103 



falls into the Fire, while they pour scalding 

 water over his skull. One after another the 

 wicked tumble into Hell, till the angels cry out 

 to it, " Art thou full ?" and Hell answers, " Are 



there more ?" 



Then begin the torments that never cease; the 

 burning that ever brands but consumes not; the 

 everlasting eating of the thorny bitter fruit of 

 the Zakkum,the tree of Hell, whose apples are like 

 devils skulls; the drinking of gore and horrible 

 corruption, like "dregs of oil surging up within." 

 The following places in the Koran can be con- 

 sulted as giving information, according to Lane- 

 Poole, on this question: — Koran, 38:57; 73:12; 

 104:5; 01:40; 43:74; 74:27: 78:21; 88:3. 



To close this reference to the Muslim belief it 

 is necessary to add that the Ijma, or recorded 

 consensus of belief, is explicit as to the endless- 

 ness of the punishments the faith teaches. 



For proof of this see Sell's " Faith of Islam," 

 p. 1G0, where El Barkami is quoted as saying: 

 ''It is necessary to acknowledge that the tor- 

 ments of the tomb are real and certain, and that 

 Munkar and Nekir will come and examine the 

 dead; that all living things will die * * * that the 

 unbelievers and devils will remain for ever in Hell 

 in torment by serpents, and scorpions, and fire, 

 and scalding water; their bodies will burn into 

 coal, and God will revive them so that they may 

 suffer fresh torments. This will last forever." 



