Page 59 - Why Do You Deceive Yourself ?

What Lies Do People Deceive Themselves with? 57
bitions in favor of their own selfish desires and passions hold the belief
that they will serve out their punishment in Hell and then go on to
Paradise. They think that they can do whatever they want in the life of
the world and that they will then be punished in Hell for a while be-
fore being forgiven. In fact, there is no guarantee of such a thing for
anybody, unless Allah wills it.
The Fire is a place of eternal torment and any person who does
not live according to Allah's commands may be condemned to this tor-
ment for eternity. People who imagine that after a time they will be re-

leased from the Fire and do not fear Allah as they should are people
who do not consider or understand His justice. In fact, Allah speaks of
people who act on this superstitious belief and what they will suffer in
the Qur'an:
They say, "The Fire will only touch us for a number of days."
Say, "Have you made a contract with Allah – then Allah will
not break His contract – or are you rather saying about Allah
what you do not know?" No indeed! Those who accumulate
bad actions and are surrounded by their mistakes, such peo-
ple are the Companions of the Fire, remaining in it time-
lessly, for ever; whereas those who believe and do right ac-
tions, such people are the Companions of the Garden, re-
maining in it timelessly, for ever. (Surat al-Baqara: 80-82)
Also the following:

That is because they say, "The Fire will only touch us for a
number of days." Their inventions have deluded them in
their religion. (Surah Al 'Imran: 24)
As the above verses relate, only Allah knows who will suffer what
torment and how long a person will remain in the Fire. The hopeless-
ness and helplessness which will be experienced by people who say