Introduction to
Surah
18. Al-Kahf
In the Name of Allâh, the Most
Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
1. All the praises
and thanks be to Allâh, Who has sent down to His slave (Muhammad
SAW) the Book (the Qur'ân),
and has not placed therein any crookedness.
2. (He has made it)
Straight to give warning (to the disbelievers) of a severe punishment
from Him, and to give glad tidings to the believers (in the Oneness
of Allâh Islâmic Monotheism), who work righteous
deeds, that they shall have a fair reward (i.e. Paradise).
3. They shall abide
therein forever.
4. And to warn those
(Jews, Christians, and pagans) who say, "Allâh has
begotten a son (or offspring or children)."
5. No knowledge have
they of such a thing, nor had their fathers. Mighty is the word
that comes out of their mouths [i.e. He begot (took) sons and
daughters]. They utter nothing but a lie.
6. Perhaps, you,
would kill yourself (O Muhammad SAW)
in grief, over their footsteps (for their turning away from you),
because they believe not in this narration (the Qur'ân).
7. Verily! We have
made that which is on earth as an adornment for it, in order that
We may test them (mankind) as to which of them are best in deeds.
[i.e.those who do good deeds in the most perfect manner, that
means to do them (deeds) totally for Allâh's sake and in
accordance to the legal ways of the Prophet SAW ].
8. And verily! We
shall make all that is on it (the earth) a bare dry soil (without
any vegetation or trees, etc.).
9. Do you think that
the people of the Cave and the Inscription (the news or the names
of the people of the Cave) were a wonder among Our Signs?
10. (Remember) when
the young men fled for refuge (from their disbelieving folk) to
the Cave, they said: "Our Lord! Bestow on us mercy from Yourself,
and facilitate for us our affair in the right way!"
11. Therefore We
covered up their (sense of) hearing (causing them, to go in deep
sleep) in the Cave for a number of years.
12. Then We raised
them up (from their sleep), that We might test which of the two
parties was best at calculating the time period that they had
tarried.
13. We narrate unto
you (O Muhammad SAW)
their story with truth: Truly! They were young men who believed
in their Lord (Allâh), and We increased them in guidance.
14. And We made their
hearts firm and strong (with the light of Faith in Allâh
and bestowed upon them patience to bear the separation of their
kith and kin and dwellings, etc.) when they stood up and said:
"Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, never
shall we call upon any ilâh (god) other than Him;
if we did, we should indeed have uttered an enormity in disbelief.
15. "These our
people have taken for worship âliha (gods) other
than Him (Allâh). Why do they not bring for them a clear
authority? And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against
Allâh.
16. (The young men
said to one another): "And when you withdraw from them, and
that which they worship, except Allâh, then seek refuge
in the Cave, your Lord will open a way for you from His Mercy
and will make easy for you your affair (i.e. will give you what
you will need of provision, dwelling, etc.)."
17. 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. That is (one) of the Ayât
(proofs, evidences, signs) of Allâh. He whom Allâh
guides, is rightly guided; but he whom He sends astray, for him
you will find no Walî (guiding friend) to lead him
(to the right Path).
18. And you would
have thought them awake, while they were asleep. And We turned
them on their right and on their left sides, and their dog stretching
forth his two forelegs at the entrance [of the Cave or in the
space near to the entrance of the Cave (as a guard at the gate)].
Had you looked at them, you would certainly have turned back from
them in flight, and would certainly have been filled with awe
of them.
19. Likewise, We
awakened them (from their long deep sleep) that they might question
one another. A speaker from among them said: "How long have
you stayed (here)?" They said: "We have stayed (perhaps)
a day or part of a day." They said: "Your Lord (Alone)
knows best how long you have stayed (here). So send one of you
with this silver coin of yours to the town, and let him find out
which is the good lawful food, and bring some of that to you.
And let him be careful and let no man know of you.
20. "For if
they come to know of you, they will stone you (to death or abuse
and harm you) or turn you back to their religion, and in that
case you will never be successful."
