Surah Hud was revealed in Makkah during a hard time for the Prophet (PBUH).  It was the time during which the Prophet was rejected by all the surrounding tribes and was harshly treated by the people of the Taif when he (PBUH) went to invite them to Islam. During that time, he also lost his two main supporters: his wife (Khadija) and his uncle (Abu Taleb).

The theme of the Surat is outlining the proper approach that Muslims should take in response to oppression and injustice. The proper response under these conditions is presented in two pivotal Ayat:

فَٱسۡتَقِمۡ كَمَآ أُمِرۡتَ وَمَن تَابَ مَعَكَ وَلَا تَطۡغَوۡاْ‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ۬ (١١٢)

So, stand firm as you have been commanded, as well as those who turn in repentance with you, and do not transgress. Surely, He (Allah) is All-Seer of what you do.  (11:112)

وَلَا تَرۡكَنُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ فَتَمَسَّكُمُ ٱلنَّارُ وَمَا لَڪُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِنۡ أَوۡلِيَآءَ ثُمَّ لَا تُنصَرُونَ (١١٣)

And do not incline to those who have done injustice, lest the Fire should touch you; you have no protecting friends other than Allah, and afterward ye would not be helped (if you incline to the unjust) (11:113)

In these two Ayat, Allah points out the three keys to navigating times of  oppression and injustice:

1. Endurance (الاستقامة): “stand firm,” (فَٱسۡتَقِمۡ كَمَآ أُمِرۡتَ) means to continue and persist with patience. And never lose hope in face of difficulties.
2. Avoid transgression (عدم الطغيان): “do not transgress” (وَلَا تَطۡغَوۡاْ‌) this is the Quranic expression of rashness and resorting to violence.
3. Avoid inclination (عدم الركون): “Do not incline/submit” (وَلَا تَرۡكَنُوٓاْ) to the ones who commit injustice.” In the Quran, this expression refers to the inclination to the enemies and this leads to embracing them as guardians instead of Allah.

In commenting on these Ayat, Imam Hassan Al-Basri (حسن البصري) said: ( (سبحان الذي جعل اعتدال هذا الدين بين لاءين وهي لاَ تَطْغَوْاْ ولاَ تَرْكَنُواْ “Glory to Allah who made moderation between two negations: do not transgress and do not incline.”

To emphasize the theme, the Surah lists the story of several prophets who faced oppression and injustice.  The Surat begins with reminding Muslims of Allah’s infinite wisdom and full awareness of all that happens:

الٓر‌ۚ كِتَـٰبٌ أُحۡكِمَتۡ ءَايَـٰتُهُ ۥ ثُمَّ فُصِّلَتۡ مِن لَّدُنۡ حَكِيمٍ خَبِيرٍ (١)

 “Alif, Lam, Ra. A book whose Ayat (verses) are perfected and then explained in detail from the One (Allah), Who is All-Wise, All-Aware”. (11:1)

The second Ayat presents the balanced approach of delivering Allah’s message between warning and glad tiding:

أَلَّا تَعۡبُدُوٓاْ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ‌ۚ إِنَّنِى لَكُم مِّنۡهُ نَذِيرٌ۬ وَبَشِيرٌ۬ (٢)

You should worship none but Allah. (Say) “Verily I am (sent) to you from Him to be Warner and deliverer of glad tidings” (11:2):

Then the Surat moves to highlight the time taken for the creation of heavens and earth. Allah says:

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ۬

 “And He (is The One) Who created the heavens and the earth in six days” (11:7).

