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 Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
19. In the same way [18], We raised them up so that they might question one another. One of them said, "How long have you remained in this state?" Some among them said, "We have remained a day or part of a day." Others said, "Your Lord knows best how long you have remained. Now send one of you with this silver coin to the city, and let him see which food is purest, and bring you some provision from it. He should be gentle and not let anyone become aware of you."
[18]
Awakening After a Long Sleep, Concern for Food, and Sending a Man to the City:
Just as, during a difficult time, We cast them into a deep sleep for a long period, likewise, when circumstances became favorable for them, We awakened them. Upon waking, the very first question that came to their minds was: how long have we slept? They estimated this period based on normal circumstances, reasoning that no matter how exhausted a person is, he cannot sleep for more than a day, and under normal conditions, one sleeps about eight or nine hours. Therefore, one of them said: we have slept the whole day, and another said: how could we have slept that long? We must have slept only a few hours. One among them said: what is the benefit of this discussion? We have no means to determine the exact duration; Allah knows best about it. Now, what needs to be done is that we are feeling hungry, so send someone to the city to bring food from a shopkeeper who is careful about cleanliness and purity. Whoever goes to the city should go in disguise and, in exchange for this coin, bring whatever he can get. He should not quarrel with the shopkeeper, nor should he argue or quarrel with anyone else. If he does not adopt such a gentle approach, it is possible that people may find out about us, and they may create a new trouble for us, forcing us back into idolatry as before, or they may become intent on taking our lives.
[18]
Awakening After a Long Sleep, Concern for Food, and Sending a Man to the City:
Just as, during a difficult time, We cast them into a deep sleep for a long period, likewise, when circumstances became favorable for them, We awakened them. Upon waking, the very first question that came to their minds was: how long have we slept? They estimated this period based on normal circumstances, reasoning that no matter how exhausted a person is, he cannot sleep for more than a day, and under normal conditions, one sleeps about eight or nine hours. Therefore, one of them said: we have slept the whole day, and another said: how could we have slept that long? We must have slept only a few hours. One among them said: what is the benefit of this discussion? We have no means to determine the exact duration; Allah knows best about it. Now, what needs to be done is that we are feeling hungry, so send someone to the city to bring food from a shopkeeper who is careful about cleanliness and purity. Whoever goes to the city should go in disguise and, in exchange for this coin, bring whatever he can get. He should not quarrel with the shopkeeper, nor should he argue or quarrel with anyone else. If he does not adopt such a gentle approach, it is possible that people may find out about us, and they may create a new trouble for us, forcing us back into idolatry as before, or they may become intent on taking our lives.