21. And thus We made
their case known to the people, that they might know that the
Promise of Allâh is true, and that there can be no doubt
about the Hour. (Remember) when they (the people of the city)
disputed among themselves about their case, they said: "Construct
a building over them, their Lord knows best about them,"
(then) those who won their point said (most probably the disbelievers):
"We verily shall build a place of worship over them."
22. (Some) say they
were three, the dog being the fourth among them; (others) say
they were five, the dog being the sixth, guessing at the unseen;
(yet others) say they were seven, the dog being the eighth. Say
(O Muhammad SAW):
"My Lord knows best their number; none knows them but a few."
So debate not (about their number, etc.) except with the clear
proof (which We have revealed to you). And consult not any of
them (people of the Scripture, Jews and Christians) about (the
affair of) the people of the Cave.
23. And never say
of anything, "I shall do such and such thing tomorrow."
24. Except (with
the saying), "If Allâh will!" And remember your
Lord when you forget and say: "It may be that my Lord guides
me unto a nearer way of truth than this."
25. And they stayed
in their Cave three hundred (solar) years, and add nine (for lunar
years).
26. Say: "Allâh
knows best how long they stayed. With Him is (the knowledge of)
the unseen of the heavens and the earth. How clearly He sees,
and hears (everything)! They have no Walî (Helper,
Disposer of affairs, Protector, etc.) other than Him, and He makes
none to share in His Decision and His Rule."
27. And recite what
has been revealed to you (O Muhammad SAW) of the Book (the Qur'ân)
of your Lord (i.e. recite it, understand and follow its teachings
and act on its orders and preach it to men). None can change His
Words, and none will you find as a refuge other than Him.
28. And keep yourself
(O Muhammad SAW)
patiently with those who call on their Lord (i.e. your companions
who remember their Lord with glorification, praising in prayers,
etc., and other righteous deeds, etc.) morning and afternoon,
seeking His Face, and let not your eyes overlook them, desiring
the pomp and glitter of the life of the world; and obey not him
whose heart We have made heedless of Our Remembrance, one who
follows his own lusts and whose affair (deeds) has been lost.
29. And say: "The
truth is from your Lord." Then whosoever wills, let him believe,
and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve. Verily, We have prepared
for the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers,
etc.), a Fire whose walls will be surrounding them (disbelievers
in the Oneness of Allâh). And if they ask for help (relief,
water, etc.) they will be granted water like boiling oil, that
will scald their faces. Terrible the drink, and an evil Murtafaqâ
(dwelling, resting place, etc.)!
30. Verily! As for
those who believe and do righteous deeds, certainly! We shall
not suffer to be lost the reward of anyone who does his (righteous)
deeds in the most perfect manner.
31. These! For them
will be 'Adn (Eden) Paradise (everlasting Gardens); wherein
rivers flow underneath them, therein they will be adorned with
bracelets of gold, and they will wear green garments of fine and
thick silk. They will recline therein on raised thrones. How good
is the reward, and what an excellent Murtafaqâ (dwelling,
resting place, etc.)!
32. And put forward
to them the example of two men; unto one of them We had given
two gardens of grapes, and We had surrounded both with date-palms;
and had put between them green crops (cultivated fields etc.).
33. Each of those
two gardens brought forth its produce, and failed not in the least
therein, and We caused a river to gush forth in the midst of them.
34. And he had property
(or fruit) and he said to his companion, in the course of mutual
talk: I am more than you in wealth and stronger in respect of
men." [See Tafsir Qurtubî, Vol. 10, Page 403].
35. And he went into
his garden while in a state (of pride and disbelief) unjust to
himself. He said: "I think not that this will ever perish.
36. "And I think
not the Hour will ever come, and if indeed I am brought back to
my Lord, (on the Day of Resurrection), I surely shall find better
than this when I return to Him."
37. His companion
said to him, during the talk with him: "Do you disbelieve
in Him Who created you out of dust (i.e. your father Adam), then
out of Nutfah (mixed semen drops of male and female discharge),
then fashioned you into a man?
38. "But as
for my part (I believe) that He is Allâh, my Lord and none
shall I associate as partner with my Lord.
