Surah al-Furqan (The Criterion ) 25 : 65

Explanatory Note

In their prayers, with all its movements, and all their inner feelings, they are fully conscious of their Lord, fearing to incur His displeasure and so His punishment. Thus they appeal to Him: “Our Lord, avert from us the suffering of hell, for the suffering it causes is indeed a dire torment; it is indeed an evil abode and a terrible station.” They have not seen hell or its suffering, but they believe in it. They also visualize it according to its descriptions in the Qur’ān and in the Prophet’s statements. Thus their genuine fear of it is the fruit of true faith.

Humbly and most seriously they pray to their Lord to avert their suffering in hell. They do not feel safe simply because they spend part of the night in worship, prostrating themselves and standing in prayer. Their God-fearing sense makes them think little of what they do, feeling always that they fall short of what is needed. Hence, they pray for God’s grace and forgiveness so that He spares them the punishment of hell.

This description implies that hell tries to engulf every human being, with its gates open and hands outstretched trying to grab them. God’s true servants who stay up far into the night in their devotion fear it and appeal most sincerely to their Lord to spare them from such punishment. As they address their prayer, they shiver with fear: “for the suffering it causes is indeed a dire torment.”