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 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.
86. Until, when he reached the setting place of the sun, he found it setting in a spring of dark mud, and he found near it a people. We said: "O Dhul-Qarnayn! You have the option either to punish them [72.1] or to treat them kindly."
[72۔ 1]
The First Expedition of Dhul-Qarnayn to the West:
His first journey was to the westernmost boundary of his kingdom, that is, the farthest limit of Asia Minor, beyond which lies the sea where the Aegean Sea takes the form of small bays. Upon reaching there, it appeared to Dhul-Qarnayn as if the sun was setting in a dark, muddy body of water. There, the people whom Dhul-Qarnayn encountered were ignorant and disbelieving. Allah Almighty gave Dhul-Qarnayn the authority to either kill them, adopt a harsh attitude, or invite them to become obedient to Allah and treat them gently.
[72۔ 1]
The First Expedition of Dhul-Qarnayn to the West:
His first journey was to the westernmost boundary of his kingdom, that is, the farthest limit of Asia Minor, beyond which lies the sea where the Aegean Sea takes the form of small bays. Upon reaching there, it appeared to Dhul-Qarnayn as if the sun was setting in a dark, muddy body of water. There, the people whom Dhul-Qarnayn encountered were ignorant and disbelieving. Allah Almighty gave Dhul-Qarnayn the authority to either kill them, adopt a harsh attitude, or invite them to become obedient to Allah and treat them gently.
