Transliteration:( 'Asaa rabbukum anyyarhamakum; wa in 'uttum 'udnaa; wa ja'alnaa jahannama lilkaafireena haseera )
It is hoped that your Lord may have mercy upon you [24]. But if you return to mischief, We shall return to Our punishment [25]. And We have made Hell a confinement for the disbelievers [26].
✅ 24. Hope for Mercy
At the time of the second mischief by the Bani Israel, they were given the opportunity for repentance.
Upon sincere repentance, Allah forgave them, as mentioned in classical tafaseer.
This phrase reflects divine encouragement — showing Allah’s will to instill hope and positive faith even after repeated mistakes.
✅ 25. Return to Punishment
When they once again turned to mischief, particularly by rejecting and opposing the Holy Prophet ﷺ, Allah's punishment returned.
Banu Quraizah were executed for their treachery.
Banu Nadhir were exiled from Madinah.
This confirms that divine retribution is proportional — if wrongdoing returns, so does divine justice.
✅ 26. Hell as a Confinement
This verse makes it clear that earthly punishments are distinct from those of the Hereafter.
Worldly suffering does not reduce the punishment of Hell; instead, Hell is a separate, permanent prison for the disbelievers.
“Confinement” signifies that Hell will completely enclose and trap its dwellers, offering no escape or relief.
The tafsir of Surah Al-Isra verse 8 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Isra ayat 4 which provides the complete commentary from verse 4 through 8.
(17:8) Your Lord may well show Mercy to you, but if you revert to your evil behaviour, We shall revert to chastising you. We have made Hell a prison for those who are thankless[10] of Allah’s bounties.
10. Though this admonition has been given as a parenthesis at the end of the address to the children of Israel, it does not mean that this and the address itself are solely meant for them. As a matter of fact, the whole address is really directed towards the disbelievers of Makkah but, instead of addressing them directly, some important historical events from the history of the children of Israel have been cited in order to serve as admonition for them.
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