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
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُونُوا۟ قَوَّٰمِينَ لِلَّهِ شُهَدَآءَ بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۖ وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَـَٔانُ قَوْمٍ عَلَىٰٓ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا۟ ۚ ٱعْدِلُوا۟ هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allāh, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allāh; indeed, Allāh is [fully] Aware of what you do.
وَمَن يَتَوَلَّ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ فَإِنَّ حِزْبَ ٱللَّهِ هُمُ ٱلْغَـٰلِبُونَ
And whoever is an ally of Allāh and His Messenger and those who have believed - indeed, the party of Allāh - they will be the predominant.
لِلَّهِ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا فِيهِنَّ ۚ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌۢ
To Allāh belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and whatever is within them. And He is over all things competent.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنفُسَكُمْ ۖ لَا يَضُرُّكُم مَّن ضَلَّ إِذَا ٱهْتَدَيْتُمْ ۚ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
O you who have believed, upon you is [responsibility for] yourselves. Those who have gone astray will not harm you when you have been guided. To Allāh is your return all together; then He will inform you of what you used to do.