سُوْرَةُ الْكَهْفِ
Surah Al-Kahf (18) — Ayah 19
وَكَذَٰلِكَ بَعَثْنَـٰهُمْ لِيَتَسَآءَلُوا۟ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ قَالَ قَآئِلٌ مِّنْهُمْ كَمْ لَبِثْتُمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ لَبِثْنَا يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ ۚ قَالُوا۟ رَبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثْتُمْ فَٱبْعَثُوٓا۟ أَحَدَكُم بِوَرِقِكُمْ هَـٰذِهِۦٓ إِلَى ٱلْمَدِينَةِ فَلْيَنظُرْ أَيُّهَآ أَزْكَىٰ طَعَامًا فَلْيَأْتِكُم بِرِزْقٍ مِّنْهُ وَلْيَتَلَطَّفْ وَلَا يُشْعِرَنَّ بِكُمْ أَحَدًا ﴿19﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
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.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَكَذَٰلِكَ
wakadhālika
And similarly
بَعَثْنَـٰهُمْ
baʿathnāhum
We raised them
لِيَتَسَآءَلُوا۟
liyatasāalū
that they might question
بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ
baynahum
among them
قَالَ
qāla
Said
قَآئِلٌۭ
qāilun
a speaker
مِّنْهُمْ
min'hum
among them
كَمْ
kam
How long
لَبِثْتُمْ ۖ
labith'tum
have you remained
قَالُوا۟
qālū
They said
لَبِثْنَا
labith'nā
We have remained
يَوْمًا
yawman
a day
أَوْ
aw
or
بَعْضَ
baʿḍa
a part
يَوْمٍۢ ۚ
yawmin
(of) a day
قَالُوا۟
qālū
They said
رَبُّكُمْ
rabbukum
Your Lord
أَعْلَمُ
aʿlamu
knows best
بِمَا
bimā
how long
لَبِثْتُمْ
labith'tum
you have remained
فَٱبْعَثُوٓا۟
fa-ib'ʿathū
So send
أَحَدَكُم
aḥadakum
one of you
بِوَرِقِكُمْ
biwariqikum
with this silver coin of yours
هَـٰذِهِۦٓ
hādhihi
with this silver coin of yours
إِلَى
ilā
to
ٱلْمَدِينَةِ
l-madīnati
the city
فَلْيَنظُرْ
falyanẓur
and let him see
أَيُّهَآ
ayyuhā
which is
أَزْكَىٰ
azkā
the purest
طَعَامًۭا
ṭaʿāman
food
فَلْيَأْتِكُم
falyatikum
and let him bring to you
بِرِزْقٍۢ
biriz'qin
provision
مِّنْهُ
min'hu
from it
وَلْيَتَلَطَّفْ
walyatalaṭṭaf
and let him be cautious
وَلَا
walā
And let not be aware
يُشْعِرَنَّ
yush'ʿiranna
And let not be aware
بِكُمْ
bikum
about you
أَحَدًا
aḥadan
anyone
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
19. 1 That is, just as We had put them to sleep with Our power, in the same way, after three hundred and nine years, We raised them up, and raised them in such a state that their bodies were just as sound as they were when they had fallen asleep three hundred years earlier. That is why they questioned each other among themselves.
19. 2 It is as if, when they entered the cave, it was the early part of the morning, and when they woke up, it was the last part of the day. Thus, they thought that perhaps we have slept for a day or even less, just a part of the day.
19. 3 However, due to the excessive sleep, they were in great doubt, and in the end, they entrusted the matter to Allah, for He alone knows the correct duration.
19. 4 After waking up, the arrangement for food, which is the most important need of a human being, became a concern for them.
19. 5 The emphasis on caution and gentleness was due to the same fear for which they had left the city and come to a deserted place. He was instructed that their money should not reveal their identity to the townspeople, and no new calamity should befall them, as mentioned in the next verse.
19. 2 It is as if, when they entered the cave, it was the early part of the morning, and when they woke up, it was the last part of the day. Thus, they thought that perhaps we have slept for a day or even less, just a part of the day.
19. 3 However, due to the excessive sleep, they were in great doubt, and in the end, they entrusted the matter to Allah, for He alone knows the correct duration.
19. 4 After waking up, the arrangement for food, which is the most important need of a human being, became a concern for them.
19. 5 The emphasis on caution and gentleness was due to the same fear for which they had left the city and come to a deserted place. He was instructed that their money should not reveal their identity to the townspeople, and no new calamity should befall them, as mentioned in the next verse.