39. It was better
for you to say, when you entered your garden: 'That which Allâh
wills (will come to pass)! There is no power but with Allâh[]
'. If you see me less than you in wealth, and children.
40. "It may
be that my Lord will give me something better than your garden,
and will send on it Husbân (torment, bolt, etc.)
from the sky, then it will be a slippery earth.
41. "Or the
water thereof (of the gardens) becomes deep-sunken (underground)
so that you will never be able to seek it."
42. So his fruits
were encircled (with ruin). And he remained clapping his hands
with sorrow over what he had spent upon it, while it was all destroyed
on its trellises, he could only say: "Would I had ascribed
no partners to my Lord!" [Tafsir Ibn Kathîr]
43. And he had no
group of men to help him against Allâh, nor could he defend
or save himself.
44. There (on the
Day of Resurrection), Al-Walâyah (the protection,
power, authority and kingdom) will be for Allâh (Alone),
the True God. He (Allâh) is the Best for reward and the
Best for the final end. (Lâ ilâha ill-Allâh
none has the right to be worshipped but Allâh).
45. And put forward
to them the example of the life of this world, it is like the
water (rain) which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation
of the earth mingles with it, and becomes fresh and green. But
(later) it becomes dry and broken pieces, which the winds scatter.
And Allâh is Able to do everything.
46. Wealth and children
are the adornment of the life of this world. But the good righteous
deeds (five compulsory prayers, deeds of Allâh's obedience,
good and nice talk, remembrance of Allâh with glorification,
praises and thanks, etc.), that last, are better with your Lord
for rewards and better in respect of hope.
47. And (remember)
the Day We shall cause the mountains to pass away (like clouds
of dust), and you will see the earth as a levelled plain, and
we shall gather them all together so as to leave not one of them
behind.
48. And they will
be set before your Lord in (lines as) rows, (and Allâh will
say): "Now indeed, you have come to Us as We created you
the first time. Nay, but you thought that We had appointed no
meeting for you (with Us)."
49. And the Book
(one's Record) will be placed (in the right hand for a believer
in the Oneness of Allâh, and in the left hand for a disbeliever
in the Oneness of Allâh), and you will see the Mujrimûn
(criminals, polytheists, sinners, etc.), fearful of that which
is (recorded) therein. They will say: "Woe to us! What sort
of Book is this that leaves neither a small thing nor a big thing,
but has recorded it with numbers!" And they will find all
that they did, placed before them, and your Lord treats no one
with injustice.
50. And (remember)
when We said to the angels; "Prostrate to Adam." So
they prostrated except Iblîs (Satan). He was one
of the jinns; he disobeyed the Command of his Lord. Will you then
take him (Iblîs) and his offspring as protectors
and helpers rather than Me while they are enemies to you? What
an evil is the exchange for the Zâlimûn (polytheists,
and wrong-doers, etc).
51. I (Allâh)
made them (Iblîs and his offspring) not to witness
(nor took their help in) the creation of the heavens and the earth
and not (even) their own creation, nor was I (Allâh) to
take the misleaders as helpers.
52. And (remember)
the Day He will say:"Call those (so-called) partners of Mine
whom you pretended." Then they will cry unto them, but they
will not answer them, and We shall put Maubiqa (a barrier,
or enmity, or destruction, or a valley in Hell) between them.
53. And the Mujrimûn
(criminals, polytheists, sinners), shall see the Fire and apprehend
that they have to fall therein. And they will find no way of escape
from there.
54. And indeed We
have put forth every kind of example in this Qur'ân, for
mankind. But, man is ever more quarrelsome than anything.
55. And nothing prevents
men from believing, now when the guidance (the Qur'ân) has
come to them, and from asking Forgiveness of their Lord, except
that the ways of the ancients be repeated with them (i.e. their
destruction decreed by Allâh), or the torment be brought
to them face to face?
56. And We send not
the Messengers except as giver of glad tidings and warners. But
those who disbelieve, dispute with false argument, in order to
refute the truth thereby. And they treat My Ayât (proofs,
evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), and that
with which they are warned, as jest and mockery!
