What is 'Sadid' mentioned in the Quran?

According to classical Islamic scholarship, 'Sadid' (صَدِيد), mentioned in Quran 14:16, is a horrifying drink for the inhabitants of Hell. Tafsir scholars like Al-Qurtubi explain it as the festering pus, blood, and fluids that ooze from the burning skins and bodies of the people in Hellfire, symbolizing ultimate degradation. [4]

What do people drink in Hell according to Islam?

The Quran describes several drinks for the people of Hell, all forms of torment. These include 'Hameem' (boiling water that cuts up their bowels), 'Ghassaaq' (a filthy, intensely cold fluid), and 'Sadid' (the festering pus and discharge from their bodies). [2, 3] These drinks are given to increase their suffering, not to quench their thirst.

What is the punishment in Surah Ibrahim 14:16-17?

The punishment described in Surah Ibrahim 14:16-17 is for the 'obstinate, arrogant dictator.' Ahead of him is Hell, where he is forced to drink 'Sadid' (purulent water). He will try to sip it but find it nearly impossible to swallow, and death will seem to come from every direction, yet he will not die, facing a relentless, grievous torment. [12, 23]

Pus (Sadid) in Islam - Quranic Drink of Hellfire

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Explore Verses Related to pus

🕋Ibrahim14:14 🕋Ibrahim14:15 🕋Ibrahim14:16 🕋Ibrahim14:17

At a Glance

According to search-discovered classical Islamic scholarship, the term Sadid (صَدِيد), mentioned in Surah Ibrahim (14:16), refers to one of the horrific drinks of Hellfire (Jahannam). [8] Tafsir authorities such as Al-Tabari and Al-Qurtubi explain that Sadid is not mere pus, but the vile, festering discharge that oozes from the skins, flesh, and wounds of the inhabitants of Hell as they burn. [4] This purulent water, a mixture of blood, sweat, and pus, is given to the arrogant tyrants to drink. The verses describe them attempting to gulp it down due to extreme thirst but finding it almost impossible to swallow, causing immense agony. [12] The linguistic root of the word, related to hindering and repelling, underscores the repulsive nature of this punishment. This graphic depiction serves as a powerful divine warning about the ultimate degradation and inescapable torment that results from arrogant rejection of the truth.

📖 Quranic Context

A powerful and visceral symbol of the degradation and torment awaiting arrogant tyrants in Hellfire.

Represents a manifestation of Divine Justice (Adl) and wrath (Ghadab) against those who persistently reject truth and oppress others.

References: The specific term 'Sadid' appears once in Quran 14:16.

💭 Theological Perspective

Serves as a stark warning against arrogance (kibr) and tyranny (zulm).

Designed to evoke visceral aversion to sin and cultivate fear of Allah's punishment (khawf).

A graphic deterrent presented in the Quran to guide humanity away from the path of destruction.

Contemplating such punishments can motivate repentance (tawbah) and a return to righteousness.

📜 Hadith Perspective

Prophetic traditions elaborate on the various torments of Hell, reinforcing the Quranic descriptions of its food and drink.

The drinks of Hell being boiling water and the fluids from the inhabitants' bodies.
The inability of the people of Hell to find any relief or palatable substance.

Universal agreement among scholars that the descriptions of Hell's punishments, including Sadid, are to be understood as real torments in the afterlife.

💎 Deeper Insights

The Arabic root of Sadid (ص-د-د) means 'to hinder' or 'turn away.' This creates a powerful thematic link: those who spent their lives hindering people from Allah's path are punished by being forced to drink a substance that is itself repulsive and which their own bodies try to hinder from being swallowed. The punishment directly mirrors the crime.

— Al-Tabari (Linguistic Root)

The punishment in 14:17 describes a state of 'perpetual agony at the brink of death.' While death comes to him 'from every side,' he cannot die. This is a unique state of torment where the natural release of death is denied, creating a continuous loop of suffering. It is not just pain, but the horrifying experience of endlessly dying without the relief of oblivion.

— Ibn Kathir