وَقَالُوا۟ لَن تَمَسَّنَا ٱلنَّارُ إِلَّآ أَيَّامًا مَّعْدُودَةً ۚ قُلْ أَتَّخَذْتُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ عَهْدًا فَلَن يُخْلِفَ ٱللَّهُ عَهْدَهُۥٓ ۖ أَمْ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ 80
Translations
And they say, "Never will the Fire touch us, except for [a few] numbered days." Say, "Have you taken a covenant with Allāh? For Allāh will never break His covenant. Or do you say about Allāh that which you do not know?"
Transliteration
Wa qalū lan tamassnā an-nāru illā ayyāman ma'dūdah. Qul attakhazitum 'inda Allāhi 'ahdan falan yukhlifal-Allāhu 'ahdah? Am taqūlūna 'alā Allāhi mā lā ta'lamūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses the false beliefs of certain Jews who claimed they would only enter the Fire for a limited number of days, based on a misinterpretation of their covenant with Allah. The Quran refutes this arrogance by challenging them: either they have a guaranteed covenant from Allah (which He would not break), or they are merely fabricating lies about Allah's justice. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this reflects the Jews' rejection of accountability and their baseless claims of special privilege, which contradicts the Quranic principle that all souls are responsible for their deeds.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of a broader Medinan passage (2:75-86) addressing the People of the Book, particularly the Jews of Medina. It responds to their theological arrogance and distortion of their scriptures, a common theme in early Medinan surahs as the Prophet (ﷺ) engaged with Jewish tribes who rejected his message despite their knowledge of previous revelation.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Bukhari (3.2391) where the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'None of you will enter Paradise merely by his deeds.' This relates to the ayah's refutation of the false assumption that deeds alone guarantee favor or that punishment is limited regardless of actions.
Themes
Key Lesson
No one can claim guaranteed exemption from Divine punishment through mere ancestry or assumed covenants; every soul is fully accountable before Allah for its deeds. We must guard against self-deception and arrogance, recognizing that our salvation depends on sincere faith and righteous actions, not on unfounded assumptions about Divine mercy.