Tafheem ul Quran

Surah 18 Al-Kahf, Ayat 17-50

وَتَرَى الشَّمۡسَ اِذَا طَلَعَتۡ تَّزٰوَرُ عَنۡ كَهۡفِهِمۡ ذَاتَ الۡيَمِيۡنِ وَاِذَا غَرَبَتۡ تَّقۡرِضُهُمۡ ذَاتَ الشِّمَالِ وَهُمۡ فِىۡ فَجۡوَةٍ مِّنۡهُ​ ؕ ذٰ لِكَ مِنۡ اٰيٰتِ اللّٰهِ​ ؕ مَنۡ يَّهۡدِ اللّٰهُ فَهُوَ الۡمُهۡتَدِ ​ۚ وَمَنۡ يُّضۡلِلۡ فَلَنۡ تَجِدَ لَهٗ وَلِيًّا مُّرۡشِدًا‏ ﴿18:17﴾ وَ تَحۡسَبُهُمۡ اَيۡقَاظًا وَّهُمۡ رُقُوۡدٌ ​​ۖ وَنُـقَلِّبُهُمۡ ذَاتَ الۡيَمِيۡنِ وَ ذَاتَ الشِّمَالِ​​ ۖ وَكَلۡبُهُمۡ بَاسِطٌ ذِرَاعَيۡهِ بِالۡوَصِيۡدِ​ ؕ لَوِ اطَّلَعۡتَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ لَوَلَّيۡتَ مِنۡهُمۡ فِرَارًا وَّلَمُلِئۡتَ مِنۡهُمۡ رُعۡبًا‏  ﴿18:18﴾ وَكَذٰلِكَ بَعَثۡنٰهُمۡ لِيَتَسَآءَلُوۡا بَيۡنَهُمۡ​ ؕ قَالَ قَآئِلٌ مِّنۡهُمۡ كَمۡ لَبِثۡتُمۡ ؕ قَالُوۡا لَبِثۡنَا يَوۡمًا اَوۡ بَعۡضَ يَوۡمٍ​ ؕ قَالُوۡا رَبُّكُمۡ اَعۡلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثۡتُمۡ ؕ فَابۡعَثُوۡۤا اَحَدَكُمۡ بِوَرِقِكُمۡ هٰذِهٖۤ اِلَى الۡمَدِيۡنَةِ فَلۡيَنۡظُرۡ اَيُّهَاۤ اَزۡكٰى طَعَامًا فَلۡيَاۡتِكُمۡ بِرِزۡقٍ مِّنۡهُ وَلۡيَتَلَطَّفۡ وَلَا يُشۡعِرَنَّ بِكُمۡ اَحَدًا‏ ﴿18:19﴾ اِنَّهُمۡ اِنۡ يَّظۡهَرُوۡا عَلَيۡكُمۡ يَرۡجُمُوۡكُمۡ اَوۡ يُعِيۡدُوۡكُمۡ فِىۡ مِلَّتِهِمۡ وَلَنۡ تُفۡلِحُوۡۤا اِذًا اَبَدًا‏ ﴿18:20﴾ وَكَذٰلِكَ اَعۡثَرۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ لِيَـعۡلَمُوۡۤا اَنَّ وَعۡدَ اللّٰهِ حَقٌّ وَّاَنَّ السَّاعَةَ لَا رَيۡبَ فِيۡهَا ​ۚ اِذۡ يَتَـنَازَعُوۡنَ بَيۡنَهُمۡ اَمۡرَهُمۡ​ فَقَالُوۡا ابۡنُوۡا عَلَيۡهِمۡ بُنۡيَانًـا ​ ؕ رَبُّهُمۡ اَعۡلَمُ بِهِمۡ​ؕ قَالَ الَّذِيۡنَ غَلَبُوۡا عَلٰٓى اَمۡرِهِمۡ لَـنَـتَّخِذَنَّ عَلَيۡهِمۡ مَّسۡجِدًا‏ ﴿18:21﴾ سَيَـقُوۡلُوۡنَ ثَلٰثَةٌ رَّابِعُهُمۡ كَلۡبُهُمۡ​ۚ وَيَقُوۡلُوۡنَ خَمۡسَةٌ سَادِسُهُمۡ كَلۡبُهُمۡ رَجۡمًۢا بِالۡغَيۡبِ​ۚ وَيَقُوۡلُوۡنَ سَبۡعَةٌ وَّثَامِنُهُمۡ كَلۡبُهُمۡ​ؕ قُلْ رَّبِّىۡۤ اَعۡلَمُ بِعِدَّتِهِمۡ مَّا يَعۡلَمُهُمۡ اِلَّا قَلِيۡلٌ  فَلَا تُمَارِ فِيۡهِمۡ اِلَّا مِرَآءً ظَاهِرًا وَّلَا تَسۡتَفۡتِ فِيۡهِمۡ مِّنۡهُمۡ اَحَدًا‏ ﴿18:22﴾ وَلَا تَقُوۡلَنَّ لِشَاىۡءٍ اِنِّىۡ فَاعِلٌ ذٰ لِكَ غَدًا ۙ‏ ﴿18:23﴾ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ يَّشَآءَ اللّٰهُ​ وَاذۡكُرْ رَّبَّكَ اِذَا نَسِيۡتَ وَقُلۡ عَسٰٓى اَنۡ يَّهۡدِيَنِ رَبِّىۡ لِاَقۡرَبَ مِنۡ هٰذَا رَشَدًا‏ ﴿18:24﴾ وَلَبِثُوۡا فِىۡ كَهۡفِهِمۡ ثَلٰثَ مِائَةٍ سِنِيۡنَ وَازۡدَادُوۡا تِسۡعًا‏  ﴿18:25﴾ قُلِ اللّٰهُ اَعۡلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثُوۡا​ ۚ لَهٗ غَيۡبُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ​ ؕ اَبۡصِرۡ بِهٖ وَاَسۡمِعۡ​ ؕ مَا لَهُمۡ مِّنۡ دُوۡنِهٖ مِنۡ وَّلِىٍّ  وَّلَا يُشۡرِكُ فِىۡ حُكۡمِهٖۤ اَحَدًا‏ ﴿18:26﴾ وَاتۡلُ مَاۤ اُوۡحِىَ اِلَيۡكَ مِنۡ كِتَابِ رَبِّكَ ​ؕ لَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمٰتِهٖ​ ۚ وَلَنۡ تَجِدَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِهٖ مُلۡتَحَدًا‏ ﴿18:27﴾ وَاصۡبِرۡ نَـفۡسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِيۡنَ يَدۡعُوۡنَ رَبَّهُمۡ بِالۡغَدٰوةِ وَالۡعَشِىِّ يُرِيۡدُوۡنَ وَجۡهَهٗ​ وَلَا تَعۡدُ عَيۡنٰكَ عَنۡهُمۡ​ ۚ تُرِيۡدُ زِيۡنَةَ الۡحَيٰوةِ الدُّنۡيَا​ ۚ وَ لَا تُطِعۡ مَنۡ اَغۡفَلۡنَا قَلۡبَهٗ عَنۡ ذِكۡرِنَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوٰٮهُ وَكَانَ اَمۡرُهٗ فُرُطًا‏ ﴿18:28﴾ وَقُلِ الۡحَـقُّ مِنۡ رَّبِّكُمۡ​ فَمَنۡ شَآءَ فَلۡيُؤۡمِنۡ وَّمَنۡ شَآءَ فَلۡيَكۡفُرۡ ​ۙاِنَّاۤ اَعۡتَدۡنَا لِلظّٰلِمِيۡنَ نَارًا ۙ اَحَاطَ بِهِمۡ سُرَادِقُهَا​ ؕ وَاِنۡ يَّسۡتَغِيۡثُوۡا يُغَاثُوۡا بِمَآءٍ كَالۡمُهۡلِ يَشۡوِى الۡوُجُوۡهَ​ؕ بِئۡسَ الشَّرَابُ وَسَآءَتۡ مُرۡتَفَقًا‏ ﴿18:29﴾ اِنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَعَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ اِنَّا لَا نُضِيۡعُ اَجۡرَ مَنۡ اَحۡسَنَ عَمَلًا​ ۚ‏ ﴿18:30﴾ اُولٰۤـئِكَ لَهُمۡ جَنّٰتُ عَدۡنٍ تَجۡرِىۡ مِنۡ تَحۡتِهِمُ الۡاَنۡهٰرُ يُحَلَّوۡنَ فِيۡهَا مِنۡ اَسَاوِرَ مِنۡ ذَهَبٍ وَّ يَلۡبَسُوۡنَ ثِيَابًا خُضۡرًا مِّنۡ سُنۡدُسٍ وَّاِسۡتَبۡرَقٍ مُّتَّكِـئِيۡنَ فِيۡهَا عَلَى الۡاَرَآئِكِ​ؕ نِعۡمَ الثَّوَابُ ؕ وَحَسُنَتۡ مُرۡتَفَقًا‏ ﴿18:31﴾ وَاضۡرِبۡ لَهُمۡ مَّثَلًا رَّجُلَيۡنِ جَعَلۡنَا لِاَحَدِهِمَا جَنَّتَيۡنِ مِنۡ اَعۡنَابٍ وَّحَفَفۡنٰهُمَا بِنَخۡلٍ وَّجَعَلۡنَا بَيۡنَهُمَا زَرۡعًا ؕ‏ ﴿18:32﴾ كِلۡتَا الۡجَـنَّتَيۡنِ اٰتَتۡ اُكُلَهَا وَلَمۡ تَظۡلِمۡ مِّنۡهُ شَيۡـئًـا​ ۙ وَّفَجَّرۡنَا خِلٰـلَهُمَا نَهَرًا ۙ‏ ﴿18:33﴾ وَكَانَ لَهٗ ثَمَرٌ​ ۚ فَقَالَ لِصَاحِبِهٖ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهٗۤ اَنَا اَكۡثَرُ مِنۡكَ مَالًا وَّاَعَزُّ نَفَرًا‏ ﴿18:34﴾ وَدَخَلَ جَنَّتَهٗ وَهُوَ ظَالِمٌ لِّنَفۡسِهٖ​ ۚ قَالَ مَاۤ اَظُنُّ اَنۡ تَبِيۡدَ هٰذِهٖۤ اَبَدًا ۙ‏ ﴿18:35﴾ وَّمَاۤ اَظُنُّ السَّاعَةَ قَآئِمَةً  ۙ وَّلَـئِنۡ رُّدِدْتُّ اِلٰى رَبِّىۡ لَاَجِدَنَّ خَيۡرًا مِّنۡهَا مُنۡقَلَبًا‏ ﴿18:36﴾ قَالَ لَهٗ صَاحِبُهٗ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهٗۤ اَكَفَرۡتَ بِالَّذِىۡ خَلَقَكَ مِنۡ تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِنۡ نُّـطۡفَةٍ ثُمَّ سَوّٰٮكَ رَجُلًاؕ‏ ﴿18:37﴾ لّٰـكِنَّا۟ هُوَ اللّٰهُ رَبِّىۡ وَلَاۤ اُشۡرِكُ بِرَبِّىۡۤ اَحَدًا‏ ﴿18:38﴾ وَلَوۡلَاۤ اِذۡ دَخَلۡتَ جَنَّتَكَ قُلۡتَ مَا شَآءَ اللّٰهُ ۙ لَا قُوَّةَ اِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ​ ۚ اِنۡ تَرَنِ اَنَا اَقَلَّ مِنۡكَ مَالًا وَّوَلَدًا​ ۚ‏ ﴿18:39﴾ فَعَسٰى رَبِّىۡۤ اَنۡ يُّؤۡتِيَنِ خَيۡرًا مِّنۡ جَنَّتِكَ وَيُرۡسِلَ عَلَيۡهَا حُسۡبَانًا مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ فَتُصۡبِحَ صَعِيۡدًا زَلَـقًا ۙ‏ ﴿18:40﴾ اَوۡ يُصۡبِحَ مَآؤُهَا غَوۡرًا فَلَنۡ تَسۡتَطِيۡعَ لَهٗ طَلَبًا‏ ﴿18:41﴾ وَاُحِيۡطَ بِثَمَرِهٖ فَاَصۡبَحَ يُقَلِّبُ كَفَّيۡهِ عَلَىٰ مَاۤ اَنۡفَقَ فِيۡهَا وَهِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلٰى عُرُوۡشِهَا وَيَقُوۡلُ يٰلَيۡتَنِىۡ لَمۡ اُشۡرِكۡ بِرَبِّىۡۤ اَحَدًا‏ ﴿18:42﴾ وَلَمۡ تَكُنۡ لَّهٗ فِئَةٌ يَّـنۡصُرُوۡنَهٗ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰهِ وَمَا كَانَ مُنۡتَصِرًا ؕ‏ ﴿18:43﴾ هُنَالِكَ الۡوَلَايَةُ لِلّٰهِ الۡحَـقِّ​ؕ هُوَ خَيۡرٌ ثَوَابًا وَّخَيۡرٌ عُقۡبًا‏ ﴿18:44﴾ وَاضۡرِبۡ لَهُمۡ مَّثَلَ الۡحَيٰوةِ الدُّنۡيَا كَمَآءٍ اَنۡزَلۡنٰهُ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ فَاخۡتَلَطَ بِهٖ نَبَاتُ الۡاَرۡضِ فَاَصۡبَحَ هَشِيۡمًا تَذۡرُوۡهُ الرِّيٰحُ​ ؕ وَكَانَ اللّٰهُ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ مُّقۡتَدِرًا‏ ﴿18:45﴾ اَلۡمَالُ وَ الۡبَـنُوۡنَ زِيۡنَةُ الۡحَيٰوةِ الدُّنۡيَا​ ۚ وَالۡبٰقِيٰتُ الصّٰلِحٰتُ خَيۡرٌ عِنۡدَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَّخَيۡرٌ اَمَلًا‏ ﴿18:46﴾ وَيَوۡمَ نُسَيِّرُ الۡجِبَالَ و تَرَى الۡاَرۡضَ بَارِزَةً  ۙ وَّحَشَرۡنٰهُمۡ فَلَمۡ نُغَادِرۡ مِنۡهُمۡ اَحَدًا​ ۚ‏ ﴿18:47﴾ وَعُرِضُوۡا عَلٰى رَبِّكَ صَفًّا ؕ لَقَدۡ جِئۡتُمُوۡنَا كَمَا خَلَقۡنٰكُمۡ اَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ ۢ  بَلۡ زَعَمۡتُمۡ اَ لَّنۡ نَّجۡعَلَ لَـكُمۡ مَّوۡعِدًا‏ ﴿18:48﴾ وَوُضِعَ الۡكِتٰبُ فَتَرَى الۡمُجۡرِمِيۡنَ مُشۡفِقِيۡنَ مِمَّا فِيۡهِ وَ يَقُوۡلُوۡنَ يٰوَيۡلَـتَـنَا مَالِ هٰذَا الۡـكِتٰبِ لَا يُغَادِرُ صَغِيۡرَةً وَّلَا كَبِيۡرَةً اِلَّاۤ اَحۡصٰٮهَا​ ۚ وَوَجَدُوۡا مَا عَمِلُوۡا حَاضِرًا​ ؕ وَ لَا يَظۡلِمُ رَبُّكَ اَحَدًا‏ ﴿18:49﴾ وَاِذۡ قُلۡنَا لِلۡمَلٰۤـئِكَةِ اسۡجُدُوۡا لِاٰدَمَ فَسَجَدُوۡۤا اِلَّاۤ اِبۡلِيۡسَؕ كَانَ مِنَ الۡجِنِّ فَفَسَقَ عَنۡ اَمۡرِ رَبِّهٖؕ اَفَتَـتَّخِذُوۡنَهٗ وَذُرِّيَّتَهٗۤ اَوۡلِيَآءَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِىۡ وَهُمۡ لَـكُمۡ عَدُوٌّ ؕ بِئۡسَ لِلظّٰلِمِيۡنَ بَدَلًا‏  ﴿18:50﴾

