The Holy Qor-an 002:040
وَالَّذِيۡنَ كَفَرُوۡا وَكَذَّبُوۡا بِـاٰيٰتِنَآ اُولٰٓٮِٕكَ اَصۡحٰبُ النَّارِۚ هُمۡ فِيۡهَا خٰلِدُوۡنَ
Except for additional words كَفَرُوۡا وَ in verse 002:040 and وَاسۡتَكۡبَرُوۡا عَنۡهَاۤ in 007:037, the text in both verses is the same.
Wa ul-la-zee-na ka-fa-roo wa kauz-za-boo bay aa-yaa-tay naa O-laa-aiy-ka us-haa-bo on-naa-ray hoom fee haa khaa-lay-doo-n
And those who disbelieved and belied our signs They all are inmates of Fire. They are dwellers in it.
The first eleven (11) words are common in verses 002:040 and 064:011
- وَ — Wa … (ul) — And (= Conj., Connects words, phrases or clauses; also; but; additionally; though; when; while; yet; whereupon)
- ٱلَّذِينَ — La-zee-na — Those who (= pl., m, 3rd person. Refers to the disbelievers)
- كَفَرُوۡا — Ka-fa-roo — Disbelieved (= v., past., pl., 3rd person. Denied, refused or rejected the Faith or Belief in Allah, the Holy Qor-aan, Iss-laam and become Moslem. See Commentary BELIEVE and DISBELIEVE)
- وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., Connects words, phrases, etc. See وَ above)
The next 3 words are in verses 002:040, 003:012, 062:006 and 078:029
- كَذَّبُوۡا — Kuz-za-boo — They belied (= v., past., pl., 3rd person. Denied; derided, denounced, disowned, opposed, misrepresented, negated; rejected. Any translation in the present tense is not of what the Holy Qor-aan has stated in the past tense)
- بِ — Bay — With (= Literally the word بِ means with)
- اٰيٰتِ — Aa-yaa-tay — Signs (= n., pl of … An argument, corroboration, indication, insinuation, pointer, portent, sign, suggestion, symbol or token. See Note 002:074)
- نَآ — Naa — Our (= pro., pl., 1st person. Us. Used with God’s name it is the the authoritative way a higher-up talks to a subordinate)
See Phrase O-laa-aiy-ka us-haa-bo on-naar … meaning “They are inmates of Fire”
- اُولٰٓٮِٕكَ — Olaa-aiy-ka — They all (= Aforesaid facts, persons or things. Here the reference is to aforesaid folks, people, sinners and wrong doers)
- اَصۡحٰبُ — Us-haa-bo … (on) — Inmates (= n., pl., This one word has many shades of meanings. With closeness as an element … Associates; companions; families; fellows; folks; friends; heirs. With residence as an element … citizens; denizens; dwellers; guests; inmates; inhabitants; invitees; live ins; natives; residents; stayers; visitors. With control as an element … army; controllers; fighters; masters; occupants; occupiers; owners; people; populace; population; possessors; soldiers)
- ٱلنَّارِ — Naa-ray — The Fire (= Anger, punishment or wrath of Allah; hell; hell fire; purgatory. The Fire of punishment. Literally, the rapid sustained reaction or source of releasing light and heat)
- هُمۡ — Hoom — They (= pro., pl., m., 3rd person. Refers to aforesaid inmates)
- فِىۡ — Fee — In (= Contained in or amidst a duration, event, time, place, period, thing or situation; inside)
- هَا — Haa — It (= pro., s., f., 3rd person., Refers to the fire)
- خٰلِدُوۡنَ — Khaa-lay-doo-n — Dwellers (= n., pl., Those abiding, living, staying or residing for a time unspecified as in a hospital or rest house. To add words like everlastingly, for ever after, permanently and perpetually is inappropriate for those who will go to hell. Adding such a qualification is appropriate only for the residents of Paradise . Some interpreters have incorrectly labeled this period to last forever. See Note 002:040)
Note 002:040. The word خٰلِدُوۡنَ literally means abiders, dwellers, live-ins, stayers or residents ‘for an unspecified length of time’. It is used in verses like 002:026, 002:040, 002:082, 002:083, 002:218, 002:258, 002:276 and 003:117. It is also used in a different format such as in [ خٰلِدِيۡنَ فِيۡهَا ] in other places like 002:163, 003:089, 004:014, 005:086, 059:018, 098:007 and 098:009.
Some scholars added the word ‘forever’ in translating this word. The concept ‘for a long time’ in the meanings of this word was thus replaced by that in forever or without ever ending. Such addition is appropriate in case of heavens and paradise as a perpetual reward to the righteous to continue forever for the good they did in this life.
But attaching words like forever, perpetual or everlasting to Hell, Hell Fire or Purgatory as a punishment for doing wrongs in this life is different. Many scholars insist that any human addition, extension, extrapolation, minimization or subtraction to the simple and straightforward meanings of the original text because of any spiritual or temporal, social or cultural, punitive or reformative consideration is NOT warranted. Such view appears to be right.
Adding the concept of ‘forever‘ to the “punishment for wrongs done in this temporary life on earth” contradicts the reported quotations [Ahaadeeth] of the Holy Prophet, s.a.w, such as ‘A day will come when gates of hell will flap and flutter in the wind” which imply as follows.
- That the fires of hell would have died and there would be no more need to guard its gates.
- That all those sent there initially would have finished serving sentences and completing punishment for wrongs they did in this life.
- That people after due correction [as in a Correction Facility] or cure [as in a hospital] would have finally become fit to be admitted to the Paradise.
- See also 002:168 in the translation of the word خٰرِجِيۡنَ [Kha-ray-jee-na = Those coming out and exiting]
