Introduction: One of the most important differences between the Ahl-sunnah wa-al Jama’ah and the deviant groups, especially the Jahmiyyah, is related to issues concerning the Akhirah (Day of Judgement) and the unseen. The bridge of Sirat is also one of these issues; the Ahl-sunnah wa-al Jama’ah accept it and acknowledge the works that have been written about it. However, the Jahmiyyah group denies the bridge of Sirat, being the first to do so, and subsequently, the Mu’tazila adopted this belief from them. In this part of the research, we aim to present this issue from both perspectives; however, before doing so, it is beneficial to clarify the literal and idiomatic meanings of Sirat.
Sirat in Lexicology and Terminology
Sirat in Lexicalogy
The word Sirat is derived from the Arabic root sirat yasrat sartan and siratan.
In this context, three pronunciations are correct:
1. With the letter Saad: Sirat.
2. With the letter Sin: Sirat.
3. With the letter Za: Zerat.
All three pronunciations imply the same meaning (path or way).
Jawhari writes: “Al-Sirat, Al-Sirat, and Al-Zerat mean path.”
Ibn Faris writes: “Al-Sirat: Al-Saad, Al-Ra’, and Al-Ta’ [these letters comprise a form of abdal]; it also comes with the letter Sin, which means path.”
Firuzabadi states: “Al-Sirat with the letter Sad means path, while with the letter Sin is another word.”
Zuhri mentions: “Sirat with the letter Saad is the term used by the early Quraysh, and this word has been employed in the Quran. Most Arabs refer to it with the letter Sin (Sirat).”
Sirat in Terminology
Scholars have provided various interpretations of the bridge of Sirat, some of which we will mention here:
– Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) defines it as: “It is a bridge on the back of Hell that all people cross over.”
– Saffarini (may Allah have mercy on him) states: “There is a bridge that is placed over Hell, and all creatures cross over it.”
– Dr. Dhiyab bin Madhal Alawi writes: “There is a bridge placed over Hell; the first and last people enter it, and whoever Allah Almighty wills crosses over that bridge and proceeds to Paradise.”
The Jahmiyyah Viewpoint
Before addressing the Jahmiyyah viewpoint in this regard, it is prudent to outline a general rule about groups such as the Jahmiyyah and the Mu’tazilah: “Most of their arguments and understandings are grounded in reason and rational doubts, with reason holding a higher and superior status for them; consequently, they dismiss matters related to the unseen.”
According to some scholars, Abu Asim Khashish ibn Asram (died 253 AH) was among the first to reject the Jahmiyyah belief. He stated: “A section of the Jahmiyyah denies the bridge of Sirat and refuses to accept that Allah Almighty permits anyone to cross it.”
Imam Baghdadi wrote in his book “Usul al-Din”: “The fifteenth issue in the declaration of the proof refers to the pool, the bridge of Sirat, the scale, and the questioning of the two angels in the grave; the Jahmiyyah group has denied these matters.”
The View of the Ahl-sunnah wa-al Jama’ah
Based on various verses and hadiths concerning the bridge of Sirat, the Ahl-sunnah wa-al Jama’ah firmly believe in its existence and leave the specifics to Allah Almighty.
The Ahl-sunnah wa-al Jama’ah affirm that the Sirat Bridge is real. It is described as a bridge stretched over Hell that is thinner than a hair and sharper than a sword. The people of Paradise will pass through it, while the people of Hell will fall into it.
Allama Ibn Abi al-Izz al-Hanafi (may Allah have mercy on him), the commentator of “Al-Aqeedah al-Tahawiyyah,” remarks about the Sirat: “We believe in the Bridge of Sirat, and it traverses over Hell. Reaching the Bridge of Sirat occurs when people are separated from the place of reckoning and are directed toward the darkness below the Bridge of Sirat.”
Sunnis maintain that the “Bridge of Sirat” is a definitive truth, as stated in the Quran and Sunnah and unanimously accepted by scholars.
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