Is Hell a Permanent Abode?

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Question/Comments:

Would you please provide a verse(s) of the Qur'an that specifically states that Hell is a PERMANENT (EVERLASTING) place for the one that rejects faith, shirk, and indulged in sins, fornication and murder or for the one that is judged to be doomed for ever based on his deeds on Judgment Day for any reason determined by the All-Mighty Allah? Meaning no turning back from Hell to Paradise after some punishment.
Thank you.

Answer:

I think it is much easier to look at this from the other way round. There are many verses in the Qur'an that discuss the features of hell and heaven and that what is going to happen in the hereafter in fair detail. On the other hand, the notion that people might be punished for some time and then will be removed from hell and will be relocated in heaven is a very interesting one and in fact a very important notion. It is only natural to ask, do we have any verses in the Qur'an that tells us clearly that such a notion is really the case in the hereafter. To my knowledge there is no verse to support this. Not only that, in verse 56:7-10 people in the hereafter are grouped in three categories, two of which are described to go to heaven and one is described to go to hell. There is no category of people who would move around.

In addition to the above, there are plenty of verses of the Qur'an that refer to permanent punishment for those who go to hell.

As you wanted to see verses related to different sins, I thought it might be helpful and also beneficial for future study and research if we can have a look at all the verses in which the concept of permanent punishment is clearly mentioned.

Before looking at the list, please note three points:

• I tried to make the list as comprehensive and as accurate as possible however there are always rooms for error.
• The list refers only to the verses in which the permanent punishment is mentioned literally. This does not mean that in the other places where punishment in the hereafter is mentioned, this punishment is temporary.
• I grouped the verses only based on the literal meaning of them. There are, however, clear overlaps, links and similarities between the meanings underlined in each group. For instance it is reasonable to argue that Transgressors, those who disobey God and the Prophet, etc. are in fact sub-categories of Kuffar.

I produce the list for you here with no further comments.

Verses of the Qur'an in which everlasting punishment is literally mentioned:

• Kuffar (meaning those who knowingly reject the truth that has been made clear for them) 2:39, 2:161-162, 2:217, 2:257, 3:86-88, 3:116, 4:168-169, 4:168-169, 5:78-80, 7:36, 9:17, 9:68 (also includes Munafiqoon), 13:5, 16:27-29, 21:97-99 (including the gods that were worshiped besides God), 32:10-14, 33:64-65, 33:64-65, 39:71-72, 40:74-76, 41:27-28, 59:16-17 (including Shaytan), 64:10, 98:6
• Those who were transgressors, i.e. unjust to themselves 10:52
• Disobeying God and his Prophet 4:14, 9:63, 72:23
• Intentionally killing a believer 4:93
• Disobeying God's commands 2:275
• One who earns evil (bad deeds) and his sins beset him on every side (from every aspect) 2:81, 10:27
• Adultery, unjustified murder, Shirk 25:68-69
• Those associated with Jinn (Shayatin), Hizb Al-Shaytan 6:128, 58:14-19
• Those who are wretched (because of their sins) 11:106-107
• Those with light scales, these are those who reject God's signs and are wretched and became misguided 23:103-105
• Those guilty of sins who where transgressors and disliked the truth 43:74-78

Abdullah Rahim
April 25, 2005

Taken with thanks from www.understanding-islam.org

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