Surah Al-Kahf 18:16

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ﱁ ﱂ ﱃ ﱄ ﱅ ﱆ ﱇ ﱈ ﱉ ﱊ ﱋ ﱌ ﱍ ﱎ ﱏ ﱐ ﱑ ﱒ ﱓ

[The youths said to one another], "And when you have withdrawn from them and that which they worship other than Allah, retreat to the cave. Your Lord will spread out for you of His mercy and will prepare for you from your affair facility."

Al-Kahf: (16-17) And when you have withdrawn from them and that which they worship except Allah...

Know that what is meant is that some of them said to others: {And when you have withdrawn from them} (i.e., withdrawn from that which they worship except Allah), then you have not withdrawn from the worship of Allah: {so take refuge in the cave}. Al-Farra’ said this is the response to idh (when), just as you say, "When you do such-and-such, then do such-and-such." It means: Go there and make it your refuge. {Your Lord will spread out for you of His mercy} (i.e., He will extend it upon you), {and prepare for you from your affair an ease/comfort} (مرفقًا).

There are two readings for marfaqan: Ibn 'Amir, 'Asim, and Hafs (in the narration of 'Asim) read it with an open mīm and a broken fā’ ($\text{marfaqa}n - مَرْفَقًا). The rest read it with a broken mīm and an open fā’ (\text{mirfaqa}n - مِرْفَقًا). Al-Farra’ said these are two linguistic variations, and their derivation is from irtifāq (seeking ease/support). Al-Kisā’ī denied any reading for the elbow joint (mirfaq al-insān) other than the broken mīm and open fā’ (\text{mirfaqa}n). Al-Farra’ permits both readings for the command form and for the elbow. It is also said that they are two linguistic variations, but the open mīm (\text{marfaqa}n) is more grammatically consistent (aqyas), while the broken mīm (\text{mirfaqa}n$) is more common. Another view is that marfaqa (open mīm) is what you seek ease from, and marfaqa (open mīm) also means the place of comfort/companionship.

Then the Almighty said: {And you would see the sun, when it rose, inclining away from their cave to the right, and when it set, passing away from them to the left}. There are several discussions regarding this:

First Discussion: Ibn 'Amir read tazāwaru (تَزَاوَرُ) with a quiescent zāy and a doubled rā’, like taḥmarru (تَحْمَرُّ). 'Asim, Hamzah, and Al-Kisā’ī read tazāwaru (تَزَاوَرُ) with an alif and a non-doubled rā’ (lightened). The rest read tazzāwaru (تَزَّاوَرُ) with doubling and an alif. All readings carry the same meaning: Inclination and deviation. From this is zārahū (he visited him) when one inclines toward him. Zawr (الزَّوْر) is deviation from the truth. As for the doubling (in tazzāwaru), the original form was tatazāwaru (تَتَزَاوَرُ), where the second tā’ became quiescent and was assimilated into the zāy. As for the lightened form (tazāwaru), it is the tafā'ul pattern from zawr. As for tazūru (تَزُورُ), it is from izwirār (inclination).

Second Discussion: Regarding the phrase {And you would see the sun}, it means you, O addressee, see the sun at its rising inclining away from their cave. It is not intended that the one addressed literally sees this, but rather that this is the customary manner of address. It means: If you were to see them in this state.

Third Discussion: Regarding {to the right} (dhāta al-yamīn), it means the direction of the right. The origin is that dhāt is an adjective used in place of the described noun, as it is the feminine form of dhū (possessor) in phrases like "a man possessing wealth" (rajulun dhū mālin) and "a woman possessing wealth" (imra'atun dhātu mālin). The implied meaning is as if it were said: It inclines away from their cave in the direction of the right.

Regarding {and when it set, passing away from them to the left} (taqraḍuhum dhāta al-shimāl), there are two points:

First Point:

Al-Kisā’ī said: Qaraḍa the place means it deviated from it. Abu 'Ubaydah said al-qarḍ (قرض) has several meanings, one of which is cutting through. Similarly, traveling through lands: If one traverses them, one says, "I qaraḍtu (traversed/cut through) that place." Thus, {passing away from them to the left} means it deviates from the line directly above their heads toward the left.

Second Point:

The exegetes have two opinions here: The First Opinion: The entrance of that cave faced the left side. Therefore, when the sun rose, it was on the right side of the cave, and when it set, it was on the left side of the cave. The sunlight did not reach the interior of the cave, but the pleasant air and favorable breeze did reach them. The purpose is that Allah protected the Sleepers of the Cave from the direct light of the sun, lest their bodies decay. Thus, they were preserved from putrefaction and corruption.

The Second Opinion: This is not what is meant. Rather, it means that when the sun rose, Allah prevented its light from reaching them, and similarly when it set. This was an act that broke the usual course of nature and a great miracle with which Allah honored the Sleepers of the Cave. This is the view of Al-Zajjaj, who supported it with the verse: {That is from the signs of Allah}. He argued that if the matter were as the first group suggested, it would have been a usual, familiar occurrence, and thus not one of the signs of Allah. However, if we interpret the verse according to this second view, it becomes a wondrous miracle, thus qualifying as one of the signs of Allah.

Know that the Almighty informed us afterward that they were in a spacious part of the cave where the coolness of the wind and the breeze reached them: {while they were in a spacious opening of it} (fajwah). Al-Fajwah is an open space in a location. Abu 'Ubaydah said its plural is fajawāt (فجوات), and from this is the Hadith: "If he finds an opening (fajwah), he should rest there."

Then the Almighty said: {That is from the signs of Allah}. There are two opinions regarding what "That" refers to:

Those who hold that Allah prevented the sunlight by His power say that "That" refers to the inclination and deviation of the sun.
Those who do not hold that view say that "That" refers to the preservation that Allah preserved them with in the cave for that long period—signs indicating the wonders of His power and the marvels of His wisdom.

Then the Almighty clarified that just as their survival for that long period, preserved from death and ruin, was due to His planning, grace, and generosity, so too was their initial turning away from disbelief and their desire for faith due to Allah's assistance and grace. He said: {Whoever Allah guides is the guided one}, like the Sleepers of the Cave. {And whoever He lets go astray, you will never find for him a protecting guide}, like the disbelieving king (Daqyanus) and his companions. The debates of the proponents of compulsion (Jabr) and free will (Qadar) regarding this verse are well-known.

7 < {And you would think them awake, while they were asleep. And We turned them to the right and to the left, while their dog stretched his forelegs at the entrance. If you had looked at them, you would have surely turned away from them in flight and been filled with terror of them.} > 7 !

Tafsir of Al-Kahf 18:16-17

Mafatih al-Ghayb

Al-Kahf: (16-17) And when you have withdrawn from them and that which they worship except Allah...

First Point:

Second Point:

7 < {And you would think them awake, while they were asleep. And We turned them to the right and to the left, while their dog stretched his forelegs at the entrance. If you had looked at them, you would have surely turned away from them in flight and been filled with terror of them.} > 7 !

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