Although Allah does not need any time to create the universe, He probably mentioned the duration of its creation to teach us that gradual progress is a cosmic rule.  Thus, we should learn to handle matters with patience and resolve.   The importance of patience is therefore emphasized in the subsequent Ayat:

وَلَٮِٕنۡ أَذَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ مِنَّا رَحۡمَةً۬ ثُمَّ نَزَعۡنَـٰهَا مِنۡهُ إِنَّهُ ۥ لَيَـُٔوسٌ۬ ڪَفُورٌ۬ (٩) وَلَٮِٕنۡ أَذَقۡنَـٰهُ نَعۡمَآءَ بَعۡدَ ضَرَّآءَ مَسَّتۡهُ لَيَقُولَنَّ ذَهَبَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتُ عَنِّىٓ‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ لَفَرِحٌ۬ فَخُورٌ (١٠) إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ لَهُم مَّغۡفِرَةٌ۬ وَأَجۡرٌ۬ ڪَبِيرٌ۬ (١١)

And if We give man a taste of Our mercy and then take it from him, he becomes highly desperate and utterly ungrateful. (9)  But if We give him a taste of comfort after a hardship has touched him, he will say “All ills have gone away from me, “(and thus) he will be over-exulting, and boastful. (10)  Except those who are patient and do righteous deeds; for them is forgiveness and a great reward. (11:9-11)

While one notes that in most of the Ayat in the Quran combines righteous deeds with belief (ءامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَاتِ), in Ayat 11, Allah combines righteous deeds with patience (صَبَرُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ) to give additional emphasizes to the command of patience in the Surat.

The subsequent Ayat identifies the key danger of impatience.  The Ayat identified this risk by directing the advice to the Prophet (PBUH):

فَلَعَلَّكَ تَارِكُۢ بَعۡضَ مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَيۡكَ وَضَآٮِٕقُۢ بِهِۦ صَدۡرُكَ أَن يَقُولُواْ لَوۡلَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيۡهِ كَنزٌ أَوۡ جَآءَ مَعَهُ ۥ مَلَكٌ‌ۚ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ نَذِيرٌ۬‌ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ وَڪِيلٌ (١٢)

“So perchance you (O Prophet) may give up part of what is being revealed to you, and that your chest feels constrained by it just because they say, “Why a treasure has not been sent down to him, or an angel not with him?” But you are only a Warner.  And Allah takes care of everything. (11:12)

Obviously, the Prophet (PBUH) neither wanted to leave anything from what was revealed to him, nor his chest was strained by delivering the message.  But through this Ayat, Allah wants the believers to focus on delivering the true message of Islam and to never conceal any information in their attempt to make Islam appealing to others.

The Surat continued by discussing the stories of seven prophets (نوح وهود وصالح و ابراهيم و لوط وشعيب وموسى عليهم السلام) (Nuh, Hud, Saleh, Ibrahim, Lut, Shu’ayb, and Musa, peace be upon them all).  All the stories are intended to serve not only as reinforcement for the believers to remain steadfast and to never capitulate to the transgressors but also as warning to those who continue with their transgression.  Allah says:

وَكُلاًّ۬ نَّقُصُّ عَلَيۡكَ مِنۡ أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلرُّسُلِ مَا نُثَبِّتُ بِهِۦ فُؤَادَكَ‌ۚ وَجَآءَكَ فِى هَـٰذِهِ ٱلۡحَقُّ وَمَوۡعِظَةٌ۬ وَذِكۡرَىٰ لِلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ (١٢٠) وَقُل لِّلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ ٱعۡمَلُواْ عَلَىٰ مَكَانَتِكُمۡ إِنَّا عَـٰمِلُونَ (١٢١) وَٱنتَظِرُوٓاْ إِنَّا مُنتَظِرُونَ (١٢٢)

We narrate to you all such stories of the messengers to strengthen your heart.  And in these (stories) come to you the truth, as well as a good counsel and a reminder to those who believe. (120) Say to those who do not believe: “Do whatever you can: we are doing (what we can). (121) “And wait. We too are waiting.” (11:120-122)

The first story was about Prophet Nuh. The story demonstrates endurance, firmness, and stability.  It is worth mentioning that Surat Hud contains the longest account of Prophet Nuh in the Quran.  Nuh invited his people to Allah for 950 years without much success.  Not only that, but they also gave him all kinds of ridicule and abuse.  Thus, he is a good model and example of endurance. Allah says:

وَلَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوۡمِهِۦۤ إِنِّى لَكُمۡ نَذِيرٌ۬ مُّبِينٌ (٢٥) أَن لَّا تَعۡبُدُوٓاْ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ‌ۖ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ عَذَابَ يَوۡمٍ أَلِيمٍ۬ (٢٦)

“We sent Nuh (Noah) to his people (saying), “I am here to warn you that you. (25) That you should worship none but Allah, (otherwise) I fear for you the punishment of a painful Day.” (11:25-26).

