The core meaning of KH L D is stable remaining: something does not quickly leave its state or place and endures against change, decay, or exit. This remaining may be spatial, such as abiding in the Garden or the Fire. It may be a state, such as remaining in freshness. It may also be moral and inward, as when a person clings to the earth and lower desire.

Khuld is first a linguistic root about endurance and settlement before it becomes a theological term about eternity. In the Qur’an, when the next life is in view, this endurance becomes deeply weighty and decisive. Still, the word khuld itself should not automatically be treated as absolute eternity in every place. When the Qur’an wants to make endlessness more explicit, it sometimes adds أَبَدًا (abadan).

Central Meaning

The central meaning of KH L D is lastingness and not leaving a state or place. خُلْد (khuld) points to endurance. خَالِد (khālid) is one who remains in a condition and does not depart from it. خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا (khālidīna fīhā) means abiding in it.

At times this remaining is blessing and stability; at other times, downfall and punishment. In أَخْلَدَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ (akhlada ilā al-arḍ), it is remaining at the lower level and clinging to the earth.

Material Image

The material image is something that lasts long, does not decay quickly, and resists the passage of time or displacement. Shade, youth, wealth, pleasure, social rank, and bodily power are passing. What has khuld remains in its state and is not easily uprooted.

This image explains why the Qur’an uses the root for the next life and for the false imagination people build around wealth. A person gathers wealth and imagines that it will preserve him from death and decay, but the Qur’an breaks that illusion.

Classical Language Note

In classical Arabic, khuld means remaining for a long time, enduring, and not quickly disappearing. The field can be used for something that stays for an extended period or changes only after a long delay.

These traces help show the root image, but the main measure is the Qur’anic context itself. The Qur’an uses khuld for denying worldly permanence, exposing the illusion of wealth, describing attachment to the earth, and speaking of lastingness in the next life.

Khuld and Denial of Worldly Permanence

In 21:34, the Qur’an says: وَمَا جَعَلْنَا لِبَشَرٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ الْخُلْدَ ۖ أَفَإِن مِّتَّ فَهُمُ الْخَالِدُونَ (wa-mā jaʿalnā li-basharin min qablika al-khuld afa-in mitta fa-humu al-khālidūn).

Here الْخُلْد (al-khuld) refers to lastingness in worldly life. No human being has khuld in this world. The Prophet, at the bodily and earthly level, is not outside the law of death; others should not imagine that they will remain after him.

The Illusion of Becoming Lasting Through Wealth

In 104:2-3, the Qur’an says: الَّذِي جَمَعَ مَالًا وَعَدَّدَهُ يَحْسَبُ أَنَّ مَالَهُ أَخْلَدَهُ (alladhī jamaʿa mālan wa-ʿaddadahu yaḥsabu anna mālahu akhladahu).

أَخْلَدَهُ (akhladahu) means made him lasting, preserved him, or kept him from ending, but the verse presents this as the illusion of the wealth-gatherer, not as reality. He gathers and counts wealth as though larger numbers could protect him from death and reckoning.

Akhlada Ilā Al-Arḍ

In 7:176, the Qur’an says: وَلَوْ شِئْنَا لَرَفَعْنَاهُ بِهَا وَلَٰكِنَّهُ أَخْلَدَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ (wa-law shi'nā la-rafaʿnāhu bihā wa-lākinnahu akhlada ilā al-arḍi wa-ittabaʿa hawāhu).

أَخْلَدَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ (akhlada ilā al-arḍ) should not be translated as “became eternal to the earth.” The preposition إِلَى (ilā) shows direction and inclination: he inclined to the earth, clung to it, remained at the lower level, and stopped rising. Here remaining is not praise; it is falling and clinging below.

Jannatu Al-Khuld and Yawm Al-Khulūd

In 25:15, the Qur’an says: قُلْ أَذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ أَمْ جَنَّةُ الْخُلْدِ الَّتِي وُعِدَ الْمُتَّقُونَ (qul a-dhālika khayrun am jannatu al-khuldi allatī wuʿida al-muttaqūn).

جَنَّةُ الْخُلْد (jannatu al-khuld) means the garden of lastingness, a garden whose blessing is not passing or collapsing. In 50:34, the Qur’an says: ادْخُلُوهَا بِسَلَامٍ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ يَوْمُ الْخُلُودِ (udkhulūhā bi-salāmin dhālika yawmu al-khulūd). يَوْمُ الْخُلُودِ (yawm al-khulūd) is the day when the unstable stage of worldly life is left behind and the human being enters the lasting state of his or her destiny.

Khālidīna Fīhā: Abiding in a Place

In 2:82, the Qur’an says: وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ (wa-alladhīna āmanū wa-ʿamilū al-ṣāliḥāti ulā'ika aṣḥābu al-jannati hum fīhā khālidūn).

The structure فِيهَا (fīhā) matters. Khulūd here is not only a detached quality; it is abiding in a vessel, place, or state. A root-sensitive translation is “they abide in it” or “they remain in it.”

Khālidīna Fīhā Abadan

In 65:11, the Qur’an says: يُدْخِلْهُ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا (yudkhilhu jannātin tajrī min taḥtihā al-anhāru khālidīna fīhā abadan).

In this phrase, خَالِدِينَ (khālidīn) carries abiding in that place, while أَبَدًا (abadan) makes the horizon of that abiding endless and uninterrupted. If every occurrence of خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا (khālidīna fīhā) is immediately translated “forever,” the difference made by أَبَدًا (abadan) becomes less visible.

Khulūd in the Fire

In 2:39, the Qur’an says: وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَكَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ (wa-alladhīna kafarū wa-kadhdhabū bi-āyātinā ulā'ika aṣḥābu al-nāri hum fīhā khālidūn).

