Tafseer of The Prophets · Al-Anbiyaa · 21:100
For them therein is heavy sighing, and they therein will not hear.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The Exalted means by His word لَهُمْ: the polytheists (mushrikīn) and their gods; and the hā and mīm in لَهُمْ refer to all who are intended by وَكُلٌّ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ — "and all of them abide therein eternally." The Exalted says: for all in Hell (jahannam) there is a groaning (zafīr); وَهُمْ فِيهَا لا يَسْمَعُونَ: that is to say: "And they hear nothing in the Fire."
And Ibn Masʿūd explained His word وَهُمْ فِيهَا لا يَسْمَعُونَ as it was related to us by al-Qāsim, who said: al-Ḥusayn related to us, who said: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of al-Masʿūdī, on the authority of Yūnus ibn Khabbāb, who said: Ibn Masʿūd recited this verse لَهُمْ فِيهَا زَفِيرٌ وَهُمْ فِيهَا لا يَسْمَعُونَ and said: "When the one who will abide eternally in Hell is cast into it, they are placed in coffins of fire; then those coffins are placed inside other coffins; then the coffins are placed inside other coffins with nails of fire in them — so that none of them sees that anyone other than himself is being tormented in Hell." Then he recited لَهُمْ فِيهَا زَفِيرٌ وَهُمْ فِيهَا لا يَسْمَعُونَ.