 

We can clearly see the firmness and patience of Prophet Nuh (AS) by the degree of stubbornness of his people in their rejection of him to the point that they challenged him to bring on them the punishment of Allah:

 

قَالُواْ يَـٰنُوحُ قَدۡ جَـٰدَلۡتَنَا فَأَڪۡثَرۡتَ جِدَٲلَنَا فَأۡتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن ڪُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ (٣٢)

They said: “O Nuh (Noah)! You have argued with us and prolonged this dispute; so, bring on us what you threaten us with, if you are of the truthful.” (11:32)

Even after they asked for the divine punishment, Nuh (AS) did not give up and continued preaching to his people for hundreds of years and emphasizing that he is merely a messenger and only Allah can bring punishment to them:

قَالَ إِنَّمَا يَأۡتِيكُم بِهِ ٱللَّهُ إِن شَآءَ وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُعۡجِزِينَ (٣٣)

He said: “Only Allah will bring it to you, if He so wills, and you will not be able to escape it! (11:33)

Prophet Nuh did not stop his attempt to call his people to Allah until it was revealed to him to stop and to start working on saving those who accepted his message.  Allah says:

وَأُوحِىَ إِلَىٰ نُوحٍ أَنَّهُ ۥ لَن يُؤۡمِنَ مِن قَوۡمِكَ إِلَّا مَن قَدۡ ءَامَنَ فَلَا تَبۡتَٮِٕسۡ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَفۡعَلُونَ (٣٦) وَٱصۡنَعِ ٱلۡفُلۡكَ بِأَعۡيُنِنَا وَوَحۡيِنَا وَلَا تُخَـٰطِبۡنِى فِى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوٓاْ‌ۚ إِنَّہُم مُّغۡرَقُونَ (٣٧)

“And it was revealed to Nuh: “None of your people will believe except those who have already believed. So be not distressed by what they have been doing. (36) “And construct the ark under Our Eyes and according to Our Revelation, and do not speak to Me on behalf of those who did wrong; they are destined to be drowned.” (11:36-37)

 Question:  Based on interpreting the Quran, how long do you think Prophet Nuh took to build the arc?  Hint: Interpret the above verses with the following verse form Surat Al-Ankaboot,

وَلَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوۡمِهِۦ فَلَبِثَ فِيهِمۡ أَلۡفَ سَنَةٍ إِلَّا خَمۡسِينَ عَامً۬ا فَأَخَذَهُمُ ٱلطُّوفَانُ وَهُمۡ ظَـٰلِمُونَ (١٤)

“We sent Nuh to his people.  He stayed among them one thousand (Sana’t) years, less fifty (A’am) years.  Then, the flood engulfed them, for they were transgressors.”’ (Al-Ankaboout 29:14).

 Although the story of Prophet Nuh (AS) in the Surat is longer than that of Prophet Hud (AS), the Surat was named Hud.  The reason may be that the three axes of the Surat (resoluteness, the absence of recklessness, and resisting inclination) were far more apparent in the story of Hud since the people of Hud, the nation of A’d, was very powerful, may be the most powerful ever lived, as Allah said in Surat Al-Fajr:

(ٱلَّتِى لَمۡ يُخۡلَقۡ مِثۡلُهَا فِى ٱلۡبِلَـٰدِ) “The like of which was never created in the lands.” (Al-Fajr 89:8), and thus standing against their rejection and transgression demand super patience and great dedication.

The people of prophet Hud (the nation of A’d) did not only reject the divine message but they also became intense in their threats and ridicule including attacking his sanity and claiming that their gods have seized him with evil (إِن نَّقُولُ إِلَّا ٱعۡتَرَٮٰكَ بَعۡضُ ءَالِهَتِنَا بِسُوٓءٍ۬‌ۗ).  In response, all prophet Hud did was to challenge them to hurt him to demonstrate to them the uselessness of their gods and that no one can hurt him because he put his trust in Allah who is in control of everything:

قَالَ إِنِّىٓ أُشۡہِدُ ٱللَّهَ وَٱشۡہَدُوٓاْ أَنِّى بَرِىٓءٌ۬ مِّمَّا تُشۡرِكُونَ (٥٤) مِن دُونِهِۦ‌ۖ فَكِيدُونِى جَمِيعً۬ا ثُمَّ لَا تُنظِرُونِ (٥٥)

“He said: “I make Allah my witness and you bear witness that I have nothing to do with what you take as gods besides Him. So, plot against me, all of you, and give me no respite. (11:54-55)

 He continued to assure them that he will never compromise with them regarding the divine message and at the end he gave them the final warning that Allah will wipe them out and replace them with others:

فَإِن تَوَلَّوۡاْ فَقَدۡ أَبۡلَغۡتُكُم مَّآ أُرۡسِلۡتُ بِهِۦۤ إِلَيۡكُمۡ‌ۚ وَيَسۡتَخۡلِفُ رَبِّى قَوۡمًا غَيۡرَكُمۡ وَلَا تَضُرُّونَهُ ۥ شَيۡـًٔا‌ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ حَفِيظٌ۬ (٥٧)

“So, if you turn away, I have already conveyed to you the Message with which I was sent to you. My Lord will replace you with some other people, and you can not do Him any harm. Surely, my Lord is Guardian over all things.” (11:57).

The Surat continued with the stories of five other prophets, Saleh, Ibrahim, Lot, Shuaib and Musa, to demonstrate the fate of those who stand against Allah’s message and the fate of those who remain steadfast on the right path and deliver Allah’s message.    Allah emphasizes that His destruction of these nations was only a result of them wronging themselves and that nothing of what they worshipped came to their help. Allah says regarding these nations:

ذَٲلِكَ مِنۡ أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلۡقُرَىٰ نَقُصُّهُ ۥ عَلَيۡكَ‌ۖ مِنۡہَا قَآٮِٕمٌ۬ وَحَصِيدٌ۬ (١٠٠) وَمَا ظَلَمۡنَـٰهُمۡ وَلَـٰكِن ظَلَمُوٓاْ أَنفُسَہُمۡ‌ۖ فَمَآ أَغۡنَتۡ عَنۡہُمۡ ءَالِهَتُہُمُ ٱلَّتِى يَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىۡءٍ۬ لَّمَّا جَآءَ أَمۡرُ رَبِّكَ‌ۖ وَمَا زَادُوهُمۡ غَيۡرَ تَتۡبِيبٍ۬ (١٠١) وَكَذَٲلِكَ أَخۡذُ رَبِّكَ إِذَآ أَخَذَ ٱلۡقُرَىٰ وَهِىَ ظَـٰلِمَةٌ‌ۚ إِنَّ أَخۡذَهُ ۥۤ أَلِيمٌ۬ شَدِيدٌ (١٠٢)

That is a part of the stories of the (destroyed) towns that We narrate to you.  Some of them are (still) standing, and some have been wiped out. (100) We did not wrong them, rather they wronged themselves. So, their gods whom they used to invoke beside Allah did not help them in anyway, when came the command of your Lord, and they added nothing to them except destruction. (101) Such is the Seizing of your Lord when He seizes the (people of) towns when they are transgressing. Indeed, His Seizing is painful, severe. (11:100-102)

After all these stories, Allah provided His key commands to Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and in turn to all those who engage in correcting the transgression and the injustices in their societies.  Allah says:

