فَإِن يَصْبِرُوا۟ فَٱلنَّارُ مَثْوًى لَّهُمْ ۖ وَإِن يَسْتَعْتِبُوا۟ فَمَا هُم مِّنَ ٱلْمُعْتَبِينَ 24
Translations
So [even] if they are patient, the Fire is a residence for them; and if they ask to appease [Allāh], they will not be of those who are allowed to appease.
Transliteration
Fa-in yasbiru fa-an-nāru mathwan lahum wa-in yasta'tibū famā hum min-al-mu'tabin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses the disbelievers' fate on the Day of Judgment, stating that if they remain patient in enduring punishment, the Fire will be their dwelling place, and if they seek to make amends or seek forgiveness (ista'tābū), they will not be among those whose repentance is accepted. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this refers to the disbelievers' permanent condition in the Hereafter, where repentance is no longer possible, as the opportunity for tawbah (repentance) in this worldly life has passed.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan surah Fussilat, which discusses the consequences of rejecting the Qur'an and divine guidance. It is part of a larger passage (41:20-24) describing the disbelievers' state on the Day of Judgment, emphasizing the finality and irreversibility of their choice to reject faith in the worldly life.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Verily, Allah accepts the repentance of a servant as long as the soul has not departed from the body' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3537). Additionally, the Qur'an states in 4:18 that repentance is not accepted from those who commit sins until death approaches them, thematically related to this ayah's concept of the impossibility of acceptance in the Hereafter.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers of the critical importance of accepting faith and seeking repentance in this worldly life, as the opportunity for tawbah ceases after death. It serves as a powerful warning that procrastination in faith and continuous rejection of divine guidance leads to a point where no remedy or intercession can avail.