سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 81
بَلَىٰ مَن كَسَبَ سَيِّئَةً وَأَحَـٰطَتْ بِهِۦ خَطِيٓـَٔتُهُۥ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ ﴿81﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Yes! Whosoever earns evil and his sin has surrounded him, they are dwellers of the Fire (i.e. Hell); they will dwell therein forever.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
بَلَىٰ
balā
Yes
مَن
man
whoever
كَسَبَ
kasaba
earned
سَيِّئَةًۭ
sayyi-atan
evil
وَأَحَـٰطَتْ
wa-aḥāṭat
and surrounded him
بِهِۦ
bihi
with
خَطِيٓـَٔتُهُۥ
khaṭīatuhu
his sins
فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ
fa-ulāika
[so] those
أَصْحَـٰبُ
aṣḥābu
(are the) companions
ٱلنَّارِ ۖ
l-nāri
(of) the Fire
هُمْ
hum
they
فِيهَا
fīhā
in it
خَـٰلِدُونَ
khālidūna
(will) abide forever
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 81){ سَيِّئَةً:} The tanween here is not for indefiniteness, but for magnification, that is why it is translated as "a great evil." What is meant by this is disbelief and polytheism. A similar incident is when this verse was revealed: «{ اَلَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا وَ لَمْ يَلْبِسُوْۤا اِيْمَانَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ }» [ الأنعام : ۸۲ ] the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) understood the tanween in { ”بِظُلْمٍ“ } to be for indefiniteness and said: "Who among us has not mixed some wrongdoing with his faith?" So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Wrongdoing in the verse does not mean this. Have you not heard the advice Luqman gave to his son: «{ اِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيْمٌ }» [ لقمان : ۱۳ ] 'Indeed, polytheism is surely a great wrongdoing.'" [ بخاری، التفسیر، باب: «{ لا تشرک باللہ … }» : ۴۷۷۶ ] See details in Surah Al-An'am (82). Similarly, here too, by { ”سَيِّئَةً“ } is meant disbelief and polytheism. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) also took this to mean such disbelief that destroys every good deed. [ ابن أبی حاتم بسند حسن : 214/1، ح : ۸۱۲ ]
In these verses, the belief of the Jews is refuted that in any case, they will eventually enter Paradise, even if they do not believe in the Last Prophet. Thus, it is explained that whoever commits a great evil, that is, denies faith in the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and his sins surround him so that no good deed remains, then he is an eternal inhabitant of Hell. What is meant by this are the Jews and other disbelievers, because disbelief is the sin that destroys all good deeds. The verse: «{ وَ قَدِمْنَاۤ اِلٰى مَا عَمِلُوْا مِنْ عَمَلٍ فَجَعَلْنٰهُ هَبَآءً مَّنْثُوْرًا }» [ الفرقان : ۲۳ ] "And We will turn to whatever deeds they did and make them as scattered dust." By this verse, the sinful believer is not meant. The consensus of Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jama'ah is that only the disbelievers and polytheists will remain in the Fire forever, because it is established by mutawatir hadiths that the matter of the sinner is left to Allah; if He wills, He will forgive their sins by His grace and bounty, and if He wills, He will remove them from Hell through intercession or His special mercy. Therefore, in this verse, by { ”سَيِّئَةً“ } and {”خَطِيْٓـَٔتُهٗ“} is meant disbelief and polytheism. Especially because this verse was revealed about the Jews. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said, the verse: «{ بَلٰى مَنْ كَسَبَ سَيِّئَةً...... }» "(It is addressed to the Jews) that whoever did deeds like yours and disbelieved as you did, until his disbelief surrounded all his good deeds." [ ابن أبی حاتم بسند حسن : 213/1، ح : ۸۲۱ ]
In these verses, the belief of the Jews is refuted that in any case, they will eventually enter Paradise, even if they do not believe in the Last Prophet. Thus, it is explained that whoever commits a great evil, that is, denies faith in the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and his sins surround him so that no good deed remains, then he is an eternal inhabitant of Hell. What is meant by this are the Jews and other disbelievers, because disbelief is the sin that destroys all good deeds. The verse: «{ وَ قَدِمْنَاۤ اِلٰى مَا عَمِلُوْا مِنْ عَمَلٍ فَجَعَلْنٰهُ هَبَآءً مَّنْثُوْرًا }» [ الفرقان : ۲۳ ] "And We will turn to whatever deeds they did and make them as scattered dust." By this verse, the sinful believer is not meant. The consensus of Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jama'ah is that only the disbelievers and polytheists will remain in the Fire forever, because it is established by mutawatir hadiths that the matter of the sinner is left to Allah; if He wills, He will forgive their sins by His grace and bounty, and if He wills, He will remove them from Hell through intercession or His special mercy. Therefore, in this verse, by { ”سَيِّئَةً“ } and {”خَطِيْٓـَٔتُهٗ“} is meant disbelief and polytheism. Especially because this verse was revealed about the Jews. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said, the verse: «{ بَلٰى مَنْ كَسَبَ سَيِّئَةً...... }» "(It is addressed to the Jews) that whoever did deeds like yours and disbelieved as you did, until his disbelief surrounded all his good deeds." [ ابن أبی حاتم بسند حسن : 213/1، ح : ۸۲۱ ]
