Sura 18, The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
[18:1] Praise GOD, who revealed to His servant this scripture, and
made it flawless.
[18:2] A perfect (scripture) to warn of severe retribution from
Him, and to deliver good news to the believers who lead a
righteous life, that they have earned a generous recompense.
[18:3] Wherein they abide forever.
[18:4] And to warn those who said, "GOD has begotten a son!"
[18:5] They possess no knowledge about this, nor did their
parents. What a blasphemy coming out of their mouths! What they
utter is a gross lie.
[18:6] You may blame yourself on account of their response to this
narration, and their disbelieving in it; you may be saddened.
The End of the World
[18:7] We have adorned everything on earth, in order to test them,
and thus distinguish those among them who work righteousness.
[18:8] Inevitably, we will wipe out everything on it, leaving it
completely barren.*
Footnote
The Dwellers of the Cave
[18:9] Why else do you think we are telling you about the people
of the cave, and the numbers connected with them? They are among
our wondrous signs.
[18:10] When the youths took refuge in the cave, they said, "Our
Lord, shower us with Your mercy, and bless our affairs with Your
guidance."
[18:11] We then sealed their ears in the cave for a predetermined
number of years.
[18:12] Then we resurrected them to see which of the two parties
could count the duration of their stay therein.
[18:13] We narrate to you their history, truthfully. They were
youths who believed in their Lord, and we increased their
guidance.
[18:14] We strengthened their hearts when they stood up and
proclaimed: "Our only Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the
earth. We will never worship any other god beside Him. Otherwise,
we would be far astray.
[18:15] "Here are our people setting up gods beside Him. If only
they could provide any proof to support their stand! Who is more
evil than the one who fabricates lies and attributes them to GOD?
The Seven Sleepers of Ephesus*
[18:16] "Since you wish to avoid them, and their worshiping of
other than GOD,* let us take refuge in the cave. May your Lord
shower you with His mercy and direct you to the right decision."
Footnote
A Guiding Teacher is a Prerequisite
[18:17] You could see the sun when it rose coming from the right
side of their cave, and when it set, it shone on them from the
left, as they slept in the hollow thereof. This is one of GOD's
portents.* Whomever GOD guides is the truly guided one, and
whomever He sends astray, you will not find for him a guiding
teacher.
Footnote
[18:18] You would think that they were awake, when they were in
fact asleep. We turned them to the right side and the left side,
while their dog stretched his arms in their midst. Had you looked
at them, you would have fled from them, stricken with terror.
[18:19] When we resurrected them, they asked each other, "How long
have you been here?" "We have been here one day or part of the
day," they answered. "Your Lord knows best how long we stayed
here, so let us send one of us with this money to the city. Let
him fetch the cleanest food, and buy some for us. Let him keep a
low profile, and attract no attention.
[18:20] "If they discover you, they will stone you, or force you
to revert to their religion, then you can never succeed."
Connection With the End of the World*
[18:21] We caused them to be discovered, to let everyone know that
GOD's promise is true, and to remove all doubt concerning the end
of the world.* The people then disputed among themselves regarding
them. Some said, "Let us build a building around them." Their Lord
is the best knower about them. Those who prevailed said, "We will
build a place of worship around them."
Footnote
[18:22] Some would say, "They were three; their dog being the
fourth," while others would say, "Five; the sixth being their
dog," as they guessed. Others said, "Seven," and the eighth was
their dog. Say, "My Lord is the best knower of their number." Only
a few knew the correct number. Therefore, do not argue with them;
just go along with them. You need not consult anyone about this.
Remembering God Every Chance We Get
[18:23] You shall not say that you will do anything in the future,
[18:24] without saying, "GOD willing."* If you forget to do this,
you must immediately remember your Lord and say, "May my Lord
guide me to do better next time."
