سُوْرَةُ الْكَهْفِ
Surah Al-Kahf (18) — Ayah 82
وَأَمَّا ٱلْجِدَارُ فَكَانَ لِغُلَـٰمَيْنِ يَتِيمَيْنِ فِى ٱلْمَدِينَةِ وَكَانَ تَحْتَهُۥ كَنزٌ لَّهُمَا وَكَانَ أَبُوهُمَا صَـٰلِحًا فَأَرَادَ رَبُّكَ أَن يَبْلُغَآ أَشُدَّهُمَا وَيَسْتَخْرِجَا كَنزَهُمَا رَحْمَةً مِّن رَّبِّكَ ۚ وَمَا فَعَلْتُهُۥ عَنْ أَمْرِى ۚ ذَٰلِكَ تَأْوِيلُ مَا لَمْ تَسْطِع عَّلَيْهِ صَبْرًا ﴿82﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
"And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the town; and there was under it a treasure belonging to them; and their father was a righteous man, and your Lord intended that they should attain their age of full strength and take out their treasure as a mercy from your Lord. And I did them not of my own accord. That is the interpretation of those (things) over which you could not hold patience."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَأَمَّا
wa-ammā
And as for
ٱلْجِدَارُ
l-jidāru
the wall
فَكَانَ
fakāna
it was
لِغُلَـٰمَيْنِ
lighulāmayni
for two orphan boys
يَتِيمَيْنِ
yatīmayni
for two orphan boys
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْمَدِينَةِ
l-madīnati
the town
وَكَانَ
wakāna
and was
تَحْتَهُۥ
taḥtahu
underneath it
كَنزٌۭ
kanzun
a treasure
لَّهُمَا
lahumā
for them
وَكَانَ
wakāna
and was
أَبُوهُمَا
abūhumā
their father
صَـٰلِحًۭا
ṣāliḥan
righteous
فَأَرَادَ
fa-arāda
So intended
رَبُّكَ
rabbuka
your Lord
أَن
an
that
يَبْلُغَآ
yablughā
they reach
أَشُدَّهُمَا
ashuddahumā
their maturity
وَيَسْتَخْرِجَا
wayastakhrijā
and bring forth
كَنزَهُمَا
kanzahumā
their treasure
رَحْمَةًۭ
raḥmatan
(as) a mercy
مِّن
min
from
رَّبِّكَ ۚ
rabbika
your Lord
وَمَا
wamā
And not
فَعَلْتُهُۥ
faʿaltuhu
I did it
عَنْ
ʿan
on
أَمْرِى ۚ
amrī
my (own) accord
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
That
تَأْوِيلُ
tawīlu
(is the) interpretation
مَا
mā
(of) what
لَمْ
lam
not
تَسْطِع
tasṭiʿ
you were able
عَّلَيْهِ
ʿalayhi
on it
صَبْرًۭا
ṣabran
(to have) patience
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 82) ➊ { وَ كَانَ اَبُوْهُمَا صَالِحًا :} Allah Almighty takes special care of His righteous servants’ believing children even after their death, and on the Day of Resurrection He will also grant them special favor. See Surah At-Tur (21).
➋ While explaining the real truth of these three incidents, Khidr (peace be upon him) especially maintained good manners with Allah Almighty. He attributed the act of making the boat defective to himself, the intention of killing the boy to himself, and the granting of better offspring to the righteous father to Allah Almighty, and the intention that the orphan boys would grow up and take care of their treasure to Allah Almighty.
➌ {وَ مَا فَعَلْتُهٗ عَنْ اَمْرِيْ :} This is clear evidence of Khidr (peace be upon him) being a prophet, because no wali is permitted, on the basis of inspiration from Allah, to kill even the worst of the worst, as Satan can interfere in his inspiration. {’’ لَمْ تَسْطِعْ ‘‘} Originally it was {’’ لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ‘‘}, for ease the letter "taa" was omitted. At the beginning of Khidr’s (peace be upon him) speech, {’’ لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ‘‘} is used, because the conversation is starting, there is no need for brevity; when the conversation ends, the story is summarized, so here {’’ لَمْ تَسْطِعْ ‘‘} is used. Another reason mentioned is that due to lack of clarity there was mental burden, so a heavy word was used, and after clarification, when the burden was lifted, a lighter word was used.
➋ While explaining the real truth of these three incidents, Khidr (peace be upon him) especially maintained good manners with Allah Almighty. He attributed the act of making the boat defective to himself, the intention of killing the boy to himself, and the granting of better offspring to the righteous father to Allah Almighty, and the intention that the orphan boys would grow up and take care of their treasure to Allah Almighty.
➌ {وَ مَا فَعَلْتُهٗ عَنْ اَمْرِيْ :} This is clear evidence of Khidr (peace be upon him) being a prophet, because no wali is permitted, on the basis of inspiration from Allah, to kill even the worst of the worst, as Satan can interfere in his inspiration. {’’ لَمْ تَسْطِعْ ‘‘} Originally it was {’’ لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ‘‘}, for ease the letter "taa" was omitted. At the beginning of Khidr’s (peace be upon him) speech, {’’ لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ‘‘} is used, because the conversation is starting, there is no need for brevity; when the conversation ends, the story is summarized, so here {’’ لَمْ تَسْطِعْ ‘‘} is used. Another reason mentioned is that due to lack of clarity there was mental burden, so a heavy word was used, and after clarification, when the burden was lifted, a lighter word was used.
