The Unending punishment

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The eternity of punishmentIntroduction

The word “Khaluud” is mentioned in the first verse. It is said, “But those who disbelieve and falsify Our signs shall be the inmates of the fire; they shall abide in it forever.”

In other verses the word “Abadaa” follows the word “Khaliduun” which is for more emphasis. In verse 23 of Surah Jinn God says, “And whoever disobeys God and His Messenger, then for him is the fire in which he will dwell forever.” The same meaning is conveyed in verse 45 of Surah Ahzab and “Khaluud” has the word “Abadan’ following it.

The word “ Khaluud” has been used about fire in many verses of the Qura’n sometime as an adverb and sometimes a verb like in verse 69 of Surah Furqaan in which it speaks about the multiple punishments of the polytheists, murderers, and adulterers on the Judgment Day and then adds, “ He shall always live there in disgrace.”

In verses like verse 52 of Surah Yunus the punishment is described as incarceration. It says, “And the unjust will be told, “taste the unending punishment.”

The des c r i p tion of Khaluud has come in various verses about thirty times and the stress that Qura’n has given to it will be discussed later.

There are various verses about the bounties of Paradise which mention this word.

What we have to see is the meaning that has been taken by the commentators and linguists. Lisan-ol-Arab has explained “Khuld” as a permanent station for mankind and he cannot come out from there. It has been “Darul khuld’ because men will stay there forever.

Maqayis-ol-Loghat gives the same origination of this word and that is permanency, well being and imperative and the same meaning is confirmed by Sahah-ol-Loghat and others.

But Raghib in Mafuradat says that it means the protection from decay of anything or a permanent situation. It says that the Arabs considered anything which did not decay fast or be destroyed as “Khaluud’ this is also used for a long life and a long well being. Raghib says in another place the “Rajul Mukhalld” is used for a man who has lived a very long life.

From the writings of the linguists we find two opinions the first is the word means an unending life, a permanent life or an eternal life and this is often used as a symbol. The second opinion is that the real meaning is a long life and if it is termed as eternal it is because it is a shining example.

Some commentators have explained that here the word “Khaluud” means “forever” which has no ends. (1)

Some others have said its actual meaning is “forever” and the symbolic meaning is a long period and is used in the Qura’n in the first sense. (2)

Some have described this in one instance as “Khaluud” in the dictionary means to stay for a long time like it says, “ Khullida Falaan fil sijjin” for a person who has stayed a long time in prison but the Qura’n it means an eternal life. (3)

Tafsir al Minar says that some modern day thinkers after taking the help of the ancient explanation have become daring enough to say that the word “Khaluud” used for the punishment of the disbelievers means that they will not stay in it for a long time because the merciful God’s mercy overwhelms His wrath and he will never subject any of His creation to an eternal damnation. (4)

 Other say that the entire existence of the rebellious Jinn’s and mankind is immersed in sins and so they will stay in Hell forever but Hell itself will never remain the same and a time will come when its fires will die and the sinners in it will have some respite.

 It has also been said that after staying in hell for a long period of time undergoing the punishments a compatibility will take place between them and they will soon become accustom to the fire and so will not feel the pain very much.

Islam and the commentators of the Qura’n have rejected such opinions because they a directly against its verses because as we have seen , it is not only the word “ Khaluud” but also other words that have been used for it and they cannot be changed. (Reflect)

In short it seems that when some people were unable to solve the issue of “Khaluud” and an eternal punishment then began making such invalid explanations. There can be no arguments against what the Qura’n says will be the eternal damnation of the criminals and sinners.

The second verse uses the word “aqamah” when it says, “They will wish to get out of the fire but they will never be able to get out from it; theirs will be an enduring chastisement.”

The word “Muqeem” added to the word “Aazaab” denotes that their punishment and damnation will be eternal.

 


 

1. Tabrisi in Majmaul Bayan
2. Tafsir Qartabi vol.1 page 207
3. Tafsir Maraghi vol. 1 page 69
4. Tafsir Al Minar vol.1 page 364

 

The eternity of punishmentIntroduction
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