Footnote
[300 + 9]*
[18:25] They stayed in their cave three hundred years, increased
by nine.*
Footnote
[18:26] Say, "GOD is the best knower of how long they stayed
there." He knows all secrets in the heavens and the earth. By His
grace you can see; by His grace you can hear. There is none beside
Him as Lord and Master, and He never permits any partners to share
in His kingship.
[18:27] You shall recite what is revealed to you of your Lord's
scripture. Nothing shall abrogate His words, and you shall not
find any other source beside it.
Quranic Study Groups
[18:28] You shall force yourself to be with those who worship
their Lord day and night, seeking Him alone. Do not turn your eyes
away from them, seeking the vanities of this world. Nor shall you
obey one whose heart we rendered oblivious to our message; one who
pursues his own desires, and whose priorities are confused.
Absolute Freedom of Religion
[18:29] Proclaim: "This is the truth from your Lord," then whoever
wills let him believe, and whoever wills let him disbelieve. We
have prepared for the transgressors a fire that will completely
surround them. When they scream for help, they will be given a
liquid like concentrated acid that scalds the faces. What a
miserable drink! What a miserable destiny!
[18:30] As for those who believe and lead a righteous life, we
never fail to recompense those who work righteousness.
[18:31] They have deserved gardens of Eden wherein rivers flow.
They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold, and will wear
clothes of green silk and velvet, and will rest on comfortable
furnishings. What a wonderful reward; what a wonderful abode!
Property as an Idol*
[18:32] Cite for them the example of two men: we gave one of them
two gardens of grapes, surrounded by date palms, and placed other
crops between them.
Footnote
[18:33] Both gardens produced their crops on time, and generously,
for we caused a river to run through them.
[18:34] Once, after harvesting, he boastfully told his friend: "I
am far more prosperous than you, and I command more respect from
the people."
[18:35] When he entered his garden, he wronged his soul by saying,
"I do not think that this will ever end.
[18:36] "Moreover, I think this is it; I do not think that the
Hour (the Hereafter) will ever come to pass. Even if I am returned
to my Lord, I will (be clever enough to) possess an even better
one over there."
[18:37] His friend said to him, as he debated with him, "Have you
disbelieved in the One who created you from dust, then from a tiny
drop, then perfected you into a man?
[18:38] "As for me, GOD is my Lord, and I will never set up any
other god besides my Lord.
Important Commandment
[18:39] "When you entered your garden, you should have said, `This
is what GOD has given me (Maa Shaa Allah). No one possesses power
except GOD (La Quwwata Ellaa Bellaah).' You may see that I possess
less money and less children than you.
[18:40] "My Lord may grant me better than your garden. He may send
a violent storm from the sky that wipes out your garden, leaving
it completely barren.
[18:41] "Or, its water may sink deeper, out of your reach."
[18:42] Indeed, his crops were wiped out, and he ended up
sorrowful, lamenting what he had spent on it in vain, as his
property lay barren. He finally said, "I wish I never set up my
property as a god beside my Lord."
[18:43] No force on earth could have helped him against GOD, nor
was it possible for him to receive any help.
[18:44] That is because the only true Lord and master is GOD; He
provides the best recompense, and with Him is the best destiny.
[18:45] Cite for them the example of this life as water that we
send down from the sky to produce plants of the earth, then they
turn into hay that is blown away by the wind. GOD is able to do
all things.
Rearranging Our Priorities
[18:46] Money and children are the joys of this life, but the
righteous works provide an eternal recompense from your Lord, and
a far better hope.
[18:47] The day will come when we wipe out the mountains, and you
will see the earth barren. We will summon them all, not leaving
out a single one of them.
[18:48] They will be presented before your Lord in a row. You have
come to us as individuals, just as we created you initially.
Indeed, this is what you claimed will never happen.
[18:49] The record will be shown, and you will see the guilty
fearful of its contents. They will say, "Woe to us. How come this
book leaves nothing, small or large, without counting it?" They
will find everything they had done brought forth. Your Lord is
never unjust towards anyone.
