surah 18 al-kahf-1 -...

The Qura'n – Treasure of the Faith

English Paraphrasing by Badr Hashemi

Al-KahfEighteenth Surah. Revealed in Makkah. 110 Statements

The Surah, translated as the Cavern, takes its title from Statement 09 and the events sketched out in Statements 10-26. It was revealed immediately before Surah 16, i.e., in the last year of the Makkan period and is almost entirely devoted to a series of events built around the theme of Faith in One Allah versus undue attachment to the worldly life: Statements 32-44.

The Surah, amongst others, captures the following three episodes from the chronicles of history to illustrate the veracity of the concept of the existence of Allah who has no ancestry or offspring and to whom all creation belong, the need to prepare for our accountability to Him and its value to human society:

- The People of the Cavern and the Raqīm demonstrates the principle of world-abandonment for the sake of faith, and is deepened into an allegory of death and resurrection.

- In the experience of Moses with the unnamed sage the highlight is of a man's intellectual life and his search for the ultimate truth. Appearance and reality are shown to be intrinsically different - so much different that only spiritual insight can reveal as to what is apparent and what is real.

- The narrative of Dhu'l-Qarnayn illustrates that worldly life and power need not conflict with righteousness so long as one remains conscious of the ultimate responsibility to Allah who is above all limitations of time and space.

The concluding Statement 110 leaves a strong message for the Muslim Faithful:

- Whoever looks forward with hope and awe to meeting one's Rabb on the Day of Judgment, must do righteous deeds, and

- must not associate anyone or anything, real or myth, apparent or disguised in worshipful reverence and obedience to his/her Rabb.’

The Prophet, Allah bless him always, is reported to have highlighted the significance of the Surah in the following words:

- the one who memorized the first and/or last ten Statements of the Surah shall remain protected from the ill of every imposter;

- the one who reads the first and the last Statements, there shall be light from one's feet up to one's head; and the one who

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were to read the whole Surah, then, there is light from the earth up to the heaven; and,

- the one who reads the Surah on a Friday shall have light from one's feet up to the heaven; this light shall serve him/her well on the Day of Judgment.

Statements 01 to 74 form later part of Chapter 15, rest of the Surah spills over to Chapter 16.


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Aauzu biAllahi mina alshshaytani alrrajeemI seek Allah’s protection from the satanic, accursed and evil forces - both within the

human soul and social environment

Bismillahi alrrahmani alrraheem

I/We start with the Name of Allah who is Supremely Merciful and Ever-Compassionate

Statement 01a. The praise and gratitude is to ALLAH,b. WHO has revealed this perfect Book of Qur'ān to HIS obedient person Muhammad, c. and has ensured that it always remains free of every deviousness and distortion; straight and upright in terms of the perfection of its words and meanings; d. free of all obscurities, blemish and internal contradictions: 04:82.

Statement 02a. HE made it an unerringly straightforward Book, b. meant to warn people of a severe punishment from HIM in case of their continued disbelief in the Unity of ALLAH, Resurrection and the Judgment, c. and to give the happy news to the believers who do righteous deeds and behave well that they shall have a good reward, i.e. a state of bliss in Paradise.

Statement 03a. wherein they shall live endlessly, forever.



* Straight Type Script Translation of the Arabic Text * Italic Type Script Paraphrased extended language.Bold Type Script Do's and Don't Do's; Articles of Faith

Ayah 01Alhamdu lillahi allathee anzala AAala AAabdihi alkitaba walam yajAAal lahu AAiwaja

Ayah 02Qayyiman liyunthira ba/san shadeedan min ladunhu wayubashshira almu/mineena allatheena yaAAmaloona alssalihati anna lahum ajran hasana

Ayah 03Makitheena feehi abada

01

03

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Statement 04a. Furthermore, it is meant to warns those men and women, young and old,b. who allege:c. 'ALLAH has taken to HIMSELF a son.'

Statement 05a. while they have no knowledge about such a happening, b. and their forefathers also did not have any idea about it. c. Grave is the word that comes out of their mouths, i.e. their assertion is monstrous. d. Nothing but absolute falsehood do they utter about ALLAH.

Statement 06a. The Prophet, ALLAH bless him always, was dismayed and aggrieved by the hostility aroused by the Divine Message among the polytheists; b. it may well be that you would destroy yourself with grief over their rejection and for their turning away,c. because they do not believe in this Message of the Qur'ān out of bitterness.

Statement 07a. Surely, WE have made all that is in and on earth, i.e. living forms, vegetation, mountains, minerals, etc.,b. as decoration and beauty for it so that WE may test people as to which of them is better in terms of righteous deeds and socially responsible behavior;

Statement 08a. and, in due course, WE shall definitely reduce all that is in and on it to nothingness –barren dust, infertile dry earth.




