Say: O Mohammad (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam)
And they say, “The fire will not touch us except for a counted number of days.” Say, “Have you made an agreement with Allah? Then Allah never goes against His agreement. Or do you say about Allah that which you do not know?” (Al Quran, Surah Al Baqarah, Chapter 2: Verse 80)
Summarized Commentary:
This verse should be read in context of Verses 78 – 82: Some of the Jews did not even know how to read. Their religion was not based on their Divine book but on hearsay and guess work. Here is a clear hint to us that religion should be based on the Divine book and the teachings of the messenger of Allah i.e. The Quran and teachings of Prophet Muhammed (PBH). There were others who wrote the book with their hands and claimed that it was from Allah (SWT), this they did for pity gains. Allah (SWT) declares that theirs’ will be a sorrowful state because of such acts. Without any authority from Allah (SWT) they made a statement that the fire would afflict them only for a counted number of days. In reply to this Allah (SWT) states that if they had made an agreement to this effect with Him then, He will not go against it, and questions them on their committing on His behalf without any knowledge. Then He gives His decision “whoever earns evil and is encompassed by his misdeeds will be the inhabitant of the fire, staying in it, and those who believe and act in accordance with the instructions given in the Divine book and by the messenger of Allah, those will be the residents of paradise, they will stay therein.”