(18:17) Had you seen them in the Cave12 it would have appeared to you that when the sun rose, it moved away from their Cave to the right; and when it set, it turned away from them to the left, while they remained in a spacious hollow in the Cave.13 This is one of the Signs of Allah. Whomsoever Allah guides, he alone is led aright; and whomsoever Allah lets go astray, you will find for him no guardian to direct him. (18:18) On seeing them you would fancy them to be awake though they were asleep; and We caused them to turn their sides to their right and to their left,14 and their dog sat stretching out its forelegs on the threshold of the Cave. Had you looked upon them you would have certainly fled away from them, their sight filling you with terror.15 (18:19) Likewise, We roused them16 in a miraculous way that they might question one another. One of them asked: "How long did you remain (in this state)?" The others said: "We remained so for a day or part of a day." Then they said: "Your Lord knows better how long we remained in this state. Now send one of you to the city with this coin of yours and let him see who has the best food, and let him buy some provisions from there. Let him be cautious and not inform anyone of our whereabouts. (18:20) For if they should come upon us, they will stone us to death or force us to revert to their faith whereafter we shall never prosper." (18:21) Thus did We make their case known to the people of the city17 so that they might know that Allah's promise is true, and that there is absolutely no doubt that the Hour will come to pass.18 But instead of giving thought to this, they disputed with one another concerning the People of the Cave, some saying: "Build a wall over them.19 Their Lord alone knows best about them." But those who prevailed over their affairs20 said: "We shall build a place of worship over them."21 (18:22) Some will say concerning them: "They were three and their dog, the fourth"; and some will say: "They were five, and their dog, the sixth" � all this being merely guesswork; and still others will say: "They were seven, and their dog, the eighth."22 Say: "My Lord knows their number best. Only a few know their correct number. So do not dispute concerning their number, but stick to what is evident, and do not question anyone about them."23 (18:23) And never say about anything: "I shall certainly do this tomorrow" (18:24) unless Allah should will it. And should you forget (and make such a statement), remember your Lord and say: "I expect my Lord to guide me24 to what is nearer to rectitude than this." (18:25) They remained in the Cave for three hundred years; and others added nine more years.25 (18:26) Say: "Allah knows best how long they remained in it, for only He knows all that is hidden in the heavens and the earth. How well He sees; how well He hears! The creatures have no other guardian than Him; He allows none to share His authority." (18:27) (O Prophet),26 recite to them from the Book of your Lord what has been revealed to you for none may change His words; (and were you to make any change in His words) you will find no refuge from Him.27 (18:28) Keep yourself content with those who call upon their Lord, morning and evening, seeking His pleasure, and do not let your eyes pass beyond them. Do you seek the pomp and glitter of the world?28 Do not follow him29 whose heart We have caused to be heedless of Our remembrance, and who follows his desires, and whose attitude is of excess.30 (18:29) And proclaim: "This is the Truth from your Lord. Now let him who will, believe; and let him who will, disbelieve.31 We have prepared a Fire for the wrong-doers whose billowing folds encompass them.32 If they ask for water, they will be served with a drink like dregs of oil33 that will scald their faces. How dreadful a drink, and how evil an abode! (18:30) As for those who believe and do good We shall not cause their reward to be lost. (18:31) They shall dwell in the Gardens of Eternity, beneath which streams flow. There they will be adorned with bracelets of gold,34 will be arrayed in green garments of silk and rich brocade, and will recline on raised couches.35 How excellent is their reward, and how nice their resting-place!" (18:32) (O Muhammad), propound a parable to them.36 There were two men of whom We bestowed upon one of the two vineyards, surrounding both of them with date-palms and putting a tillage in between. (18:33) Both the vineyards yielded abundant produce without failure and We caused a stream to flow in their midst (18:34) so the owner had fruit in abundance and he said to his neighbour, while conversing with him: "I have greater wealth than you and I am stronger than you in numbers." (18:35) Then he entered his vine-yard37 and said, wronging himself: "Surely, I do not believe that all this will ever perish. (18:36) Nor do I believe that the Hour of Resurrection will ever come to pass. And even if I am returned to my Lord, I shall find a better place than this."38 (18:37) While conversing with him his neighbour exclaimed: "Do you deny Him Who created you out of dust, then out of a drop of sperm, and then fashioned you into a complete man?39 (18:38) As for myself, Allah alone is my Lord, and I associate none with my Lord in His Divinity. (18:39) When you entered your vineyard, why did you not say: 'Whatever Allah wills shall come to pass, for there is no power40 save with Allah!' If you find me less than yourself in wealth and children (18:40) it may well be that my Lord will give me something better than your vineyard, and send a calamity upon your vineyard from the heavens and it will be reduced to a barren waste, (18:41) or the water of your vineyard will be drained deep into the ground so that you will not be able to seek it out." (18:42) Eventually all his produce was destroyed and he began to wring his hands in sorrow at the loss of what he had spent on it, and on seeing it fallen down upon its trellises, saying: "Would I had not associated anyone with my Lord in His Divinity." (18:43) And there was no host, beside Allah, to help him, nor could he be of any help to himself. (18:44) (Then he knew) that all power of protection rests with Allah, the True One. He is the best to reward, the best to determine the end of things. (18:45) (O Prophet), propound to them the parable of the present life: it is like the vegetation of the earth which flourished luxuriantly when it mingled with the water that We sent down from the sky, but after that the same vegetation turned into stubble which the winds blew about. Allah alone has the power over all things.41 (18:46) Wealth and children are an adornment of the life of the world. But the deeds of lasting righteousness are the best in the sight of your Lord in reward, and far better a source of hope. (18:47) Bear in mind the Day when We shall set the mountains in motion42 and you will find the earth void and bare.43 On that Day We shall muster all men together, leaving none of them behind.44 (18:48) They shall be brought before your Lord, all lined up, and shall be told: "Now, indeed, you have come before Us in the manner We created you in the first instance,45 although you thought that We shall not appoint a tryst (with Us)." (18:49) And then the Record of their deeds shall be placed before them and you will see the guilty full of fear for what it contains, and will say: "Woe to us! What a Record this is! It leaves nothing, big or small, but encompasses it." They will find their deeds confronting them. Your Lord wrongs no one.46 (18:50) And recall when We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourselves before Adam"; all of them fell prostrate, except Iblis.47 He was of the jinn and so disobeyed the command of his Lord.48 Will you, then, take him and his progeny as your guardians rather than Me although they are your open enemies? What an evil substitute are these wrong-doers taking!

