َ إِنَّ يَوْمَ الْفَصْلِ كَانَ مِيقَاتًا ﴿۱۷﴾ يَوْمَ يُنْفَخُ فِي الصُّورِ فَتَأْتُونَ أَفْوَاجًا ﴿۱۸﴾ وَفُتِحَتِ السَّمَاءُ فَكَانَتْ أَبْوَابًا ﴿۱۹﴾ وَسُيِّرَتِ الْجِبَالُ فَكَانَتْ سَرَابًا ﴿۲۰﴾ إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتْ مِرْصَادًا ﴿۲۱﴾ لِلطَّاغِينَ مَآبًا ﴿۲۲﴾ لَابِثِينَ فِيهَا أَحْقَابًا ﴿۲۳﴾ لَا يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا بَرْدًا وَلَا شَرَابًا ﴿۲۴﴾ إِلَّا حَمِيمًا وَغَسَّاقًا ﴿۲۵﴾ جَزَاءً وِفَاقًا ﴿۲۶﴾

﴾17﴿ Inna yaumal-fasli kana meeqaata
﴾18﴿ Yauma yun fakhu fis-soori fataa' toona afwaaja
﴾19﴿ Wa futiha tis samaa-u fakaanat abwaaba
﴾20﴿ Wa suyyi raatil jibaalu fa kaanat saraaba
﴾21﴿ Inna jahan nama kaanat mirsaada
﴾22﴿ Lit taa gheena ma aaba
﴾23﴿ Laa bitheena feehaa ahqaaba
﴾24﴿ Laa ya zooqoona feeha bar daw walaa sharaaba
﴾25﴿ Illa hamee maw-wa ghas saaqa
﴾26﴿ Jazaa-aw wi faaqa

﴾17﴿ Indeed, the Day of Decision is a fixed time
﴾18﴿ The Day when the Trumpet is blown, and you will come forth in crowds
﴾19﴿ And the sky will be opened, and it will become gateways
﴾20﴿ And the mountains shall be set in motion, then they will become a mirage
﴾21﴿ Surely, Hell is a place of ambush (a place of watch)
﴾22﴿ It is a place of return for the rebellious
﴾23﴿ They will remain therein for a very long time
﴾24﴿ They will neither taste therein any coolness nor any drink
﴾25﴿ Except scalding water and pus
﴾26﴿ A full recompense

[17,18,19,20] This is a warning of the Hereafter through the mention of the terrors of the Day of Judgment and the conditions of Hell.
(فِي الصُّورِ) refers to the second blowing of the trumpet.
(سَرَابًا)—this is also a simile, meaning like a mirage (ka-s-sarāb). A mirage appears visible to the eye, but in reality, it is nothing. In the same way, the mountains will become like that—vanishing and weightless.
[21,22,23] This is a warning of the Hereafter through the mention of ten states of Hell.
(مِرْصَادًا)—the meaning is that angels are stationed at Hell, lying in wait for the disbelievers, either inside Hell or above it, on the Bridge (Ṣirāṭ). Another meaning is that Hell is ever-ready for punishment.
(أَحْقَابًا) is the plural of ḥuqb, which refers to a portion of time. Words like days, months, or years are not used here because ḥuqb carries more awe, and because the end of aḥqāb is unknown—whereas days, months, and years have known limits.
There are various opinions on its duration:
1. Eighty years
2. Forty years
3. Seventy years
4. One thousand months
5. Seventy thousand years
6. Thirty thousand years
The correct view is that its exact duration is not known, and since it is in plural form, the end is also unknown, which indicates that this is a metaphor for eternity.
Benefit: Some scholars have tried to use this to argue that Hell will eventually end—but this is a mistake:
1. There is disagreement over the duration of ḥuqb, and no authentic hadith proves it conclusively.
2. The differing views are contradictory and lack a clear reason to prefer one over the other.
3. The plural form aḥqāb has no specified end.
4. This opinion contradicts clear and explicit texts such as: “We will not increase you except in torment” (فَلَنْ نَزِيدَكُمْ إِلَّا عَذَابًا), “They will abide therein forever” (خالدين فيها أبداً), and خلود مكين (firm, eternal abode) which indicates the eternity of place.
[24,25,26] (بَرْدًا)—regarding this word, there are many interpretations: it can mean sleep, cold water, cool air, or peace of mind—all of which will be absent for the people of Hell.
(وِفَاقًا)—this implies perfect correspondence or suitability. One meaning is that shirk is a very great sin, and so the punishment is also very great.
Another is that their deeds were filthy, so the punishment is likewise filthy. And the polytheists themselves were filthy, so the punishment is in full accordance with their state.