Yawma naqoolu lijahannama hali imtala'ti wataqoolu hal min mazeed (surah Qaf: 30)

Tafseer Tafheem-ul-Quran by Syed Abu-al-A'la Maududi

(50:30) On that Day We shall ask Hell: 'Are you full?' And it will reply: 'Are there any more?' *38

Yawma naqoolu li`jahannama halim talaati wa taqoolu hal mim mazeed

*38) This can have two meanings:(1) "There is no room in me for more men; " and (2) "bring all other culprits who may be there. " According to the first meaning the scene depicted would be that Hell has been so stuffed up with culprits that it cannot hold any more; so much so that when it was asked: "Are you full ?" it cried out, alarmed: "Are there still more culprits to come ?" According to the second meaning, the scene depicted before the mind is that the wrath of Hell is so flared up against the culprits that it is constantly demanding more and more of them to be cast into it so that no culprit escapes un-punished. "Here, the question arises: What is the nature of Allah Almighty's addressing Hell and its reply? Is it only something metaphoric, or is Hell actually a living and intelligent being which may be spoken to and it may respond and give replies? In this regard nothing can, in fact, be said with certainty. Maybe the meaning is metaphoric and only for the purpose of depicting the actual scene of the state of Hell it may have been described in the form of the question and answer, just as one may ask a motor-car: "Why don't you move forward?" and it may say: "There is no petrol in me." But this also is quite possible that this conversation is based on reality. Therefore, it is not correct to assume about the Respective crimes, there is no use quarreling now. Both the one who beguiled and the one who was beguiled have to be punished for the crimes committed by them. "