Notes

12. It has not been mentioned that in accordance with this mutual resolve, they left the city and went to a secret cave in the mountains in order to escape from death or forced apostasy.

13. This is to show that the mouth of the cave faced the north. That is why the light of the sun could not enter inside the cave and the one who passed by it could not see who was inside it. 1

14. That is, if someone could have looked at the seven persons from outside and seen them turning from one side to the other at intervals, he would have thought that they were not asleep but were relaxing themselves.

15. Allah had so arranged their refuge that none dared go inside the cave and know about them for it was pitch dark in the cave and the dog was keeping watch at the entrance. If someone ever looked into the cave and saw the sleepers, he took them for some robbers and at once turned on his heels. This was the reason why their refuge remained a secret to the outer world for such a long period.

16. They were awakened from their sleep in the same miraculous way that was employed in sending them to sleep and keeping them hidden from the outer world.

17. The secret of their sleep was revealed when one of them went to Ephesus to buy food for them and offered a coin of the period of Emperor Decius. As it was a changed world, he naturally attracted attention for he was wearing a costume of 300 year old fashion and spoke a language different from that in vogue. This was because during those two centuries the language, culture, dress etc. had undergone a marked change. So the shopkeeper looked askance at him and, according to a Syriac tradition, he suspected that he had dug up some ancient treasure. Accordingly, he gathered some people of his neighborhood and they took him before the ruler. On questioning, it was discovered that he was one of those followers of Christ, who had fled the city 300 years ago to save their faith. As most of the population had embraced Christianity, the news immediately spread throughout the city and a big crowd of the people along with the Christian Roman Ruler, arrived at the cave. It was then that the sleepers of the cave came to know that they had slept for about three hundred years. So after making salutations to their Christian brothers they lay down and their souls left their bodies.

18. According to the Syriac tradition, at the time of this occurrence, hot discussions were going on in Ephesus about Resurrection and the Hereafter. Though the people had embraced Christianity under the influence of the Roman Empire, yet traces of shirk and idolatry of the Romans and the effects of the Greek philosophy were still very powerful. So in spite of the Christian creed of the Hereafter, many people denied this, or at least were skeptical about this. To add to this the Sadducee sect of the Jews, who formed a great part of the population of the city, openly denied the Hereafter and professed to base this on the Torah. The Christian scholars, however, could not put forward any strong arguments to refute them: so much so that the reports of the polemical discussion given in Matthew, Mark and Luke, attributed to Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him), are admittedly very weak even according to the Christian scholars. (Please refer to Matthew 22: 23-33, Mark 12: 18- 27, Luke 20: 27-40). That is why the disbelievers in the Hereafter were having the upper hand and even the believers were being involved in doubts about it. It was at that time that the sleepers of the cave were raised up and furnished an absolute proof of the life after death and turned the scales in favor of the believers in this dispute.

19. It appears from the context that this was the saying of the righteous people from among the Christians. They were of the opinion that a wall should be raised at the entrance of the cave in order to let the sleepers remain in the same condition in which they were, for they argued that their Lord alone knew best about their rank and position and the reward they deserved.

