Yes, it's true that women form the majority in Hell — but they also make up the majority of the people of Jannah. After all, in Paradise, Muslim men are allowed multiple wives. So, do the math.
Islam clearly affirms that righteous men and women will both enter Paradise.
1. Surah An-Nisa (4:124):
> "And whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, while being a believer — those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged, [even as much as] the speck on a date seed."
2. Surah An-Nahl (16:97):
> "Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while being a believer — We will surely grant them a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do."
3. Surah Al-Ahzab (33:35):
> "Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women, the charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard their chastity and the women who do so, and the men who remember Allah often and the women who do so — for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward."
4. Surah Ghafir (40:40):
> "Whoever does an evil deed will not be recompensed except the like thereof; but whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while being a believer — those will enter Paradise, being given provision therein without account."
So, if all that is clearly stated, why then are women said to form the majority of Hell's inhabitants?
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned two of the reasons:
They frequently curse or speak abusively.
They are often ungrateful to their husbands.
It is well known that many of the sins men fall into have women as the instigators. This is a sociological reality.
Women are therefore more prone to committing certain types of sins. The Prophet (peace be upon him) even warned Muslim men to beware of the dunya and of women, saying the first trial of the Children of Israel was through women.
The Bible itself blames Eve for tempting Adam to eat the forbidden fruit. While the Qur'an, in its justice, holds both of them accountable, it does not place the blame solely on the woman.
But when it comes to shirk and idol worship, women have often taken the lead. Attend any gathering of sin and shamelessness, and you’ll often find women at the forefront.
Nakedness, lewdness, and public indecency are tearing society apart. Add prostitution to the list. Then there's the plague of paternity fraud — something modern DNA tests are now exposing in staggering numbers.
Islam doesn't shy away from these facts. It is, therefore, no surprise that women will form the majority of the inhabitants of Jahannam.
However, Muslim women who committed sins lesser than shirk will eventually be removed from Hell — just like Muslim men in the same category. So those women will still make it back to Jannah, when Allaah so will, to add up the staggering population of women there. As for the disbelieving women, they will remain in Hell forever.
This is Part Eight.
(Judging by how things are going, I may end up with fifteen episodes or more, Inshaa’Allaah. May Allah grant me strength and good health.)
