أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ مَأْوَىٰهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ عَنْهَا مَحِيصًا 121
Translations
The refuge of those will be Hell, and they will not find from it an escape.
Transliteration
Ulā'ika ma'wāhum jahannamu wa lā yajidūna 'anhā mahīṣā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the final destination of those who reject Allah and turn away from His guidance—their abode is Hell, and they will find no escape from it. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that 'mahīṣ' (محيص) means no refuge, outlet, or way of escape, highlighting the absolute hopelessness and finality of their punishment. The ayah serves as a stern warning about the consequences of disbelief and turning away from divine revelation.
Revelation Context
This ayah concludes a section in Surah An-Nisa (ayah 116-121) addressing those who reject monotheism and associate partners with Allah. The broader context discusses the grave sin of shirk (polytheism) and those who persist in disbelief despite receiving guidance. This Medinan surah was revealed when the Islamic community faced opposition from both external polytheists and internal hypocrites.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever meets Allah without associating anything with Him will enter Paradise, and whoever meets Him associating partners with Him will enter the Fire' (Sahih Muslim 93). Additionally, the Quran itself in Surah An-Nisa 4:116 emphasizes that shirk is an unforgivable sin if one dies without repenting.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that rejecting Allah's guidance and turning away from monotheism leads to irreversible consequences in the afterlife, serving as a powerful reminder to maintain steadfast faith and seek repentance before death overtakes us. For modern readers, it emphasizes the importance of sincere belief and avoiding any form of shirk in our relationship with Allah.
Related Ayahs
وَلَقَدِ ٱسْتُهْزِئَ بِرُسُلٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَحَاقَ بِٱلَّذِينَ سَخِرُوا۟ مِنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ بِهِۦ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ
And already were messengers ridiculed before you, but those who mocked them were enveloped by that which they used to ridicule.
وَنَادَوْا۟ يَـٰمَـٰلِكُ لِيَقْضِ عَلَيْنَا رَبُّكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنَّكُم مَّـٰكِثُونَ
And they will call, "O Mālik, let your Lord put an end to us!" He will say, "Indeed, you will remain."
وَطَعَامًا ذَا غُصَّةٍ وَعَذَابًا أَلِيمًا
And food that chokes and a painful punishment -
هُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَكُمْ خَلَـٰٓئِفَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ فَمَن كَفَرَ فَعَلَيْهِ كُفْرُهُۥ ۖ وَلَا يَزِيدُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ كُفْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَّا مَقْتًا ۖ وَلَا يَزِيدُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ كُفْرُهُمْ إِلَّا خَسَارًا
It is He who has made you successors upon the earth. And whoever disbelieves - upon him will be [the consequence of] his disbelief. And the disbelief of the disbelievers does not increase them in the sight of their Lord except in hatred; and the disbelief of the disbelievers does not increase them except in loss.