20. The people “those who prevailed in their matter” were the Roman rulers and the priests of the Christian Church, who did not let the righteous Christians have their way. This was because by the middle of the fifth century, the common people, especially the orthodox among the Christians, had become fully involved in shirk and the worship of saints and tombs. They used to visit the tombs of the saints to worship them and kept the statues of Jesus, Mary and the apostles in their churches: so much so that a few years before the rising up of the sleepers of the cave, in 431 A.D., a great council of the representatives of the Christian world had been held in Ephesus itself, in which it was resolved that the creed of the divinity of Christ and of Mary as the mother of God, should be included in the articles of the Christian Church. If we keep in view the year 431, it becomes clear that by “those who prevailed in their matter” are meant the leaders of the Church and the officers of the government, who had the reins of the religious and political powers in their hands. In fact these were the people who were the upholders of shirk and who decided that a mausoleum should be built over the cave of the sleepers to make it a place of worship.

21. It is an irony that some people among the Muslims have misconstrued this verse of the Quran so as to make it lawful for themselves to build mausoleums, monuments and mosques over the tombs of the righteous persons and saints. The Quran has, in fact, pointed out the deviation of the workers of iniquity who prevailed upon others and built a place of worship over the cave of the sleepers, who were indeed a sign of Resurrection and of the life after death. But they abused this good opportunity and produced another means of practicing shirk.

One fails to understand how anyone can deduce from this verse an argument for the legality of building mosques over the tombs of the righteous people, when the Prophet (peace be upon him) has categorically prohibited this.

(1) Allah has cursed those women who visit tombs and those people who build mosques over them and burn lights over them (Ahmad, Tirmizi, Abu Dawud, Nasai, Ibn Majah).

(2) Beware that the people, who have passed before you, made the tombs of their Prophets the places of their worship. I forbid you to do that. (Muslim).

(3) Allah has cursed the Jews and the Christians, for they made the tombs of their Prophets the places of their worship. (Ahmad, Bukhari, Muslim, Nasai).

(4) The behavior of those people was strange: if a righteous person from among them, died they would build a mosque over his grave and draw his pictures. They will be treated as worst criminals on the Day on Resurrection. (Ahmad, Bukhari, Muslim, Nasai).

Thus, it is clear from the above sayings of the Prophet (peace be upon him) that building of the places of worship over the tombs is utterly unlawful. The Quran has merely stated as a historical fact the sinful act of the Christian priests and the Roman rulers and has not sanctioned such a thing. Therefore no God fearing person can turn this into an argument for building mosques over the tombs.

Incidentally, it will be worthwhile to cite a statement of Rev. T. Arundell who published his discoveries in Asia Minor in 1834. He says that he had seen the remains of the Mausoleums of Mary and the seven sleepers on a hillock near the remains of the ancient city of Ephesus.

22. This shows that about three hundred years after this event, at the time of the revelation of the Quran, different stories had become current among the Christians about the sleepers of the cave, but generally these stories had no authentic source behind them. This was because that was not the age of the press in which authentic books might have been published. Therefore naturally the stories of events were carried from place to place by means of oral traditions, and with the passage of time many tales of fiction got mixed up with the real story.

23. This is meant to impress that the real thing in this story is not the number of the sleepers but the lessons it teaches. (1) A true believer should not on any account turn away from the truth and bow before falsehood. (2) A believer should not merely rely on the material means but on Allah. He should trust in God and follow the right way, even though the outward adverse circumstances might appear to be unfavorable. (3) It is wrong to suppose that Allah is bound by any so called law of nature, for He is able to do anything He wills even though that might seem to be against some common experience. He has the power to change any so called law of nature, whenever and wherever He wills and bring about any extraordinary supernatural thing. So much so that He can raise up anyone who might have been asleep for two hundred years, as if he had slept only for a few hours, without letting any change take place in his appearance, dress, health, indeed in anything, during the passage of time. (4) This teaches us that Allah has the power to bring to life all the generations past, present and future all together as asserted by the Prophets and divine Scriptures. (5) It teaches us that ignorant people have always been perverting the signs of Allah which are sent for the right guidance of the people. That is how the miracle of the sleepers of the cave, which had been shown as a proof of the Hereafter, had been turned into a means of shirk, as if they were some saints who had been sent only for this purpose.

It is obvious from the above mentioned real lessons, which one can learn from the story of the sleepers, that a wise man will pay his attention to these things and not divert it in search of their number, their names, the color of their dog and the like. Only those people, who have no interest for the reality but for superficial things, will spend their time and energy in making investigations about such things. That is why Allah instructed the Prophet (peace be upon him): You should not enter into useless and irrelevant discussions about such things even if other people try to involve you in them. Instead of wasting your time in such useless things, you should concentrate your attention only on your mission. That is why Allah has not Himself told their exact number lest it should encourage such people as are always hankering after useless things.

24. This is a parenthetical clause which has been inserted here because of its relevancy to the preceding verse, in which it was asserted that the correct number of the sleepers of the cave is known only to Allah and a research into it is a useless task. Therefore one should refrain from investigating into unimportant things, nor enter into discussions about them. This has led to the instruction contained in the parenthetical clause for the benefit of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the believers who have been told never to make a positive assertion like this: I will do this thing tomorrow, for you do not know whether you will be able to do that thing or not: you have neither the knowledge of the unknown nor have full powers to do what you like. If ever inadvertently you utter anything like this, you should at once remember your Lord and say, InshaAllah. Besides this you do not know whether there will be any good for you in the thing about which you say: I will do this. It is possible that you may do another thing better than that. Therefore you should trust in God and say: I hope that my Lord will guide me in this matter with that thing which is nearer to the right way for me.