57. And who does
more wrong than he who is reminded of the Ayât (proofs,
evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of his Lord,
but turns away from them forgetting what (deeds) his hands have
sent forth. Truly, We have set veils over their hearts lest they
should understand this (the Qur'ân), and in their ears,
deafness. And if you (O Muhammad SAW)
call them to guidance, even then they will never be guided.
58. And your Lord
is Most Forgiving, Owner of Mercy. Were He to call them to account
for what they have earned, then surely, He would have hastened
their punishment. But they have their appointed time, beyond which
they will find no escape.
59. And these towns
(population, 'Ad, Thamûd, etc.) We destroyed when they
did wrong. And We appointed a fixed time for their destruction.
60. And (remember)
when Mûsa (Moses) said to his boy-servant: "I will
not give up (travelling) until I reach the junction of the two
seas or (until) I spend years and years in travelling."[]
61. But when they
reached the junction of the two seas, they forgot their fish,
and it took its way through the sea as in a tunnel.
62. So when they
had passed further on (beyond that fixed place), Mûsa (Moses)
said to his boy-servant: "Bring us our morning meal; truly,
we have suffered much fatigue in this, our journey."
63. He said:"Do
you remember when we betook ourselves to the rock? I indeed forgot
the fish, none but Shaitân (Satan) made me forget
to remember it. It took its course into the sea in a strange (way)!"
64. [Mûsa (Moses)]
said: "That is what we have been seeking." So they went
back retracing their footsteps.
65. Then they found
one of Our slaves, unto whom We had bestowed mercy from Us, and
whom We had taught knowledge from Us.
66. Mûsa (Moses)
said to him (Khidr) "May I follow you so that you teach me
something of that knowledge (guidance and true path) which you
have been taught (by Allâh)?"
67. He (Khidr) said:
"Verily! You will not be able to have patience with me!
68. "And how
can you have patience about a thing which you know not?"
69. Mûsa (Moses)
said: "If Allâh will, you will find me patient, and
I will not disobey you in aught."
70. He (Khidr) said:
"Then, if you follow me, ask me not about anything till I
myself mention it to you."
71. So they both
proceeded, till, when they embarked the ship, he (Khidr) scuttled
it. Mûsa (Moses) said: "Have you scuttled it in order
to drown its people? Verily, you have committed a thing "Imra"
(a Munkar - evil, bad, dreadful thing)."
72. He (Khidr) said:
"Did I not tell you, that you would not be able to have patience
with me?"
73. [Mûsa (Moses)]
said: "Call me not to account for what I forgot[],
and be not hard upon me for my affair (with you)."
74. Then they both
proceeded, till they met a boy, he (Khidr) killed him. Mûsa
(Moses) said: "Have you killed an innocent person who had
killed none? Verily, you have committed a thing "Nukra"
(a great Munkar - prohibited, evil, dreadful thing)!"
75. (Khidr) said:
"Did I not tell you that you can have no patience with me?"
76. [Mûsa (Moses)]
said: "If I ask you anything after this, keep me not in your
company, you have received an excuse from me."
77. Then they both
proceeded, till, when they came to the people of a town, they
asked them for food, but they refused to entertain them. Then
they found therein a wall about to collapse and he (Khidr) set
it up straight. [Mûsa (Moses)] said: If you had wished,
surely, you could have taken wages for it!"
78. (Khidr) said:
"This is the parting between me and you, I will tell you
the interpretation of (those) things over which you were unable
to hold patience.
79. "As for
the ship, it belonged to Masâkîn (poor people)
working in the sea. So I wished to make a defective damage in
it, as there was a king after them who seized every ship by force.
80. "And as
for the boy, his parents were believers, and we feared lest he
should oppress them by rebellion and disbelief.
81. "So we intended
that their Lord should change him for them for one better in righteousness
and near to mercy.
82. "And as
for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the town; and
there was under it a treasure belonging to them; and their father
was a righteous man, and your Lord intended that they should attain
their age of full strength and take out their treasure as a mercy
from your Lord. And I did it not of my own accord. That is the
interpretation of those (things) over which you could not hold
patience."
83. And they ask
you about Dhul-Qarnain. Say: "I shall recite to you something
of his story."
