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
ٱلْيَوْمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتُ ۖ وَطَعَامُ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ حِلٌّ لَّكُمْ وَطَعَامُكُمْ حِلٌّ لَّهُمْ ۖ وَٱلْمُحْصَنَـٰتُ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ وَٱلْمُحْصَنَـٰتُ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ إِذَآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ مُحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَـٰفِحِينَ وَلَا مُتَّخِذِىٓ أَخْدَانٍ ۗ وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِٱلْإِيمَـٰنِ فَقَدْ حَبِطَ عَمَلُهُۥ وَهُوَ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ
This day [all] good foods have been made lawful, and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you and your food is lawful for them. And [lawful in marriage are] chaste women from among the believers and chaste women from among those who were given the Scripture before you, when you have given them their due compensation, desiring chastity, not unlawful sexual intercourse or taking [secret] lovers. And whoever denies the faith - his work has become worthless, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.
فَمَن تَابَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ظُلْمِهِۦ وَأَصْلَحَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَتُوبُ عَلَيْهِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
But whoever repents after his wrongdoing and reforms, indeed, Allāh will turn to him in forgiveness. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
مَا جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِنۢ بَحِيرَةٍ وَلَا سَآئِبَةٍ وَلَا وَصِيلَةٍ وَلَا حَامٍ ۙ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ ۖ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ
Allāh has not appointed [such innovations as] baḥīrah or sā’ibah or waṣīlah or ḥām. But those who disbelieve invent falsehood about Allāh, and most of them do not reason.
فَأَثَـٰبَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا قَالُوا۟ جَنَّـٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
So Allāh rewarded them for what they said with gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. And that is the reward of doers of good.