25. This sentence is connected with the theme preceding the parenthetical clause like this. Some people will say: “They were three and the fourth was their dog...”, and some people will say that they remained in the cave for three hundred years and some others would add nine more years (to the reckoning of the period). We are of the opinion that the number of the years, 300 or 309, has not been stated by Allah Himself but Allah has cited these as sayings of the people. This opinion is based on this succeeding sentence: Allah knows best about the period of their stay there. If the number of years, given in (Ayat 25), had been from Allah, this succeeding sentence would have been meaningless. Abdullah bin Abbas has also opined that this is not the saying of Allah but that of the people which has been cited as a part of the story.

26. After relating the story of the sleepers of the cave, the Quran begins to review the condition of the Muslims of Makkah at the time of the revelation of the Surah.

27. This does not mean at all that, God forbid, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was inclined to make any changes in the Quran to please the disbelievers of Makkah and was thinking of some formula of compromise with the chiefs of the Quraish which necessitated a warning that he was not authorized to do so. As a matter of tact, though this was apparently addressed to the Prophet (peace be upon him), it was really meant for the disbelievers that they should not entertain any hope whatsoever for anything like this, as if to say: You must understand it once and for all that Our Messenger is not authorized to make any changes in Our revelation, for he has to precisely convey it just as it is sent down to him. If you want to accept it, you will have to accept it in its entirety as it is being sent by the Lord of the Universe. And if you want to reject it, you may do so but you must understand it well that no modification, even in the least, will be made in it to please you. This was the answer to the repeated demand of the disbelievers: If you do insist, O Muhammad (peace be upon him), that we should accept your message in its entirety, then make certain modifications in it to accommodate some creeds and customs of our forefathers, and we will accept your message. This is our offer for a compromise and this will save our people from divsion. This demand of the disbelievers has been cited in the Quran at several places and the same answer has been given, e.g. When Our clear revelations are recited to them, those who do not expect to meet Us, say: Bring another Quran in its stead or make some amendments in it. (Surah Younus, Ayat 15).

28. Though these words have also been addressed to the Prophet (peace be upon him), they are really meant for the chiefs of the Quraish. According to a tradition related by Ibn Abbas, the chiefs of the Quraish would say to the Prophet (peace be upon him) that they considered it below their dignity to sit with such people as Bilal, Suhaib, Ammar, Khabbab, Ibn-Masud and the like who generally remained in his company, and that if he should send them away, they would be willing to attend his meetings in order to learn about his message. At this Allah revealed this verse: And keep yourself whole heartedly content with those who pray to their Lord morning and evening in order to win His approval and do not turn your attention away from them: Do you desire to discard these sincere but poor people so that the chiefs of the Quraish, the well to do people, should come and sit near you? This was meant to warn the chiefs of the Quraish to this effect: Your wealth, your pomp and show of which you are so proud has no value at all in the sight of Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him). Nay, those poor people are really more worthy in their sight, for they are sincere and always remember Allah. The same was the attitude of the chiefs of Prophet Noah’s (peace be upon him) people, who said: And we also see that none but the meanest and the most shallow of our people have become your followers. Upon this, Noah (peace be upon him) replied: I am not going to drive away those who have believed in me, nor can I say about those whom you disdain that Allah has not bestowed any good on them. (Surah Al-Anbia Ayats 27, 29, (31).

29. That is, do not yield to what he says, nor submit to him, nor fulfill his desire, nor follow his bidding.

30. The original Arabic text may also mean: Who discards the truth, breaks all moral limits and rushes on headlong. But in both cases it comes to this: The one, who is neglectful of Allah and becomes a slave of his lust, inevitably transgresses all limits and becomes a victim of immoderation. Therefore the one who will submit to him, will also follow the same way and wander about in deviation after him.

31. This verse makes it quite plain that the story of the sleepers of the cave has been related to tell the opponents of Islam: This is the truth from your Lord. Now whosoever wills, he may accept it and whosoever wills, he may reject it. But people must understand that no compromise will be made in regard to the truth just as the sleepers of the cave did not make any compromise with regard to their creed. They did not make any compromise in regard to the doctrine of Tauhid after they had believed in it and categorically declared: Our Lord is the One Who alone is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. After this declaration they did not in any way accede to the making of any compromise with their people, who had gone astray. But they firmly declared: We will not give Him up and pray to other deities, because it will be the most improper thing, if we did so. After making this declaration they left their people and deities and took refuge in the cave without taking any provisions with them. After this when they woke up, the only thing about which they showed any anxiety, was that their people might not succeed in forcing them back to their own faith. After relating these things, the Quran addresses the Prophet (peace be upon him) to the effect (though these words are really meant for the opponents of Islam): It is absolutely out of question whether any compromise can be made with mushriks and disbelievers. Present the truth intact to them whether they accept it or not. If they do not accept it, they themselves will meet with an evil end. As regards to those, who have accepted the truth, (whether they be youngsters or poor, indigent people or slaves or laborers) they are really those people who have a worth with Allah, and they alone will be honored. Therefore you should not discard them and prefer the chiefs and the rich people who may be neglectful of Allah and be slaves of their own desires, even though they might be possessors of worldly grandeur.

