Al-Kahf: 18

Ayah

Word by Word

وَتَحۡسَبُهُمۡ

And you (would) think them

أَيۡقَاظٗا

awake

وَهُمۡ

while they

رُقُودٞۚ

(were) asleep

وَنُقَلِّبُهُمۡ

And We turned them

ذَاتَ

ٱلۡيَمِينِ

the right

وَذَاتَ

and to

ٱلشِّمَالِۖ

the left

وَكَلۡبُهُم

while their dog

بَٰسِطٞ

stretched

ذِرَاعَيۡهِ

his two forelegs

بِٱلۡوَصِيدِۚ

at the entrance

لَوِ

ٱطَّلَعۡتَ

you had looked

عَلَيۡهِمۡ

at them

لَوَلَّيۡتَ

you (would) have surely turned back

مِنۡهُمۡ

from them

فِرَارٗا

(in) flight

وَلَمُلِئۡتَ

and surely you would have been filled

مِنۡهُمۡ

by them

رُعۡبٗا

(with) terror

Translation

Thou wouldst have deemed them awake, whilst they were asleep, and We turned them on their right and on their left sides: their dog stretching forth his two fore-legs on the threshold: if thou hadst come up on to them, thou wouldst have certainly turned back from them in flight, and wouldst certainly have been filled with terror of them.

Tafsir

The Location of the Cave

Allah tells;

وَتَرَى الشَّمۡسَ إِذَا طَلَعَت تَّزَاوَرُ عَن كَهۡفِهِمۡ ذَاتَ الۡيَمِينِ

And you might have seen the sun, when it rose, declining to the right from their cave, and when it set, turning away from them to the left, while they lay in the midst of the cave.

This indicates that the entrance to the cave faced north, because Allah tells us that when the sun was rising, sunlight entered the cave

ذَاتَ الۡيَمِينِ

(the right),

meaning that the shade decreased towards the right, as Ibn Abbas, Sa`id bin Jubayr and Qatadah said:

تَّزَاوَرُ

(declining) means leaning.

Every time the sun rises on the horizon, its rays decline until there is nothing left in such a place when it reaches its zenith.

So Allah said,

وَإِذَا غَرَبَت تَّقۡرِضُهُمۡ ذَاتَ الشِّمَالِ

and when it set, turning away from them to the left,

meaning, it entered their cave from the left of its entrance, which means from the west.

This proves what we say, and it is clear to anyone who thinks about the matter and has some knowledge of astronomy and the paths of the sun, moon and stars. If the entrance of the cave faced east, nothing would have entered it when the sun set, and if it faced the direction of the Qiblah (in this case, south), nothing would have entered it at the time of sunrise or sunset, and the shadows would have leaned neither to the right nor the left. If it had faced west, nothing would have entered it at the time of sunrise, until after the sun had passed its zenith, and would have stayed until sunset. This supports what we have said, and to Allah is the praise.

Ibn Abbas, Mujahid and Qatadah said that ""turning away from them"" means,

that it would shine on them and then leave them.

Allah has told us this, and He wants us to understand it and ponder its meaning, but He did not tell us the location of this cave, i.e., in which country on earth it is, because there is no benefit for us in knowing that, and no legislative objective behind it. If there was any spiritual or religious interest that could be served by our knowing that, Allah and His Messenger would have taught us about it, as the Prophet said:

مَا تَرَكۡتُ شَيۡيًا يُقَرِّبُكُمۡ إِلَى الۡجَنَّةِ وَيُبَاعِدُكُمۡ مِنَ النَّارِ إِلاَّ وَقَدۡ أَعۡلَمۡتُكُمۡ بِه

I have not left anything that will bring you closer to Paradise and keep you further away from Hell but I have certainly taught you about it.

So Allah has told us about the features of the cave, but He did not tell us where it is, and He said,

وَتَرَى الشَّمۡسَ إِذَا طَلَعَت تَّزَاوَرُ عَن كَهۡفِهِمۡ

And you might have seen the sun, when it rose, declining from their cave.

Malik narrated from Zayd bin Aslam, ""Leaning.""

ذَاتَ الۡيَمِينِ وَإِذَا غَرَبَت تَّقۡرِضُهُمۡ ذَاتَ الشِّمَالِ

وَهُمۡ فِي فَجۡوَةٍ مِّنۡهُ

the right, and when it set, turning away from them to the left, while they lay in the midst of the cave.

meaning, the sun entered the cave without touching them, because if it had touched them, it would have burnt their bodies and clothes.

This was the view of Ibn `Abbas.

ذَلِكَ مِنۡ ايَاتِ اللَّهِ

That is from the Ayat of Allah,

how He guided them to this cave where He kept them alive, and the sun and wind entered the cave preserving their bodies. Allah says,

ذَلِكَ مِنۡ ايَاتِ اللَّهِ

(That is from the Ayat of Allah).

Then He says:

مَن يَهۡدِ اللَّهُ فَهُوَ الۡمُهۡتَدِي

He whom Allah guides, he is the rightly-guided;

meaning that He is the One Who guided these young men to true guidance among their people, for the one whom Allah guides is truly guided,

وَمَن يُضۡلِلۡ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ وَلِيًّا مُّرۡشِدًا

but he whom He sends astray, for him you will find no guardian to lead him.

and the one whom Allah leaves astray will find no one to guide him

Their Sleep in the Cave

Some of the scholars mentioned that when Allah caused them to sleep, their eyelids did not close, lest disintegration took hold of them. If their eyes remained open to the air, this would be better for the sake of preservation.

Allah says:

وَتَحۡسَبُهُمۡ أَيۡقَاظًا وَهُمۡ رُقُودٌ

And you would have thought them awake, whereas they were asleep.