The root KH L D is not used only for the Garden; it is also used for the Fire. The context is the destiny of the next life, so this remaining is not simple or brief. A punishment example with أَبَدًا (abadan) appears in 72:23: فَإِنَّ لَهُ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا (fa-inna lahu nāra jahannama khālidīna fīhā abadan).

Mukhalladūn: Lasting in a State

In 56:17, the Qur’an says: يَطُوفُ عَلَيْهِمْ وِلْدَانٌ مُّخَلَّدُونَ (yaṭūfu ʿalayhim wildānun mukhalladūn).

In 76:19, it also says: وَيَطُوفُ عَلَيْهِمْ وِلْدَانٌ مُّخَلَّدُونَ إِذَا رَأَيْتَهُمْ حَسِبْتَهُمْ لُؤْلُؤًا مَّنثُورًا (wa-yaṭūfu ʿalayhim wildānun mukhalladūna idhā ra'aytahum ḥasibtahum lu'lu'an manthūran). مُخَلَّدُون (mukhalladūn) here points to remaining in freshness, not aging, and not losing the state fitting that garden-life scene.

Distinguishing Qur’anic Uses

In 21:34, khuld denies worldly permanence for human beings. In 104:3, it exposes the illusion of becoming lasting through wealth. In 7:176, أَخْلَدَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ (akhlada ilā al-arḍ) means clinging to the earth and remaining at the lower level.

In 25:15 and 50:34, khuld concerns lastingness in the next life. In phrases like خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا (khālidīna fīhā), the root points to remaining in the Garden or the Fire. When أَبَدًا (abadan) is added, endlessness is made explicit. In وِلْدَانٌ مُّخَلَّدُونَ (wildānun mukhalladūn), the meaning concerns lasting in state and freshness.

Grammatical and Structural Notes

In خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا (khālidīna fīhā), فِيهَا (fīhā) is essential. Khulūd in this structure is remaining in a place or state, so translation should preserve the relation between person and vessel: “abiding in it.”

In خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا (khālidīna fīhā abadan), أَبَدًا (abadan) is a time adverb that makes endlessness explicit. In أَخْلَدَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ (akhlada ilā al-arḍ), إِلَى (ilā) shows direction and attachment. In يَحْسَبُ أَنَّ مَالَهُ أَخْلَدَهُ (yaḥsabu anna mālahu akhladahu), the verb is transitive: wealth, in his illusion, has made him lasting.

Difference From Nearby Roots

KH L D is close to B Q Y, but not identical. Baqā' concerns remaining after other things go, perish, or are removed. Khuld emphasizes being settled in a state or place and not leaving it.

KH L D differs from A B D. أَبَد (abad) indicates an uninterrupted future horizon. Khuld is remaining and not departing from a state or place. When the Qur’an says خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا (khālidīna fīhā abadan), أَبَدًا (abadan) clarifies and intensifies khulūd; it is not simply the same root.

KH L D also differs from D W M, L B TH, M K TH, and ʿ M R. Dawām is continuity; labth is staying or lingering for some time; makth is stopping or remaining somewhere for a while; ʿumr relates to living, inhabiting, and length of life. Khuld is heavier, more settled remaining against ending, decay, or exit from a state.

Forqan Translation Method

In Forqan translation, KH L D should not always be translated as “eternity.” In English, “eternal” is heavy and absolute, and it may hide Qur’anic distinctions. In many places, “lastingness,” “abiding,” “remaining,” “remaining in it,” or “endurance” is more precise.

When the verse says خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا (khālidīna fīhā), the base translation may be “abiding in it.” When it says خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا (khālidīna fīhā abadan), “abiding in it forever” or “remaining in it forever” is more appropriate. In أَخْلَدَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ (akhlada ilā al-arḍ), the sense is “he clung to the earth,” “he inclined to the earth,” or “he remained at the lower level.”

Translation Suggestions

For الْخُلْد (al-khuld): lastingness; endurance; stable remaining.
For جَنَّةُ الْخُلْد (jannatu al-khuld): the garden of lastingness; the enduring garden; the lasting Garden.
For يَوْمُ الْخُلُودِ (yawm al-khulūd): the day of lastingness; the day of entering lastingness; the day of enduring destiny.
For خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا (khālidīna fīhā): abiding in it; remaining in it; staying in it without departure.
For خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا (khālidīna fīhā abadan): abiding in it forever; remaining in it forever.
For يَحْسَبُ أَنَّ مَالَهُ أَخْلَدَهُ (yaḥsabu anna mālahu akhladahu): he thinks his wealth has made him lasting; or: he imagines his wealth has preserved him from ending and decay.
For أَخْلَدَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ (akhlada ilā al-arḍ): he clung to the earth; he inclined to the earth and remained at that level; he attached himself to the lower life.
For وِلْدَانٌ مُّخَلَّدُونَ (wildānun mukhalladūn): youths lasting in their freshness; attendants kept in their state.

Summary

The root KH L D in the Qur’an points to lastingness, endurance, settlement, and not leaving a state or place. The root by itself does not always mean absolute eternity; its basic meaning is remaining and enduring. Context decides whether this lastingness is worldly, imaginary, moral, next-life, or explicitly endless.

In this world, the Qur’an denies khuld for human beings and breaks the illusion of becoming lasting through wealth. Morally, أَخْلَدَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ (akhlada ilā al-arḍ) means a person clings to the lower level and stops rising. In the next life, khuld points to abiding in the final place; and when أَبَدًا (abadan) joins it, the endlessness of that abiding becomes explicit.