Tafheem ul Quran

Surah 2 Al-Baqarah, Ayat 80-80

وَقَالُوۡا لَنۡ تَمَسَّنَا النَّارُ اِلَّاۤ اَيَّامًا مَّعۡدُوۡدَةً ​ ؕ قُلۡ اَتَّخَذۡتُمۡ عِنۡدَ اللّٰهِ عَهۡدًا فَلَنۡ يُّخۡلِفَ اللّٰهُ عَهۡدَهٗۤ​ اَمۡ تَقُوۡلُوۡنَ عَلَى اللّٰهِ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏ ﴿2:80﴾

(2:80) They say: “The Fire will certainly not touch us except for a limited number of days.”91 Say (to them): “Have you received a promise from Allah – for Allah never breaks His promise – or do you attribute to Allah something about which you have no knowledge?”


Notes

91. This is a misconception entertained by all Jews, laymen as well as rabbis. They felt sure that no matter what they did, they would remain immune from hell-fire just by virtue of being Jews! The worst they could conceive of was the possibility of a transient punishment before they were transported to heaven.