Surah Al-Kahf 18:13-17 - Quran Translation Commentary

14. And We made their hearts firm when they stood up and said: “Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. We never invoke other god beside Him, for if we did, we should be blaspheming.¹⁷”

15. These, our people, have taken (other) gods beside Him.”¹⁸ Why do they not bring clear authority for what they do ?¹⁹ And who is a greater wrong-doer than the man who invents a falsehood concerning Allah’?²⁰”

16. And when you have left them and that which they worship other than Allah, then seek refuge in the Cave;²¹ your Lord will extend to you His mercy and will carry on your work with advantage.”²²

17. And you would see sun when it rises moving away from their Cave to the right, when it sets going past them on the left, and they lay within in the wide space.²³ That is one of Allah’s signs.²⁴ He whom Allah guides, he indeed is rightly guided, and he whom He leaves to go astray, for him you will not find a guiding friend.

Commentary

15.In the foregoing ayah the gist of the chronicle was given, now the details are being presented.

Narrating this chronicle in all truth means that in comparison to the conjectural and imaginary tales which were being dished out in connection with this event the narrative of the Qur’an is absolutely pure reality, and every word of it is the mirror of truth. Moreover, it is purposeful in its aspect.

16. It elicits that in guidance advancement and increase are also effected, and this advancement depends on the guidance from Allah.

17. This was the declaration of monotheism of the People of the Cave, and since they had made this declaration in very dangerous conditions Allah has made their hearts unwavering and firm, and had boosted their morale. Therefore, they did not compromise with idolatry, not succumbing to the fear, and they refused outright to accept any other being as their god.

18. It shows that the community of the People of the Cave was polytheistic.

19. That is: Polytheism and idolatry are quite baseless. If there is any argument in their favour, then why the idolaters do not present it, and why do they insist on others accepting a baseless thing.

20. The belief that God has taken others as his partners in His godhood, or that He has distributed His powers among others, or that He has made them worthy of being worshipped is out and out false and is a baseless charge against Him, for Allah has never stated a thing like this. What a serious crime is the falsehood that is being uttered against Allah and how gravely guilty the person concerned will be.

21. The decision to take refuge in the Cave was taken by them taking into consideration the seriousness of the conditions, as is clear from the ayah No. 20. Their nation was idolatrous and did not recognise the freedom of religious practice and belief. The government was so tyrannical that it put to death anyone who believed in one God and refused to worship the idols. In those circumstances the People of the Cave decided to take refuge in the Cave to save their faith. This provides the guidance that the main thing is the protection of faith and religion, and that when the conditions be so dangerous that this valuable and dear belonging ‘is found to be in peril, then a believer can resort to migration or he can take shelter in a cave, etc. For such occasions the hadith has this to state: “It may be soon that a Muslim may have his best property as his sheep, which he may take away to a mountain peak or to a place where there may be plenty of rain, so that he may be able to save his religion from mischiefs.” - (Bukhari -Kitabul Eeman). It may be noted that it has nothing to do with asceticism or with the monastic life indulged into by the sufis, but it is for such dangerous and mischievous circumstances when there is no other alternative for protecting one’s religion.

22. This is a style in the Arabic language that when the members of a group address each other among themselves, they use the pronouns you and your, while in other languages the pronouns used are we and ours. If this style of Arabic is not kept in view, it is likely that an error may be committed in thinking that the person who is addressing is not a man of the same group but someone else. The people of the Cave, relying fully on the help of Allah, said with full certainty that when they have accepted the only God worthy of their worship and have turned away from polytheism and the polytheists, Allah will surely bless them with His mercy and He will definitely assist them in the work which they have undertaken.

23. That is: The Cave in which they had taken shelter was so situated that the sunlight did not penetrate into the wide space where they were lying in slumber. It means that the opening of the Cave did not face the eastern or the western side.

24. That is: Sign of the point how Allah helps those who put their trust in Allah. The People of the Cave being guided, at such a delicate time, to a cave which was suitable for their protection from every aspect, and in which they found peace is a sign of the fact that Allah helps His sincere slaves on delicate occasions and in emergencies and guides them.