Sijjin
Sijjin is an Islamic concept describing a dark place often called the Netherworld or a prison at the bottom of Hell. It is sometimes said to lie underneath the earth, with Hell made of seven layers, and Sijjin sitting at the bottom (the lowest layer is also called al-asfal). It is also described as the place where the souls of disbelievers remain until the resurrection. The idea of Hell under the Earth is tied to the Qur’an’s mention of seven earths, and many writers link Sijjin to one of the lower layers of Hell, with Illiyin being its opposite.
The word Sijjin comes from a root meaning imprisonment. The related word sijn, meaning prison, appears in stories about Joseph in prison. A similar-sounding word sijill, meaning “scroll,” appears in the Qur’an and some commentators connect it to a register of the damned.
There are different views about what Sijjin means. Some Sunni scholars, and others such as al-Tha’labi and Nasafi, say it is the place after Iblis was expelled from heaven. In Shia tradition, some stories say the enemies of Ahl al-Bayt are formed from the earth of Sijjin. Some Sufi writers imagine that each of the seven gates of Hell corresponds to a sin, with Sijjin representing the gravest level.
Islamic thinkers have also linked Sijjin to the body in symbolic ways. The 13th–14th century mystic Ibn Arabi suggested each layer of Hell is associated with a body part; Sijjin is linked to the eyes, while other layers are connected to the feet, genitals, belly, hands, tongue, and ears.
In other writings, Al-Ghazali described the afterlife as a dream-like realm that becomes real after death, while The Alchemy of Happiness portrays Sijjin as a version of earthly life turned into a prison by worldly desires, with devils tempting people who chase worldliness.
The term has even influenced popular culture, such as the Turkish horror film series Siccin.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 10:18 (CET).