84. Verily, We established
him in the earth, and We gave him the means of everything.
85. So he followed
a way.
86. Until, when he
reached the setting place of the sun, he found it setting in a
spring of black muddy (or hot) water. And he found near it a people.
We (Allâh) said (by inspiration): "O Dhul-Qarnain!
Either you punish them, or treat them with kindness."
87. He said: "As
for him (a disbeliever in the Oneness of Allâh) who does
wrong, we shall punish him; and then he will be brought back unto
his Lord; Who will punish him with a terrible torment (Hell).
88. "But as
for him who believes (in Allâh's Oneness) and works righteousness,
he shall have the best reward, (Paradise), and we (Dhul-Qarnain)
shall speak unto him mild words (as instructions)."
89. Then he followed
another way,
90. Until, when he
came to the rising place of the sun, he found it rising on a people
for whom We (Allâh) had provided no shelter against the
sun.
91. So (it was)!
And We knew all about him (Dhul-Qarnain).
92. Then he followed
(another) way,
93. Until, when he
reached between two mountains, he found, before (near) them (those
two mountains), a people who scarcely understood a word.
94. They said: "O
Dhul-Qarnain! Verily! Ya'jûj and Ma'jûj (Gog and Magog)[]
are doing great mischief in the land. Shall we then pay you a
tribute in order that you might erect a barrier between us and
them?"
95. He said: "That
(wealth, authority and power) in which my Lord had established
me is better (than your tribute). So help me with strength (of
men), I will erect between you and them a barrier.
96. "Give me
pieces (blocks) of iron," then, when he had filled up the
gap between the two mountain-cliffs, he said: "Blow,"
till when he had made it (red as) fire, he said: "Bring me
molten copper to pour over it."
97. So they [Ya'jûj
and Ma'jûj (Gog and Magog)] were made powerless to scale
it or dig through it.
98. Dhul-Qarnain) said:
"This is a mercy from my Lord, but when the Promise of my
Lord comes, He shall level it down to the ground. And the Promise
of my Lord is ever true."
99. And on that Day
[i.e. the Day Ya'jûj and Ma'jûj (Gog and Magog)
will come out], We shall leave them to surge like waves on
one another, and the Trumpet will be blown, and We shall collect
them all together.
100. And on that
Day We shall present Hell to the disbelievers, plain to view,
101. (To) Those whose
eyes had been under a covering from My Reminder (this Qur'ân),
and who could not bear to hear (it).
102. Do then those
who disbelieve think that they can take My slaves [i.e., the angels,
Allâh's Messengers, 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary),
etc.] as Auliyâ' (lords, gods, protectors, etc.)
besides Me? Verily, We have prepared Hell as an entertainment
for the disbelievers (in the Oneness of Allâh Islâmic
Monotheism)[].
103. Say (O Muhammad
SAW): "Shall We tell you the
greatest losers in respect of (their) deeds?
104. "Those
whose efforts have been wasted in this life while they thought
that they were acquiring good by their deeds![]
105. "They are
those who deny the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses,
lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of their Lord and the Meeting
with Him (in the Hereafter). So their works are in vain, and on
the Day of Resurrection, We shall not give them any weight.
106. "That shall
be their recompense, Hell; because they disbelieved and took My
Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs,
revelations, etc.) and My Messengers by way of jest and mockery.
107. "Verily!
Those who believe (in the Oneness of Allâh Islâmic
Monotheism) and do righteous deeds, shall have the Gardens of
Al-Firdaus (the Paradise) for their entertainment.
108. "Wherein
they shall dwell (forever). No desire will they have to be removed
therefrom."
109. Say (O Muhammad
SAW to mankind). "If the sea
were ink for (writing) the Words of my Lord, surely, the sea would
be exhausted before the Words of my Lord would be finished, even
if we brought (another sea) like it for its aid."
110. Say (O Muhammad
SAW): "I am only a man like you.
It has been inspired to me that your Ilâh (God) is
One Ilâh (God i.e. Allâh). So whoever
hopes for the Meeting[]
with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as
a partner in the worship of his Lord."
