself as a serpent and told them to eat from it, resulting in their disobedience.

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Hadiths mention other trees in heaven but there is no mention of a tree of knowledge like in the Bible story. The Tree of Life is often depicted with intricate patterns representing nature’s beauty and bounty as well as its ability to provide sustenance for all living creatures.

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The tree of life is found in various cultures and religions

Many ancient religions have a concept of the Tree of Life, including Christianity, Judaism and Islam. In Christianity, the Tree of Life is mentioned in the Book of Genesis as a tree planted by God in the garden of Eden that would give immortality to those who ate from it. In Judaism, this tree represents wisdom and knowledge.

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The tree of life appears frequently in the Old Testament of the Bible and also in the New Testament. It is commonly found in jewelry across Turkey due to its deep religious significance. Finally, it has been used as a motif for prayer kilims, carpets and painted tiles across Turkey since ancient times.

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The Sword Blade Tress of Buddhist Hell - A Nightmare of The Mind

Source: https://theblogontheborderland.wordpress.com/2017/12/03/the-sword-blade-trees-of-buddhist-hell-a-nightmare-of-the-mind/

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The Buddhist word for hell is Naraka. Naraka is a Sanskrit word, and its earliest use appears in the Hindu Vedas, around 1500-1200 B.C., so the concept was already in place in India by the time Buddhism took hold there in about the 5th century BCE. Several of the earliest Buddhist sutras, like The Great Story and The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha (both written in 200 to 100 BCE), include descriptions of hell.

Read More Yama The God of Death Underworld Naraka click

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In Buddhist tradition, hell is one of six realms, some relatively nice, some much less so, that the soul cycles through from rebirth to rebirth, trapped in the wheel of samsara until such time as they attain enlightenment and break free of the wheel entirely. The early texts also make reference to the idea of the hell realm containing multiple hells, with The Great Story describing eight separate hells.

Read More Samsara The Karmic Cycle click

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As often happens in many religious or mythic traditions, the stories and descriptions change and get more and more elaborate over time, reflecting the specific cultures and societal mindsets that Buddhism spread to. Buddhists in the cold, mountainous region of Tibet introduced the idea of eight cold Narakas. Later, this sixteen hell model became fairly common, though some texts describe thousands of hells.

Read More Yama The God of Death Underworld Naraka click

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Trees with blade-like leaves that flay the flesh are mentioned in The Great Story as a general hellish punishment, unconnected to any particular transgression. At Wang Saen Suk, Thailand’s largest and most famous hell garden and elsewhere, naked men and women rendered in concrete endlessly climb a tall tree with massive spikes protruding from its branches and trunk, all while being pecked at by black birds. In many renditions, minions of hell are also present who force the sufferers to climb the tree and who also throw javelins through the climbers for good measure.

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The most interesting description I’ve come across yet of the sword trees comes from The Essentials of Pure Land Rebirth, work completed in 985 by Genshin, a priest of the Japanese Tendai school. In it, the tree torture is described thusly:

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“Sometimes the hell wardens seize the victims and put them into a forest of sword blades. As they look up to the top branches of the trees in this forest they see beautiful and well-dressed women, indeed the faces of those whom once they loved. This fills them with joy and so they try to climb up the trees, but when they do so the branches and leaves all turn into swords, which lacerate the flesh and pierce the bones.

Though they are terrorized by this, their evil karma still drives them on in their desire and, defying the swords, they climb on. But when they reach the top they find the object of their desire below on the ground luring them to come down, and each one saying to the lover on the tree:

‘Because of the karma created by my passions for you I have come to this place. Why do you not come near me and embrace me?’ Thus each one from beneath the trees allures her victim till the latter, in his infatuation, begins to climb down the tree again.

But as they descend the leaves of the trees, which are made of swords, turn upward and thus lacerate their bodies. When they are about to reach the ground, the women appear on the tops of the trees. Then the victims, overcome with passion, again climb up.

This process goes on for ten trillion years. The cause of being thus deceived in this hell by one’s own heart and the consequent suffering is one’s own evil passion.”

Read More Yama The God of Death Underworld Naraka click

Read More Samsara The Karmic Cycle click

Read More Maalik Guardian Angel of Hell Zabaniyah click

Read More Jinn Demigods and Demons Types of Jinn click

Read More Qlippoth Tree of Death Hierarchy of The Arch Demons click