فَٱسۡتَقِمۡ كَمَآ أُمِرۡتَ وَمَن تَابَ مَعَكَ وَلَا تَطۡغَوۡاْ‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ۬ (١١٢)

So, stand firm as you have been commanded, as well as those who turn in repentance with you, and do not transgress. Surely, He (Allah) is All-Seer of what you do.  (11:112)

وَلَا تَرۡكَنُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ فَتَمَسَّكُمُ ٱلنَّارُ وَمَا لَڪُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِنۡ أَوۡلِيَآءَ ثُمَّ لَا تُنصَرُونَ (١١٣)

And do not incline towards those who have done injustice, lest the Fire should touch you; and you have no supporters other than Allah, then you would not be helped (if you incline to the unjust) (11:113)

Following these commands, the Surat gives the tools and practices to achieve the core message of the Surat which is staying steadfast and carrying out the commands of Allah with resolve.  These tools are prayers and patience, Allah says:

وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ طَرَفَىِ ٱلنَّہَارِ وَزُلَفً۬ا مِّنَ ٱلَّيۡلِ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱلۡحَسَنَـٰتِ يُذۡهِبۡنَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكَ ذِكۡرَىٰ لِلذَّٲكِرِينَ (١١٤) وَٱصۡبِرۡ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجۡرَ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ (١١٥)

Establish the prayer at both ends of the daytime and in the early hours of the night. Surely, good deeds erase bad deeds. That is a Reminding to the mindful. (114) And be patient, for Allah does waste the reward of the righteous”. (11:114-115).

 At the end of the Surat, Allah makes it clear that there will always be differences among people related to their faith.   Allah says:

وَلَوۡ شَآءَ رَبُّكَ لَجَعَلَ ٱلنَّاسَ أُمَّةً۬ وَٲحِدَةً۬‌ۖ وَلَا يَزَالُونَ مُخۡتَلِفِينَ (١١٨) إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ رَبُّكَ‌ۚ وَلِذَٲلِكَ خَلَقَهُمۡ‌ۗ وَتَمَّتۡ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ لَأَمۡلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنَ ٱلۡجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ أَجۡمَعِينَ (١١٩)

“And if your Lord had so willed, He could surely have made mankind one Ummah [community], but they will not cease to disagree, (118) Except those whom your Lord has blessed with Mercy and for that He has created them. And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled (i.e., His Saying): “Surely, I shall fill Hell with jinn and men all together.” (Hud 11:118-119)

 Please note that Allah is not saying that He forced people to differ.  He is saying that as a result of granting people “free will” to make their own choice regarding their belief, there will always be difference in belief among mankind (وَلَا يَزَالُونَ مُخۡتَلِفِينَ).

While some nations were punished by destruction in this life, the real punishment is in the hereafter, Allah says:

إِنَّ فِى ذَٲلِكَ لَأَيَةً۬ لِّمَنۡ خَافَ عَذَابَ ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكَ يَوۡمٌ۬ مَّجۡمُوعٌ۬ لَّهُ ٱلنَّاسُ وَذَٲلِكَ يَوۡمٌ۬ مَّشۡهُودٌ۬ (١٠٣) وَمَا نُؤَخِّرُهُ ۥۤ إِلَّا لِأَجَلٍ۬ مَّعۡدُودٍ۬ (١٠٤)

Indeed, in all these accounts there is a sure lesson for those who fear the punishment of the Hereafter. That is a day when all the people will be gathered, and that is a day that will be witnessed by all (the dwellers of the heavens and the earth). (103) And We do not delay it, but for an already fixed term. (11:103-104)

At this specific time those who follow the divine path will be rewarded with Paradise and those who reject it will face hellfire. Allah gives the contrast between these two groups in the following verses:

