Al-Israa (The Night Journey)

8. “It may be that your Lord will have mercy on you, but if you revert (to your sins), We shall (also) revert (to Our punishment), and We have made Hell a prison for the unbelievers.”

The Arabic term /hasir/ is derived from the term /hasr/ which signifies being entrenched and surrounded in an awful place. Carpets made out of straws are called by this name /hasir/ as they are interwoven in like manner.

It is not permissible for anyone to be desperate from the grace of Allah and to lose hope, as Allah has also left the way of return open even for those who are corrupt.

Incidentally, in methods of guidance, we first must start everything with a compassionate tone of voice.

Afterwards, we should employ other means as threats or warnings, similar to the noble verse which, at first, begins with “mercy on you,” and then it uses warning and threat in the case of corruption and concludes the statement, when it implies that the gates for repentance and return to Him are not closed; hopefully, your Lord will have mercy on you; but in the case of returning to sin, His punishment is intensive for what you do.

The verse says:

“It may be that your Lord will have mercy on you, but if you revert (to your sins), We shall (also) revert (to Our punishment), and We have made Hell a prison for the unbelievers.”