32. The Arabic word Suradiq literally means sides of a tent but, as used in the case of Hell, it may mean its external boundaries to which its flames and heat may reach. According to some commentators, it applies to the future tense “its walls will be surrounding them” so as to refer to the flames of Hell in the Hereafter. But we are of the opinion that its flames have already encircled, in this very world, these workers of iniquity, who have turned away from the truth and that they cannot escape them.

33. The Arabic word muhul has several lexical meanings. According to some people, it means the residue of oil; according to others, it is lava which is formed by the melting of things in the earth; according to some others, it is molten matter and according to others, it is pus and blood.

34. The dwellers of Paradise will be adorned with bracelets of gold like the kings of ancient times. This will be to show that they will be adorned like the kings of this world, whereas an unbeliever and wicked king will be disgraced there.

35. The Arabic word araaik is plural of arikah which is that kind of throne that is covered with an umbrella. This is also to show that in Paradise the believers will sit on thrones like the kings of this world.

36. In order to understand the significance of this parable we should keep in view( Ayat 28 )in which arrogant chiefs of Makkah were told that the poor companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) would not be discarded to please them.

37. He considered his gardens to be Paradise. Thus he behaved like those mean persons who, when rise to power and wealth, are always involved in the misunderstanding that they are enjoying Paradise in this world, therefore they do not stand in need of any other Paradise.

38. That is, I don’t think there is any life after death, but supposing there be one, I shall fare even better there than in my present life, for my prosperity is a clear proof that I am a favorite of God.

39. This shows that unbelief in Allah is not confined to the denial of the existence of God in so many words, but arrogance, pride, vanity and the denial of the Hereafter are also kufr. Although that person did not deny the existence of Allah, he professed it as is apparent from his words (And if I am brought back to my Lord), yet in spite of his profession, his neighbor charged him with unbelief in Allah. This is because the person, who considers his wealth and his grandeur etc. to be the fruits of his own power and capability and not the favors of Allah, and who thinks that they are everlasting and none can take than away from him and that he is not accountable to anyone, is guilty of unbelief in Allah, even though he might profess belief in Him, for he acknowledges Allah as a Being and not as his Master, Owner and Sovereign. In fact, belief in Allah demands not merely the profession of His existence but also the acknowledgment of His Sovereignty, Mastery, Rule and the like.

40. That is, If we are able to do anything, it is by the help and support of Allah alone.

41. Allah has power over everything. He gives life and also death, He causes the rise and the downfall. It is by His command that the seasons change. Therefore, O disbelievers, if you are enjoying prosperity today, you should be under no delusion that this condition will remain forever. That God, by Whose command these things have been bestowed on you, has the power to snatch away all this by another command.

42. The mountains will begin to move about like clouds when the gravitation of the earth shall be brought to an end. The Quran has described the same thing in( Surah An- Namal, Ayat 88 )in this way: When you see the mountains, you consider them to be firmly fixed, but they shall be floating about like clouds at that time.

43. “You will see the earth as a leveled plain”: You will find no vegetation and no building on it and it will become a barren plain. It is the same thing that has been stated in (Ayat 8) of this chapter.

44. That is, We will muster together every human being from the first man, Adam, to the last one born in the last moment of the Day of Resurrection: even that child which had breathed the first breath after its birth, shall be resurrected and all shall be mustered at one and the same tune.

45. This thing will be addressed to those who denied the Hereafter, as if to say: Well, now you see that the information given by the Prophets has come out to be true. They told you that Allah would bring you to life again as He first brought you out from the wombs of your mothers but you disbelieved in it. Now say whether you have been brought to life for the second time or not.

46. “And your Lord does not do injustice to anyone”: Neither will an evil deed, not committed by someone, have been recorded in his conduct register, nor shall anyone be punished more than one deserved for his crime, nor shall an innocent person be punished at all.

47. The reference to the story of Adam and Iblis has been made here to warn the erring people of their folly. It is an obvious folly that people should discard their Prophets, who were their well wishers, and get entangled in the snare set by their eternal enemy, Iblis, who has been jealous of man ever since he refused to bow down before Adam and became accursed.

48. It was possible for Iblis to disobey Allah because he was not one of the angels but one of the jinns. It must be noted that the Quran is very explicit that the angels are inherently obedient.

(1) They do not show arrogance; they fear their Lord Who is above them, and do whatever they are bidden. (Surah An-Nahal, Ayat 50).

(2) They do not disobey the command that is given to them by their Lord and do whatever they are bidden to do. (Surah At-Tahrim, Ayat 6).

In contrast to the angels, the jinns have been, like human beings, given the option to obey or not to obey. Therefore they have been given the power to believe or disbelieve, to obey or not to obey. This thing has been made explicit here by saying that Iblis was one of the jinns, so he deliberately chose the way of disobedience. Incidentally, this verse removes all those misunderstandings that are generally found among the common people that Iblis was one of the angels and not an ordinary angel but the instructor of the angels. As regards to the difficulty that arises because of this statement of the Quran: When We said to the angels, bow down before Adam. They bowed down but Iblis did not, it should be noted that the command to the angels was meant for all those on the earth who were under the administration of the angels so that they should also be made submissive to man. Accordingly all these creatures bowed along with the angels but Iblis refused to bow down along with them.