يَوۡمَ يَأۡتِ لَا تَڪَلَّمُ نَفۡسٌ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِهِۦ‌ۚ فَمِنۡهُمۡ شَقِىٌّ۬ وَسَعِيدٌ۬ (١٠٥) فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ شَقُواْ فَفِى ٱلنَّارِ لَهُمۡ فِيہَا زَفِيرٌ۬ وَشَهِيقٌ (١٠٦) خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيہَا مَا دَامَتِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتُ وَٱلۡأَرۡضُ إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ رَبُّكَ‌ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ فَعَّالٌ۬ لِّمَا يُرِيدُ (١٠٧) ۞

وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ سُعِدُواْ فَفِى ٱلۡجَنَّةِ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيہَا مَا دَامَتِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتُ وَٱلۡأَرۡضُ إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ رَبُّكَ‌ۖ عَطَآءً غَيۡرَ مَجۡذُوذٍ۬ (١٠٨)

“When the Day (of Judgement) comes, no one shall speak except by His (Allah’s) permission. Some among them will be wretched and (some) blessed. (105) As for those who are wretched, they will be in the Fire, crying and howling. (106) They will remain there forever, as long as the heavens and the earth remain intact, unless your Lord wills (otherwise). Surely, your Lord does whatsoever He intends. (107)

And those who are blessed, they shall be in Paradise, living there forever as long as the heavens and the earth remain intact, unless your Lord wills (otherwise). It will be an award never to be ceased”. (11:105-108)

A question is often raised regarding the phrase (خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيہَا مَا دَامَتِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتُ وَٱلۡأَرۡضُ إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ رَبُّكَ‌) “They will remain there forever, as long as the heavens and the earth remain intact, unless your Lord wills (otherwise)” and whether this ending negates the eternity in hell and heaven.  This phrase should not imply the ending of life in paradise because Allah ended it with (عَطَآءً غَيۡرَ مَجۡذُوذٍ۬) “It will be an award never to be ceased”.  But regarding Hell, the phrase ended with (إِنَّ رَبَّكَ فَعَّالٌ۬ لِّمَا يُرِيدُ) “Surely, your Lord does whatsoever He intends.”  Therefore, some interpreters suggested that Hell is not eternal based on opinions attributed to Ibn Abbas and Ibn Masoud.

Ibn Abbas (اِبْن عَبَّاس) said:

} خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا مَا دَامَتْ السَّمَاوَات وَالْأَرْض} لَا يَمُوتُونَ, وَلَا هُمْ مِنْهَا يُخْرَجُونَ مَا دَامَتْ السَّمَاوَات وَالْأَرْض.  { إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ رَبّك }  قَالَ : اِسْتِثْنَاء اللَّه . قَالَ : يَأْمُر النَّار أَنْ تَأْكُلهُمْ .

Regarding {خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا مَا دَامَتْ السَّمَاوَات وَالْأَرْض} “{They will remain in it for ever as long as the heavens and the earth are intact” it means that they will not die and will not come out of it as long as the heavens and the Earth.  And the exception “unless your Lord wills otherwise” {إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ رَبّك} suggests that Allah made the exception and will order the fire to eat them (يَأْمُر النَّار أَنْ تَأْكُلهُمْ).

 Ibn Masoud (اِبْن مَسْعُود) said:

لَيَأْتِيَنَّ عَلَى جَهَنَّم زَمَان تَخْفِق أَبْوَابهَا لَيْسَ فِيهَا أَحَد، وَذَلِكَ بَعْد مَا يَلْبَثُونَ فِيهَا أَحْقَابًا

“The time will come when the Hell destroys its doors and there will be no one in it and this is after they stayed in it for long time”” and quoted Allah’s saying.

إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتۡ مِرۡصَادً۬ا (٢١) لِّلطَّـٰغِينَ مَـَٔابً۬ا (٢٢) لَّـٰبِثِينَ فِيہَآ أَحۡقَابً۬ا

“Surely, Hell is a place of ambush (21) A dwelling place for the rebellious people, (22) They will stay in it for ages.” (Al-Nab’a 78:23)