Ayah 04Wayunthira allatheena qaloo ittakhatha Allahu walada

Ayah 05Ma lahum bihi min AAilmin wala li-aba-ihim kaburat kalimatan takhruju min afwahihim in yaqooloona illa kathiba

Ayah 06FalaAAallaka bakhiAAun nafsaka AAala atharihim in lam yu/minoo bihatha alhadeethi asafa

Ayah 07Inna jaAAalna ma AAala al-ardi zeenatan laha linabluwahum ayyuhum ahsanu AAamala

Ayah 08Wa-inna lajaAAiloona ma AAalayha saAAeedan juruza

04

05

06

08

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Statement 09a. Do you think that the Men of al-Kahf - large mountainous cave or cavern - and al-Raqīm were an unusually amazing and an extraordinary wonder among OUR other Signs? b. While there is better clarity about the Men of al-Kahf or People of the Cavern, there is considerable ambiguity about al-Raqīm. There are several interpretations: first is that it was a tablet, hanging at the entrance of the Cavern where the sleepers stayed and in which their story, names or genealogies were written. Second suggestion is that al-Raqīm could have been the name of the village or the dog of the Sleepers. Third hypothesis is that it is a reference to the vicissitudes of the Sleepers who escaped and found refuge in the Cavern. Fourth point of view is that it refers to an 'inscription'; the fifth understanding is it refers to the devotees of the former divine books, etc.

Statement 10a. Mention when the young men took refuge in the Cavern, b. they prayed: c. 'O our RABB – Lord Supreme! d. Please bless us with YOUR mercy and grace, e. and kindly provide for us right mindedness in our affair.'

Statement 11a. Thereupon WE drew a veil over their ears, literally plugged their ears to prevent all hearing in the Cavern, conveying the sense of deep sleep for numerous years, b. and thus they remained cut off from the outside world.




Ayah 09Am hasibta anna as-haba alkahfi waalrraqeemi kanoo min ayatina AAajaban

Ayah 10

Ith awa alfityatu ila alkahfi faqaloo rabbana atina min ladunka rahmatan wahayyi/ lana min amrina rashadan

Ayah 11Fadarabna AAala athanihim fee alkahfi sineena AAadada

09

10

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Statement 12a. and then WE awakened them to the active life of this world,b. so that WE might mark out which of the two groups c. showed a better comprehension of the time-span during which they had remained in this state of sleep.

Statement 13a. And now WE shall narrate to you their true history. b. They were young men who believed in the absolute unity of their RABB – Lord Supreme, c. so WE increased them in right mindedness.

Statement 14a. It was the fourth or the fifth century that Region of the Levant was ruled by polytheists. The ruler summoned the young men to his audience and asked them to explain and justify their faith and preaching. It was a testing time.b. And WE made their hearts firm in faith and encouraged them to face any eventuality; and when they stood up against their misguided fellow-men, and/or the rulers who persecuted the believers, they explained: c. 'Our RABB – Lord Supreme is the RABB – Lord Supreme of the cosmos, the space and the earth. d. Never shall we call upon anyone or anything, real or myth, for worshipful reverence and obedience other than HIM. e. If we did, we would utter enormity and say something far from the truth.




Ayah 12Thumma baAAathnahum linaAAlama ayyu alhizbayni ahsa lima labithoo amada

Ayah 13Nahnu naqussu AAalayka nabaahum bialhaqqi innahum fityatun amanoo birabbihim wazidnahum huda

Ayah 14Warabatna AAala quloobihim ith qamoo faqaloo rabbuna rabbu alssamawati waal-ardi lan nadAAuwa min doonihi ilahan laqad qulna ithan shatata

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Statement 15a. These people of ours have taken for worship entities, real or myth, other than HE; b. Even though they do not bring any convincing evidence in support of their belief and its practice.c. Thus who could be more unjust and wicked than the one who fabricates a lie against ALLAH's unity and uniqueness? d. They were threatened to be killed if they kept adhering to their faith. Resultantly, they left the city.

Statement 16a. Hence, now that you have isolated and withdrawn from them, b. and all that they worship instead of One ALLAH, c. then take refuge in the cavern. d. ALLAH may well spread HIS mercy and grace over you and provide you ease and convenience in your affair!'




Ayah 15Haola-i qawmuna ittakhathoo min doonihi alihatan lawla ya/toona AAalayhim bisultanin bayyinin faman athlamu mimmani iftara AAala Allahi kathiba

Ayah 16Wa-ithi iAAtazaltumoohum wama yaAAbudoona illa Allaha fa/woo ila alkahfi yanshur lakum rabbukum min rahmatihi wayuhayyi/ lakum min amrikum mirfaqa

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Statement 17a. And for many a years, you - people at large - might have seen the sun, b. on its rising, it inclines away from their cavern towards the right, and, c. on its setting, it turns away from them towards the left, d. while they lay in a space hollow within. e. The innocent youth were protected in a manner that sunlight will not reach their bodies. It may have been caused through its particular formation or location, or through the barrier of a cloud or something similar when the Sun would start shining, or the very rays of the Sun would be moved away from them in an extraordinary manner. The point is that a wondrous situation was created that obscured the presence of its occupants from the gaze of any passer-by. f. That was one of ALLAH's miraculous Signs of perfect power.g. Whoever ALLAH guides is indeed truly and righteously guided, h. and whoever HE lets go astray can never find any guardian who would lead to the true and righteous way.