Classification of God's Creatures
[18:50] We said to the angels, "Fall prostrate before Adam." They
fell prostrate, except Satan. He became a jinn, for he disobeyed
the order of His Lord.* Will you choose him and his descendants as
lords instead of Me, even though they are your enemies? What a
miserable substitute!
Footnote
[18:51] I never permitted them to witness the creation of the
heavens and the earth, nor the creation of themselves. Nor do I
permit the wicked to work in My kingdom.*
Footnote
[18:52] The day will come when He says, "Call upon My partners,
whom you claimed to be gods beside Me," they will call on them,
but they will not respond to them. An insurmountable barrier will
separate them from each other.
[18:53] The guilty will see Hell, and will realize that they will
fall into it. They will have no escape therefrom.
Disbelievers Refuse to Accept the Completeness of the Quran
[18:54] We have cited in this Quran every kind of example, but the
human being is the most argumentative creature.
[18:55] Nothing prevented the people from believing, when the
guidance came to them, and from seeking the forgiveness of their
Lord, except that they demanded to see the same (kind of miracles)
as the previous generations, or challenged to see the retribution
beforehand.
[18:56] We only send the messengers as simply deliverers of good
news, as well as warners. Those who disbelieve argue with
falsehood to defeat the truth, and they take My proofs and
warnings in vain.
Divine Intervention
[18:57] Who are more evil than those who are reminded of their
Lord's proofs, then disregard them, without realizing what they
are doing. Consequently, we place shields on their hearts to
prevent them from understanding it (the Quran), and deafness in
their ears. Thus, no matter what you do to guide them, they can
never ever be guided.
[18:58] Yet, your Lord is the Forgiver, full of mercy. If He
called them to account for their deeds, He would annihilate them
right there and then. Instead, He gives them a respite until a
specific, predetermined time; then they can never escape.
[18:59] Many a community we annihilated because of their
transgressions; we designated a specific time for their
annihilation.
Valuable Lessons from Moses and His Teacher
[18:60] Moses said to his servant, "I will not rest until I reach
the point where the two rivers meet, no matter how long it takes."
[18:61] When they reached the point where they met, they forgot
their fish, and it found its way back to the river, sneakily.
[18:62] After they passed that point, he said to his servant, "Let
us have lunch. All this traveling has thoroughly exhausted us."
[18:63] He said, "Remember when we sat by the rock back there? I
paid no attention to the fish. It was the devil who made me forget
it, and it found its way back to the river, strangely."
[18:64] (Moses) said, "That was the place we were looking for."
They traced their steps back.
[18:65] They found one of our servants, whom we blessed with
mercy, and bestowed upon him from our own knowledge.
[18:66] Moses said to him, "Can I follow you, that you may teach
me some of the knowledge and the guidance bestowed upon you?"
[18:67] He said, "You cannot stand to be with me.
[18:68] "How can you stand that which you do not comprehend?"
[18:69] He said, "You will find me, GOD willing, patient. I will
not disobey any command you give me."
[18:70] He said, "If you follow me, then you shall not ask me
about anything, unless I choose to tell you about it."
[18:71] So they went. When they boarded a ship, he bore a hole in
it. He said, "Did you bore a hole in it to drown its people? You
have committed something terrible."
[18:72] He said, "Did I not say that you cannot stand to be with
me?"
[18:73] He said, "I am sorry. Do not punish me for my
forgetfulness; do not be too harsh with me."
[18:74] So they went. When they met a young boy, he killed him. He
said, "Why did you kill such an innocent person, who did not kill
another person? You have committed something horrendous."
[18:75] He said, "Did I not tell you that you cannot stand to be
with me?"
[18:76] He said, "If I ask you about anything else, then do not
keep me with you. You have seen enough apologies from me."
[18:77] So they went. When they reached a certain community, they
asked the people for food, but they refused to host them. Soon,
they found a wall about to collapse, and he fixed it. He said,
"You could have demanded a wage for that!"
