بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

Food of the People of Hell (In the Light of Hadith)

(1) Zaqqum — the bitter, foul, thorny tree

Zaqqum will be the food of the people of Hell. It grows from the depths of Hell, and its buds resemble the heads of devils. After eating it, boiling water will be given to them to drink.

اَذٰلِكَ خَیۡرٌ نُّزُلًا اَمۡ شَجَرَةُ الزَّقُّوۡمِ ۝ اِنَّا جَعَلۡنٰهَا فِتۡنَةً لِّلظّٰلِمِیۡنَ ۝ اِنَّهَا شَجَرَةٌ تَخۡرُجُ فِیۡۤ اَصۡلِ الۡجَحِیۡمِ ۝ طَلۡعُهَا كَاَنَّهٗ رُءُوۡسُ الشَّیٰطِیۡنِ ۝ فَاِنَّهُمۡ لَاٰكِلُوۡنَ مِنۡهَا فَمَالِـُٔوۡنَ مِنۡهَا الۡبُطُوۡنَ ۝ ثُمَّ اِنَّ لَهُمۡ عَلَیۡهَا لَشَوۡبًا مِّنۡ حَمِیۡمٍ ۝ ثُمَّ اِنَّ مَرۡجِعَهُمۡ لَاِلَى الۡجَحِیۡمِ ۝
Transliteration: A-dhālika khayrun nuzulan am shajaratuz-zaqqūm, innā ja‘alnāhā fitnatal-liz-ẓālimīn, innahā shajaratun takhruju fī aṣlil-jaḥīm, ṭal‘uhā ka’annahū ru’ūsu ash-shayāṭīn, fa innahum lā’ākilūna minhā famāli’ūna minhāl-buṭūn, thumma inna lahum ‘alayhā lashawban min ḥamīm, thumma inna marji‘ahum la-ilal-jaḥīm
Translation: "Is that a better hospitality or the tree of Zaqqum? Indeed, We have made it a trial for the wrongdoers. Indeed, it is a tree that emerges from the bottom of Hellfire. Its fruit is like the heads of devils. They will eat from it and fill their bellies with it. Then they will have after it a mixture of boiling water. Then indeed their return will be to Hellfire." (As-Saffat 62–67)

The poison of Zaqqum will boil within their stomachs like scalding water:

اِنَّ شَجَرَتَ الزَّقُّوۡمِ ۝ طَعَامُ الۡاَثِیۡمِ ۝ كَالۡمُهۡلِ يَغۡلِیۡ فِی الۡبُطُوۡنِ ۝ كَغَلۡیِ الۡحَمِیۡمِ ۝
Transliteration: Inna shajarataz-zaqqūm, ṭa‘āmul-athīm, kal-muhli yaghlī fil-buṭūn, kaghalyil-ḥamīm
Translation: "Indeed, the tree of Zaqqum will be the food of the sinful. Like murky oil, it will boil in the bellies, like the boiling of scalding water." (Ad-Dukhan 43–46)

Abdullah ibn Abbas (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“If a drop from Zaqqum were to fall upon the world, it would spoil the livelihood of its inhabitants. Then what will be the condition of the one whose food is Zaqqum?” (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi, Sunan Ibn Majah, Sunan an-Nasa’i)

(2) Dari‘ — thorny dry vegetation

Besides Zaqqum, the people of Hell will also be given thorny, poisonous vegetation as food.

لَّیۡسَ لَهُمۡ طَعَامٌ اِلَّا مِنۡ ضَرِیۡعٍ ۝ لَّا یُسۡمِنُ وَلَا یُغۡنِیۡ مِنۡ جُوۡعٍ ۝
Transliteration: Laysa lahum ṭa‘āmun illā min ḍarī‘, lā yusminu wa lā yughni min jū‘
Translation: "They will have no food except from a thorny plant, which neither nourishes nor satisfies hunger." (Al-Ghashiyah 6–7)

(3) Ghislīn — filth from wounds

The people of Hell will also be fed the filthy discharge flowing from wounds.

فَلَیۡسَ لَهُ الۡیَوۡمَ هٰهُنَا حَمِیۡمٌ ۝ وَّ لَا طَعَامٌ اِلَّا مِنۡ غِسۡلِیۡنٍ ۝ لَّا یَاۡكُلُهٗۤ اِلَّا الۡخٰطِـُٔوۡنَ ۝
Transliteration: Fa laysa lahul-yawma hāhunā ḥamīm, wa lā ṭa‘āmun illā min ghislīn, lā ya’kuluhū illal-khāṭi’ūn
Translation: "So there is for him here this Day no devoted friend, nor any food except from ghislīn, which none will eat except the sinners." (Al-Haqqah 35–37)

Some scholars of tafsir state that Ghislīn may also refer to a tree in Hell. Allah knows best.

(4) Food that chokes the throat

The people of Hell will be given such food that will choke them in their throats.

اِنَّ لَدَیۡنَاۤ اَنۡكَالًا وَّ جَحِیۡمًا ۝ وَّ طَعَامًا ذَا غُصَّةٍ وَّ عَذَابًا اَلِیۡمًا ۝
Transliteration: Inna ladaynā ankālan wa jaḥīmā, wa ṭa‘āman dhā ghussatin wa ‘aḏāban alīmā
Translation: "Indeed, with Us are shackles and a blazing Fire, and food that chokes, and a painful punishment." (Al-Muzzammil 12–13)