It was mentioned that when the wolf sleeps, it closes one eye and keeps one eye open, then it switches eyes while asleep.

وَنُقَلِّبُهُمۡ ذَاتَ الۡيَمِينِ وَذَاتَ الشِّمَالِ

And We turned them on their right and on their left sides,

Ibn Abbas said:

""If they did not turn over, the earth would have consumed them.""

وَكَلۡبُهُم بَاسِطٌ ذِرَاعَيۡهِ بِالۡوَصِيدِ

and their dog stretching forth his two forelegs at the Wasid,

Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr and Qatadah said:

""The Wasid means the threshold.""

Ibn Abbas said:

""By the door.""

It was said:

""On the ground.""

The correct view is that it means on the threshold, i.e., at the door.

إِنَّهَا عَلَيۡهِم مُّوۡصَدَةٌ

Verily, it shall be closed upon them. (104:8)

Their dog lay down at the door, as is the habit of dogs.

Ibn Jurayj said,

""He was guarding the door for them.""

It was his nature and habit to lie down at their door as if guarding them. He was sitting outside the door, because the angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog, as was reported in As-Sahih, nor do they enter a house in which there is an image, a person in a state of ritual impurity or a disbeliever, as was narrated in the Hasan Hadith.

The blessing they enjoyed extended to their dog, so the sleep that overtook them overtook him too. This is the benefit of accompanying good people, and so this dog attained fame and stature.

It was said that he was the hunting dog of one of the people which is the more appropriate view, or that he was the dog of the king's cook, who shared their religious views, and brought his dog with him.

And Allah knows best.

Allah says:

لَوِ اطَّلَعۡتَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ لَوَلَّيۡتَ مِنۡهُمۡ فِرَارًا وَلَمُلِيۡتَ مِنۡهُمۡ رُعۡبًا

Had you happened upon them, you would certainly have turned back from them in flight, and would certainly have been filled with awe of them.

meaning that Allah made them appear dreadful, so that no one could look at them without being filled with terror, because of the frightening appearance they had been given. This was so that no one would come near them or touch them until the appointed time when their sleep would come to an end as Allah willed, because of the wisdom, clear proof and great mercy involved in that.

Their awakening and sending One of Themselves to buy Food

Allah says:

وَكَذَلِكَ بَعَثۡنَاهُمۡ لِيَتَسَاءلُوا بَيۡنَهُمۡ قَالَ قَايِلٌ مِّنۡهُمۡ

Likewise, We woke them that they might question one another. A speaker among them said:

Allah says:`just as We caused them to sleep, We resurrected them with their bodies, hair and skin intact, and nothing lacking in their form and appearance.' This was after three hundred and nine years. This is why they asked each other,

كَمۡ لَبِثۡتُمۡ

How long have you stayed (here),

meaning, `how long have you slept!'

قَالُوا لَبِثۡنَا يَوۡمًا أَوۡ بَعۡضَ يَوۡمٍ

They said:""We have stayed a day or part of a day.""

because they entered the cave at the beginning of the day, and they woke up at the end of the day, which is why they then said,

أَوۡ بَعۡضَ يَوۡمٍ

قَالُوا رَبُّكُمۡ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثۡتُمۡ

""...or a part of a day."" They said:""Your Lord knows best how long you have stayed...""

meaning, `Allah knows best about your situation.'

It seems that they were not sure about how long they had slept, and Allah knows best.

Then they turned their attention to more pressing matters, like their need for food and drink, so they said:

فَابۡعَثُوا أَحَدَكُم بِوَرِقِكُمۡ

So send one of you with this silver coin of yours,

They had brought with them some Dirhams (silver coins) from their homes, to buy whatever they might need, and they had given some in charity and kept some, so they said:

فَابۡعَثُوا أَحَدَكُم بِوَرِقِكُمۡ هَذِهِ إِلَى الۡمَدِينَةِ

So send one of you with this silver coin of yours to the town,

meaning to their city, which they had left. The definite article indicates that they were referring to a known city.

فَلۡيَنظُرۡ أَيُّهَا أَزۡكَى طَعَامًا

and let him find out which is the Azka food.

Azka means ""purest"", as Allah says elsewhere,

وَلَوۡلَا فَضۡلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَرَحۡمَتُهُ مَا زَكَى مِنكُم مِّنۡ أَحَدٍ أَبَداً

And had it not been for the grace of Allah and His mercy on you, not one of you would ever have been pure (Zaka) from sins. (24:21)

and

قَدۡ أَفۡلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّى

Indeed whosoever purifies himself (Tazakka) shall achieve success. (87:14)

From the same root also comes the word Zakah, which makes one's wealth good and purifies it.

فَلۡيَأۡتِكُم بِرِزۡقٍ مِّنۡهُ

and bring some of that to you.

وَلۡيَتَلَطَّفۡ

And let him be careful,

meaning when he goes out buying food and coming back.

They were telling him to conceal himself as much as he could,

وَلَا يُشۡعِرَنَّ بِكُمۡ أَحَدًا

إِنَّهُمۡ إِن يَظۡهَرُوا عَلَيۡكُمۡ يَرۡجُمُوكُمۡ

and let no man know of you. For, if they come to know of you, they will stone you,

means, `if they find out where you are,'

يَرۡجُمُوكُمۡ أَوۡ يُعِيدُوكُمۡ فِي مِلَّتِهِمۡ

they will stone you or turn you back to their religion;

They were referring to the followers of Decianus, who they were afraid might find out where they were, and punish them with all kinds of torture until they made them go back to their former religion, or until they died, for if they agreed to go back to their (old) religion, they would never attain success in this world or the Hereafter.

So they said:

وَلَن تُفۡلِحُوا إِذًا أَبَدًا

and in that case you will never be successful."

Al-Kahf: 18

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