يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَخْرُجُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ وَمَا هُم بِخَـٰرِجِينَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّقِيمٌ 37
Translations
They will wish to get out of the Fire, but never are they to emerge therefrom, and for them is an enduring punishment.
Transliteration
Yurīdūna an yakhrajū mina n-nāri wa mā hum bi-khārijīna minhā wa lahum 'adhābun muqīm
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the state of the people of Hell who desperately wish to escape the Fire, yet Allah has sealed them within it eternally—they shall never exit. Ibn Kathir explains that their desire to leave is futile because Allah's decree of their eternal punishment is absolute and irreversible. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that the phrase 'and they will not be among those who exit' is a definitive statement of their permanent condition, and the 'eternal punishment' (adhāb muqīm) underscores the endless nature of their suffering.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Medinan surah Al-Ma'idah within a section (5:36-37) discussing those who reject faith and the consequences of their disbelief. It follows the ayah about those who wish to ransom themselves on the Day of Judgment but cannot, reinforcing the theme of the permanence and inescapability of punishment for those who persist in rejecting Allah's signs.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The people of Paradise will not feel regret for anything except the time they spent in idleness' (Tirmidhi). Conversely, in Sahih Muslim, it is narrated that the denizens of Hell will experience eternal regret and desire for escape, but 'they will not be answered.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah should inspire believers to recognize the grave consequences of rejecting divine guidance and to reflect deeply on their relationship with Allah while they still have opportunity to repent. It serves as a powerful reminder that sincere faith and righteous deeds in this life are our only protection against eternal regret and punishment.
Related Ayahs
۞ وَلَقَدْ أَخَذَ ٱللَّهُ مِيثَـٰقَ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَبَعَثْنَا مِنْهُمُ ٱثْنَىْ عَشَرَ نَقِيبًا ۖ وَقَالَ ٱللَّهُ إِنِّى مَعَكُمْ ۖ لَئِنْ أَقَمْتُمُ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَيْتُمُ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَءَامَنتُم بِرُسُلِى وَعَزَّرْتُمُوهُمْ وَأَقْرَضْتُمُ ٱللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا لَّأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنكُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمْ وَلَأُدْخِلَنَّكُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ ۚ فَمَن كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ مِنكُمْ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَآءَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ
And Allāh had already taken a covenant from the Children of Israel, and We delegated from among them twelve leaders. And Allāh said, "I am with you. If you establish prayer and give zakāh and believe in My messengers and support them and loan Allāh a goodly loan, I will surely remove from you your misdeeds and admit you to gardens beneath which rivers flow. But whoever of you disbelieves after that has certainly strayed from the soundness of the way."
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَكَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَآ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْجَحِيمِ
But those who disbelieved and denied Our signs - they are the companions of Hellfire.
إِن تُعَذِّبْهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ عِبَادُكَ ۖ وَإِن تَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ فَإِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ
If You should punish them - indeed they are Your servants; but if You forgive them - indeed it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise."
أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ يُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Do you not know that to Allāh belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth? He punishes whom He wills and forgives whom He wills, and Allāh is over all things competent.