101:9 the abyss will then be his mother.

101:9 The word hāwiya represents an abyss, a fall or the lowest pit of the Hell. This abyss is idiomatically personified with a mother (umm). Just like a mother brings up her child in her lap or in the cradle (2:206; 57:15) with due care befitting a mother, the bottom of Hell will hug the sinners with due care befitting the Hell – through its blazing fire. A mother would hug her child and not part with him or her under any circumstance until nursing and bringing up is complete, similarly the Hell, too, will hug the sinners and ‘nurse’ with punishments until the spiritual dross is wiped off.