Ayah 17Watara alshshamsa itha talaAAat tazawaru AAan kahfihim thata alyameeni wa-itha gharabat taqriduhum thata alshshimali wahum fee fajwatin minhu thalika min ayati Allahi man yahdi Allahu fahuwa almuhtadi waman yudlil falan tajida lahu waliyyan murshida

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Statement 18a. And you would have assumed that they were awake and alert, b. while they were ones who were certainly deep asleep. c. And WE turned them over repeatedly on their sides: towards the right side and towards the left side; d. and their dog, one stretching out its forepaws at the cavern's entrance.e. And had you come upon them, you would have certainly fled away from them,f. and surely would have been filled with fright from them and the resulting fear would have gripped you all over.




Ayah 18Watahsabuhum ayqathan wahum ruqoodun wanuqallibuhum thata alyameeni wathata alshshimali wakalbuhum basitun thiraAAayhi bialwaseedi lawi ittalaAAta AAalayhim lawallayta minhum firaran walamuli/ta minhum ruAAba

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Statement 19a. And such being their state, i.e. their sleep was not like the habitual sleep of common people, very similarly, their rising too was distinct from natural habitual awakening.b. WE awakened them; fit and healthy without usual nourishment was another perfect Divine Sign.c. and they began to question one another. d. One of them asked: e. 'How long have you remained thus?' f. The others answered: g. 'We may have remained thus for a day, or perhaps a part of a day.' h. They said: i. 'Your RABB – Lord Supreme knows best how long you have remained thus. j. Let, then, one of you go with this paper currency note of yours to the city market, and let him find out what food is purest there, and bring you some of it – the first thing they felt after awakening was hunger. k. But let him behave with great care and by no means make anyone aware of you.l. ALLAH's power to create life, to cause it to disappear and then to resurrect it has appeared with specific examples vide 03:27, 06:95, 10:31 and 30:19, etc.




Ayah 19Wakathalika baAAathnahum liyatasaaloo baynahum qala qa-ilun minhum kam labithtum qaloo labithna yawman aw baAAda yawmin qaloo rabbukum aAAlamu bima labithtum faibAAathoo ahadakum biwariqikum hathihi ila almadeenati falyanthur ayyuha azka taAAaman falya/tikum birizqin minhu walyatalattaf wala yushAAiranna bikum ahada

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Statement 20a. For, truly, if they should come to know of you, b. they will either stone you to death, c. or force you back to their creed, d. in which case you will never attain any good and success in the Sight of ALLAH.'e. During their sleep, time had stood still, so they remained apprehensive that the outside world was hostile to them.

Statement 21a. And in this way had WE drawn residents' of the city attention to their case, b. so that they might know that ALLAH's promise of resurrection is true and that there can be no doubt about the coming of the Last Hour. c. Later, Men of the Cavern died their natural death and were buried.d. The people argued among themselves as to what happened to them and how their burial place may be honored. e. Some of them said: f. 'Erect a structure in their memory, i.e. build a memorial. g. Their RABB – Lord Supreme knows their case best.' h. Those whose opinion prevailed in their affair said: i. 'We must certainly raise a place of prostration and worship in their memory.'




Ayah 20Innahum in yathharoo AAalaykum yarjumookum aw yuAAeedookum fee millatihim walan tuflihoo ithan abada

Ayah 21Wakathalika aAAtharna AAalayhim liyaAAlamoo anna waAAda Allahi haqqun waanna alsaAAata la rayba feeha ith yatanazaAAoona baynahum amrahum faqaloo ibnoo AAalayhim bunyanan rabbuhum aAAlamu bihim qala allatheena ghalaboo AAala amrihim lanattakhithanna AAalayhim masjida

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Statement 22a. In times to come some people will say:b. 'They were three, the fourth of them being their dog;' c. while others will say:d. 'They were five, with their dog being the sixth of them,' e. just making unsubstantiated conjectures - idly guessing at the unknown and the unseen.f. Yet others will say:g. 'They were seven, the eighth of them being their dog.' h. Say: i. 'My RABB – Lord Supreme knows best of their number. j. No one but a few have any real knowledge of them in numbers,k. so do not unnecessarily argue about them and their numbers, except on a matter that is clear. l. And do not ask anyone of these people for an opinion or a clarification about them,' i.e. any further prolongation of the debate and altercation would result in uncalled for waste of time and mutual bickering.

Statement 23a. And never say about something: b. 'I shall do this tomorrow or in the future,'




Ayah 22Sayaqooloona thalathatun rabiAAuhum kalbuhum wayaqooloona khamsatun sadisuhum kalbuhum rajman bialghaybi wayaqooloona sabAAatun wathaminuhum kalbuhum qul rabbee aAAlamu biAAiddatihim ma yaAAlamuhum illa qaleelun fala tumari feehim illa miraan thahiran wala tastafti feehim minhum ahada

Ayah 23Wala taqoolanna lishay-in innee faAAilun thalika ghada

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