Surah An-Nisa 4:121
سُورَةُ النِّسَاءِ · Medinan · Verse 121 of 176
أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ مَأْوَىٰهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ عَنْهَا مَحِيصًۭا
Translation
Such people will have Hell for their home and will find no escape from it,
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This powerful verse serves as a stark conclusion to the description of those who turn away from Allah, opting instead to follow the whispers and delusions of Shaytan. It directly addresses the ultimate outcome for such individuals.
Who is addressed
The word أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ (Ulā'ik), meaning "those," acts as a pointer, drawing our attention back to the specific group of people mentioned just before this verse. These are the ones who have chosen Shaytan as their guardian instead of Allah, who fall for his empty promises and delusions, engaging in acts of polytheism and altering Allah's creation. Imam Ibn Ashur explains that this demonstrative pronoun signals to the listener that the consequence about to be revealed is precisely fitting for the characteristics and actions previously described.
Their final dwelling
The Quran then declares, مَأْوَىٰهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ (Ma'wāhum Jahannamu), "their abode is Hell." The word مَأْوَىٰ (ma'wā) is significant. It doesn't just mean a temporary stop or a place they might visit. Rather, it refers to a permanent dwelling, a final resting place, or a home. By using this word, Allah emphasizes that Hell will be their absolute and everlasting home, a fixed destination from which there is no departure.
No escape, no turning away
The verse concludes with an absolute and terrifying statement: وَلَا يَجِدُونَ عَنْهَا مَحِيصًۭا (Wa lā yajidūna ʿanhā maḥīṣā), which means "and they will not find from it any escape." The phrase وَلَا يَجِدُونَ (wa lā yajidūna) uses a definitive negation, meaning it is not merely difficult but utterly impossible for them to find an escape. The word مَحِيصًۭا (maḥīṣā) itself is quite specific. Scholars like al-Razi and Ibn Ashur explain it as a place to turn away, a refuge, or a means of fleeing. Ibn Ashur illustrates its intensity by connecting it to how wild animals desperately flee. It paints a picture of utter helplessness – there will be no way to evade, detour, or find shelter from the torment once they are in Hell. Their journey ends there, with no path leading out or away.
This verse, therefore, is a profound warning, clearly outlining the dire and inescapable fate of those who knowingly choose to abandon the path of Allah for the deception of Shaytan. It compels us to reflect on our own choices and allegiances, reminding us of the definitive consequences.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Jalalayn, al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah An-Nisa 4:121 is discussed in 2 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah An-Nisa 4:121 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.