Quran Garden

Session 416

Chapter 3

Verses 87, 88 & 89

The reward of such people is that Allah's curse is on them and that of the angels and of all humankind. (Chapter 3: Verse 87)

In the previous session, we discussed people who received God's guidance and recognized the truth beyond any doubt, yet decided to reject it.  In the verse under study, God explains the consequences of their choices. 

A curse is the expulsion from God's mercy.  And, because God rejects them, the angels, the believers, and the entire humankind will do the same.  Here you may ask, will the disbelievers curse such people too?  We answer: yes because human nature recognizes what is right and wrong.  A thief does not respect other thieves; in fact, he or she will look for an honest person to deposit money with.  A sinful woman will leave her newborn by the door of a mosque or a church because she knows where righteous people usually are.  Likewise, a disbeliever recognizes the sin of others even if he or she is committing the same.  Thus, disbelievers will curse one another because the human instinct does not approve of such behavior.

On the Day of Judgement, the disbelievers will exchange curses, and all people will curse them as well.  They will remain in this wretched state eternally for their intentional deviation from God's path.  God says:

And so they will remain, with no relief or respite for their suffering.

(Chapter 3: Verse 88)

Some people mistakenly assume that entering Hellfire means that they will burn like a wood log, and then all will be over, as narrated by the following verse:

They say, "The Fire will only touch us for a few days." Say to them: "Have you received a promise from God - for God never breaks His promise - or are you saying things about Him of which you have no real knowledge?" (2:80)

God answers these claims with the following verse. He says:        

We shall send those who reject Our revelations to the Fire. When their skins have been burned away, We shall replace them with new ones so that they may continue to feel the pain: God is mighty and wise. (4:56)

Modern science proved that the skin is the center of pain receptors. A person becomes less sensitive to pain after their skin calluses or breaks.  Thus, God will create a new skin for the people of Hell, so their suffering will continue forever.  He says:

And so they will remain, with no relief or respite for their suffering.

(Chapter 3: Verse 88)

             However, it is crucial to keep in mind that Allah is not out to punish people.  Quite the opposite, He sent you messengers, scriptures, and countless warnings to guide you towards Paradise and save you from sin.  Allah leaves the door of repentance open even for the worst sinners and deniers.  He says:

Not so for those who afterward repent and mend their ways - God is most forgiving and merciful. (Chapter 3: Verse 89)

Allah is your Creator, and He wants you to do well.  He likes you to be pure even after sin, so He opened the door of repentance wide before you.  Our beloved Prophet Muhammad said, "God is happier with the repentance of His servant than one of you finding his horse after it had strayed away in the middle of the desert."  This narration illustrates a man traveling with all his wealth, food, and water, packed on the back of his animal.  Amid a barren desert, the horse gets away.  He searches for days to no avail.  He has lost all the necessities for survival, and he knows that an agonizing death is one or two days away.  Suddenly, he turns around and finds the horse standing before him.  Imagine the amount of happiness, joy, and relief this man feels.  This pales when compared to God's delight when you repent to Him and seek forgiveness for your sins; "God is most forgiving and merciful."   

Sincere repentance means to cease from sin, feel remorseful for what you did, and determine to never return to that sin again and, lastly, to make amends and return what you have wrongfully taken from others.

Our beloved Muhammad said, "Verily, God stretches out His hand by night to accept the repentance of those who sinned by day, and He stretches out His hand by day to accept the repentance of those who sinned by night; until the sun rises from the West."

Allah legislated repentance to save you and the society around you because if repentance were not allowed, then a person may despair after the first sin.  Once a sinner loses hope of forgiveness, they would continue on that path and cause suffering to society.  It is for this very reason that Allah legislated repentance so that you do not despair from His mercy.  At every turn in your life, you can ask for forgiveness and be close to your Creator again.  God says:

Not so for those who afterward repent and mend their ways - God is most forgiving and merciful. (Chapter 3: Verse 89)

A common saying goes, "Perhaps a sin that causes humility and regret is better than obedience that provokes pride and arrogance." This is because the most generous members of society are often those who wronged themselves and sinned before.  When they remember their past sins, they hasten towards good acts hoping that God will overlook their mistakes.  Allah turns the former disobedience of the individual into a permanent flame that provokes his or her conscience to do good continually. 

So, whenever you see a person who has excessively wronged him or herself, take a moment to pray for their guidance because they may turn out to be a great source of good for the society.  Quite often, people who go after sin with intensity will do the same when they reform themselves and try to erase their evil past with good deeds.