سُوْرَةُ الْكَهْفِ
Surah Al-Kahf (18) — Ayah 17
۞ وَتَرَى ٱلشَّمْسَ إِذَا طَلَعَت تَّزَٰوَرُ عَن كَهْفِهِمْ ذَاتَ ٱلْيَمِينِ وَإِذَا غَرَبَت تَّقْرِضُهُمْ ذَاتَ ٱلشِّمَالِ وَهُمْ فِى فَجْوَةٍ مِّنْهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ مَن يَهْدِ ٱللَّهُ فَهُوَ ٱلْمُهْتَدِ ۖ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُۥ وَلِيًّا مُّرْشِدًا ﴿17﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
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, evidence, signs) of Allâh. He whom Allâh guides, he is the rightly guided; but he whom He sends astray, for him you will find no Walî (guiding friend) to lead him (to the right Path).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ وَتَرَى
watarā
And you (might) have seen
ٱلشَّمْسَ
l-shamsa
the sun
إِذَا
idhā
when
طَلَعَت
ṭalaʿat
it rose
تَّزَٰوَرُ
tazāwaru
inclining away
عَن
ʿan
from
كَهْفِهِمْ
kahfihim
their cave
ذَاتَ
dhāta
to
ٱلْيَمِينِ
l-yamīni
the right
وَإِذَا
wa-idhā
and when
غَرَبَت
gharabat
it set
تَّقْرِضُهُمْ
taqriḍuhum
passing away from them
ذَاتَ
dhāta
to
ٱلشِّمَالِ
l-shimāli
the left
وَهُمْ
wahum
while they
فِى
fī
(lay) in
فَجْوَةٍۢ
fajwatin
the open space
مِّنْهُ ۚ
min'hu
thereof
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
That
مِنْ
min
(was) from
ءَايَـٰتِ
āyāti
(the) Signs
ٱللَّهِ ۗ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
مَن
man
Whoever
يَهْدِ
yahdi
Allah guides
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah guides
فَهُوَ
fahuwa
and he
ٱلْمُهْتَدِ ۖ
l-muh'tadi
(is) the guided one
وَمَن
waman
and whoever
يُضْلِلْ
yuḍ'lil
He lets go astray
فَلَن
falan
then never
تَجِدَ
tajida
you will find
لَهُۥ
lahu
for him
وَلِيًّۭا
waliyyan
a protector
مُّرْشِدًۭا
mur'shidan
a guide
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 17) ➊ {وَ تَرَى الشَّمْسَ اِذَا طَلَعَتْ …:} That is, the mouth of their cave was towards the north; when the sun rose, the sunlight would be on the right side, and at sunset, it would be on the left side. Their bodies were in the spacious part of the cave, protected from the intense rays of the sun.
➋ { مَنْ يَّهْدِ اللّٰهُ فَهُوَ الْمُهْتَدِ : ’’هُوَ‘‘} After the definite noun, the predicate {’’ الْمُهْتَدِ ‘‘} is also definite, which gives the meaning of exclusivity, that is, whomever Allah guides to the straight path, only he is the one who attains the straight path. Just as the Companions of the Cave were granted the blessing of faith, then the courage to proclaim the truth, then the ability to migrate, and the way to enter the cave, where the required amount of sunlight and air for survival was present, and they remained protected from the eyes of people and the reach of the enemy.
➋ { مَنْ يَّهْدِ اللّٰهُ فَهُوَ الْمُهْتَدِ : ’’هُوَ‘‘} After the definite noun, the predicate {’’ الْمُهْتَدِ ‘‘} is also definite, which gives the meaning of exclusivity, that is, whomever Allah guides to the straight path, only he is the one who attains the straight path. Just as the Companions of the Cave were granted the blessing of faith, then the courage to proclaim the truth, then the ability to migrate, and the way to enter the cave, where the required amount of sunlight and air for survival was present, and they remained protected from the eyes of people and the reach of the enemy.
