سُوْرَةُ الْكَهْفِ
Surah Al-Kahf (18) — Ayah 86
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ مَغْرِبَ ٱلشَّمْسِ وَجَدَهَا تَغْرُبُ فِى عَيْنٍ حَمِئَةٍ وَوَجَدَ عِندَهَا قَوْمًا ۗ قُلْنَا يَـٰذَا ٱلْقَرْنَيْنِ إِمَّآ أَن تُعَذِّبَ وَإِمَّآ أَن تَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمْ حُسْنًا ﴿86﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
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."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
حَتَّىٰٓ
ḥattā
Until
إِذَا
idhā
when
بَلَغَ
balagha
he reached
مَغْرِبَ
maghriba
(the) setting place
ٱلشَّمْسِ
l-shamsi
(of) the sun
وَجَدَهَا
wajadahā
he found it
تَغْرُبُ
taghrubu
setting
فِى
fī
in
عَيْنٍ
ʿaynin
a spring
حَمِئَةٍۢ
ḥami-atin
(of) dark mud
وَوَجَدَ
wawajada
and he found
عِندَهَا
ʿindahā
near it
قَوْمًۭا ۗ
qawman
a community
قُلْنَا
qul'nā
We said
يَـٰذَا
yādhā
O Dhul-qarnain
ٱلْقَرْنَيْنِ
l-qarnayni
O Dhul-qarnain
إِمَّآ
immā
Either
أَن
an
[that]
تُعَذِّبَ
tuʿadhiba
you punish
وَإِمَّآ
wa-immā
or
أَن
an
[that]
تَتَّخِذَ
tattakhidha
you take
فِيهِمْ
fīhim
[in] them
حُسْنًۭا
ḥus'nan
(with) goodness
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.
86. 1. By "Ayn" is meant a spring or sea. "Hami'ah" means muddy, swampy, found (was found), i.e., shown, felt. The meaning is that when Dhul-Qarnayn, conquering land after land in the western direction, reached the place where the last settlement was, there was a spring or sea of muddy water, which appeared black from below. It seemed to him as if the sun was setting in that spring. To those observing the sunset from the seashore, far away, where there is nothing beyond as far as the eye can see, it appears as if the sun is setting into the sea or the earth, although it actually remains in its place in the sky.
86. 2. "Qulna" (We said) — by means of revelation. From this, some scholars have deduced proof of prophethood, and those who do not accept his prophethood say that We said this to him through the prophet of that time.
86. 3. That is, We gave him dominance over this nation, granting him authority to kill them, take them captive, or release them as a favor by taking ransom.
86. 2. "Qulna" (We said) — by means of revelation. From this, some scholars have deduced proof of prophethood, and those who do not accept his prophethood say that We said this to him through the prophet of that time.
86. 3. That is, We gave him dominance over this nation, granting him authority to kill them, take them captive, or release them as a favor by taking ransom.
