سُوْرَةُ الْكَهْفِ
Surah Al-Kahf (18) — Ayah 77
فَٱنطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَتَيَآ أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ ٱسْتَطْعَمَآ أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْا۟ أَن يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَارًا يُرِيدُ أَن يَنقَضَّ فَأَقَامَهُۥ ۖ قَالَ لَوْ شِئْتَ لَتَّخَذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا ﴿77﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Then they both proceeded, till, when they came to the people of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused to entertain them. Then they found therein a wall about to collapse and he (Khidr) set it up straight. [Mûsâ (Moses)] said: If you had wished, surely, you could have taken wages for it!"
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَٱنطَلَقَا
fa-inṭalaqā
So they set out
حَتَّىٰٓ
ḥattā
until
إِذَآ
idhā
when
أَتَيَآ
atayā
they came
أَهْلَ
ahla
(to the) people
قَرْيَةٍ
qaryatin
(of) a town
ٱسْتَطْعَمَآ
is'taṭʿamā
they asked for food
أَهْلَهَا
ahlahā
(from) its people
فَأَبَوْا۟
fa-abaw
but they refused
أَن
an
to
يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا
yuḍayyifūhumā
offer them hospitality
فَوَجَدَا
fawajadā
Then they found
فِيهَا
fīhā
in it
جِدَارًۭا
jidāran
a wall
يُرِيدُ
yurīdu
(that) want(ed)
أَن
an
to
يَنقَضَّ
yanqaḍḍa
collapse
فَأَقَامَهُۥ ۖ
fa-aqāmahu
so he set it straight
قَالَ
qāla
He said
لَوْ
law
If
شِئْتَ
shi'ta
you wished
لَتَّخَذْتَ
lattakhadhta
surely you (could) have taken
عَلَيْهِ
ʿalayhi
for it
أَجْرًۭا
ajran
a payment
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 77){ اسْتَطْعَمَاۤ اَهْلَهَا :} Some Sufis have deduced from this verse that begging is recommended, and have included it among the etiquettes of the seeker, which is why generally Sufi people, instead of earning a livelihood, consider begging and living off others’ leftovers as the perfection of sainthood and reliance (on Allah), and they are skilled in this work. However, this is their ignorance. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: [ مَا زَالَ الرَّجُلُ يَسْأَلُ النَّاسَ حَتّٰی يَأْتِيَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ لَيْسَ فِيْ وَجْهِهِ مُزْعَةُ لَحْمٍ ] [ بخاري، الزکوٰۃ، باب من سأل تکثرًا : ۱۴۷۴۔ مسلم : 1040/104 ] “A man keeps asking from people until he comes on the Day of Resurrection in such a state that there will not be a piece of flesh on his face.” These two prophets asked for their right, which, as hospitality, was obligatory upon the people of the town. ‘Uqbah bin ‘Amir, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that we said to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: [ إِنَّكَ تَبْعَثُنَا فَنَنْزِلُ بِقَوْمٍ لَا يَقْرُوْنَنَا، فَمَا تَرَی فِيْهِ؟ فَقَالَ لَنَا إِنْ نَزَلْتُمْ بِقَوْمٍ فَأُمِرَ لَكُمْ بِمَا يَنْبَغِيْ لِلضَّيْفِ فَاقْبَلُوْا، فَإِنْ لَّمْ يَفْعَلُوْا فَخُذُوْا مِنْهُمْ حَقَّ الضَّيْفِ ] [ بخاري، المظالم، باب قصاص المظلوم إذا وجد مال ظالمہ : ۲۴۶۱۔ مسلم : ۱۷۲۷ ] “You send us and we go to a people, and they do not host us, so what do you say about this?” He, peace and blessings be upon him, said to us: “If you go to a people and they order for you what a guest deserves, then accept it. If they do not do so, then take the right of the guest from them.”
