Back to search

What is the ruling on saying: "Hell is better than India," and is it permissible to swear by that?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

It is not permissible to say: "Hellfire is better than such-and-such" or "the Hellfire of such-and-such is better than the Paradise of such-and-such" out of displeasure or when facing a predicament. This is because a believer asks Allah to remove hardship, not to wish for something else. Similarly, wishing for death due to an affliction is prohibited, as is wishing to meet an enemy. If the intention is the Hellfire of Jahannam, then comparing it to the tribulations of this world contradicts reality and is dangerous for a Muslim's belief, as it involves disbelieving Allah's news and wishing for what Allah has forbidden and warned against.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

Read the full answer on Ftawy