There is a Good Reason for Everything
[18:78] He said, "Now we have to part company. But I will explain
to you everything you could not stand.
[18:79] "As for the ship, it belonged to poor fishermen, and I
wanted to render it defective. There was a king coming after them,
who was confiscating every ship, forcibly.
[18:80] "As for the boy, his parents were good believers, and we
saw that he was going to burden them with his transgression and
disbelief.*
Footnote
[18:81] "We willed that your Lord substitute in his place another
son; one who is better in righteousness and kindness.
[18:82] "As for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the
city. Under it, there was a treasure that belonged to them.
Because their father was a righteous man, your Lord wanted them to
grow up and attain full strength, then extract their treasure.
Such is mercy from your Lord. I did none of that of my own
volition. This is the explanation of the things you could not
stand."
Zul-Qarnain: The One With the Two Horns or Two Generations
[18:83] They ask you about Zul-Qarnain. Say, "I will narrate to
you some of his history."
[18:84] We granted him authority on earth, and provided him with
all kinds of means.
[18:85] Then, he pursued one way.
[18:86] When he reached the far west, he found the sun setting in
a vast ocean, and found people there. We said, "O Zul-Qarnain, you
can rule as you wish; either punish, or be kind to them."
[18:87] He said, "As for those who transgress, we will punish
them; then, when they return to their Lord, He will commit them to
more retribution.
[18:88] "As for those who believe and lead a righteous life, they
receive a good reward; we will treat them kindly."
[18:89] Then he pursued another way.
[18:90] When he reached the far east, he found the sun rising on
people who had nothing to shelter them from it.
[18:91] Naturally, we were fully aware of everything he found out.
[18:92] He then pursued another way.
[18:93] When he reached the valley between two palisades, he found
people whose language was barely understandable.
Gog and Magog*
[18:94] They said, "O Zul-Qarnain, Gog and Magog are corruptors of
the earth. Can we pay you to create a barrier between us and
them?"
Footnote
[18:95] He said, "My Lord has given me great bounties. If you
cooperate with me, I will build a dam between you and them.
[18:96] "Bring to me masses of iron." Once he filled the gap
between the two palisades, he said, "Blow." Once it was red hot,
he said, "Help me pour tar on top of it."
[18:97] Thus, they could not climb it, nor could they bore holes
in it.
[18:98] He said, "This is mercy from my Lord. When the prophecy of
my Lord comes to pass, He will cause the dam to crumble. The
prophecy of my Lord is truth."
[18:99] At that time, we will let them invade with one another,
then the horn will be blown, and we will summon them all together.
[18:100] We will present Hell, on that day, to the disbelievers.
[18:101] They are the ones whose eyes were too veiled to see My
message. Nor could they hear.
[18:102] Do those who disbelieve think that they can get away with
setting up My servants as gods beside Me? We have prepared for the
disbelievers Hell as an eternal abode.
Examine Yourself
[18:103] Say, "Shall I tell you who the worst losers are?
[18:104] "They are the ones whose works in this life are totally
astray, but they think that they are doing good."
[18:105] Such are the ones who disbelieved in the revelations of
their Lord and in meeting Him. Therefore, their works are in vain;
on the Day of Resurrection, they have no weight.
[18:106] Their just requital is Hell, in return for their
disbelief, and for mocking My revelations and My messengers.
[18:107] As for those who believe and lead a righteous life, they
have deserved a blissful Paradise as their abode.
[18:108] Forever they abide therein; they will never want any
other substitute.
The Quran: Everything We Need
[18:109] Say, "If the ocean were ink for the words of my Lord, the
ocean would run out, before the words of my Lord run out, even if
we double the ink supply."
[18:110] Say, "I am no more than a human like you, being inspired
that your god is one god. Those who hope to meet their Lord shall
work righteousness, and never worship any other god beside his
Lord."
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