Al-Kahf: (19-20) And thus did We awaken them, that they might question one another. . . . . .

Know that the implied meaning is: Just as We increased them in guidance, strengthened their hearts, and struck sleep upon their ears, We kept them alive without eating or drinking, turning them over [in their sleep]. Similarly, We awakened them—meaning, We revived them from that sleep resembling death—that they might question one another (ليتساءلوا). This questioning involved dispute and disagreement regarding the duration of their stay.

If it is asked: Is it permissible for the purpose of their awakening to be their questioning and disputing? We reply: This is not unlikely, because when they questioned each other, marvelous aspects of God's power and strange circumstances were revealed to them, and this revelation is desirable in itself.

Then the Almighty said: "Said a speaker among them, 'How long have you remained?'" (كم لبثتم). They replied: "We have remained a day or part of a day" (لبثنا يوما أو بعض يوم). The commentators mentioned that they entered the cave at dawn, and God awakened them toward the end of the day. Therefore, they said, "We remained a day." When they saw the sun still present, they said, "or part of a day."

Then the Almighty said: "They said, 'Your Lord is most knowing of how long you have remained'" (قالوا ربكم أعلم بما لبثتم). Ibn Abbas said that their leader, Malīkhā, referred the knowledge of that matter back to God, because when he looked at their hair, nails, and the complexion of their faces, he saw signs of severe change, realizing that such a change could not occur except over long periods.

Then He said: "So send one of you with this silver of yours to the city" (فابعثوا أحدكم بورقكم هاذه إلى المدينة). Abu ‘Amr, Hamzah, and Abu Bakr (narrating from ‘Asim) recited bi-waraqikum (with waw open and ra silent). Some recited it with waw closed and ra silent. Ibn Kathir recited it with ra closed and the qaf assimilated into the kaf. Ibn Muḥayṣin is reported to have closed the waw and silenced the ra, and assimilated the qaf into the kaf, which is impermissible due to the meeting of two silent letters in this manner.

Al-Waraq (الورق) is the name for silver, whether minted or not. This is supported by the narration that ‘Arfajah made a nose from waraq. There are linguistic variations: waraq, wirq, and waraq (like kabid, kibd, and kabid), mentioned by Al-Farrā’ and Al-Zajjāj. Al-Farrā’ said that closing the waw is the worst pronunciation. Riqqa (الرقة) is also used for silver currency. Al-Azhari said its origin is waraq (like ṣila and ʿidda).

The commentators said that they had with them dirhams bearing the image of the king who was reigning in their time, referring to the city known today as Tarsus. This verse indicates that striving to secure provisions is an important and legitimate matter, and it does not invalidate reliance upon God (tawakkul).

And His saying: "then let him look to which of them has the purest food" (فلينظر أيها أزكى طعاما). Ibn Abbas said: He means what is lawful from slaughtered animals, because the majority of the people of their city were Magians, and among them were those who concealed their faith. Mujahid said: Their king was unjust, so their saying "the purest food" meant "which is farthest from wrath." It is also said it means "which is tastier and sweeter," or "which is cheaper."

Al-Zajjāj said: The word ayyuha (which) is in the nominative case as the subject (mubtada’), and azkā (purest) is its predicate (khabar), and ṭa‘āman (food) is in the accusative case as a specification (tamyīz).

And His saying: "and let him be gentle" (وليتلطف). This means that the action should be done secretly and discreetly, referring to entering the city and buying food. "and let no one be aware of you" (ولا يشعرن بكم أحدا). Meaning, let him not inform anyone in the city of your location.

"Indeed, if they come to know of you" (إنهم إن يظهروا عليكم). This means if they become aware of your location or of yourselves, derived from the saying, "I gained mastery over so-and-so" (ẓahartu ‘alā fulān), meaning I became above him, and "I came upon the roof" (ẓahartu ‘alā as-saṭḥ), meaning I became on top of it. From this is His saying: "and become victorious" (فأصبحوا ظاهرين) (Al-Saff: 14), meaning elevated/victorious. Likewise, His saying: "to make it prevail over all religions" (ليظهره على الدين كله) (At-Tawbah: 33), meaning to make it superior.

And His saying: "they will stone you" (يرجموكم), meaning they will kill you. Stoning (rajm) often means killing in the Revelation, such as in "And were it not for your men, we would have stoned you" (ولولا رهطك لرجمناك) (Hud: 91) and "that you stone me" (أن ترجمون) (Ad-Dukhan: 20). Its origin is throwing. Al-Zajjāj said: Meaning they will kill you by stoning, and stoning is the most heinous type of killing.

"or return you to their religion" (أو يعيدوكم فى ملتهم). Meaning, they will revert you to their religion. "and never will you succeed, then, ever" (ولن تفلحوا إذا أبدا). Meaning, if you return to their religion, you will not find success in this world or the Hereafter.

Al-Zajjāj said: His saying "if" (idhā) implies the condition, meaning: and you will never succeed if you return to their religion, ever.

Al-Qadi said: The greatest dangers facing a believer who flees for his religion are these two: one involves the destruction of the soul—which is stoning, the most heinous form of killing—and the other is the destruction of faith by being returned to disbelief.

If it is asked: If they were coerced into disbelief to the extent that they outwardly professed disbelief, would there be no harm to them? How then did they say, "and never will you succeed, then, ever"? We reply: It is possible that what is meant is that if these Muslims were forced back to disbelief, they would remain outwardly professing that disbelief for a period, causing their hearts to incline toward that disbelief, and they would become disbelievers in reality. This possibility exists, so they feared it. And God knows best.

7 < { And thus did We make them known to the people, that they might know that the promise of Allah is truth and that the Hour [of Resurrection] is beyond doubt, when they disputed among themselves concerning their affair. They said, "Construct a structure over them; their Lord is most knowing about them." Said those who prevailed in their affair, "We will surely take [for ourselves] a place of worship over them." *They will say, "[They were] three, the fourth of them being their dog," and they will say, "Five, the sixth of them being their dog," guessing at the unseen, and they will say, "Seven, and the eighth of them being their dog." Say, [O Muhammad], "My Lord is most knowing of their number. None knows them except a few." So do not argue about them except with an obvious argument and do not inquire about them among [the people of the Scripture] from anyone.} > 7

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And thus did We make them known to the people (وكذالك أعثرنا عليهم). We made their story known to the people so that they might know that the promise of Allah is truth and that the Hour [of Resurrection] is beyond doubt. This revelation occurred when they disputed among themselves concerning their affair (إذ يتنازعون بينهم أمرهم).

They said, "Construct a structure over them; their Lord is most knowing about them." (فقالوا ابنوا عليهم بنيانا ربهم أعلم بهم). Said those who prevailed in their affair, "We will surely take [for ourselves] a place of worship over them." (قال الذين غلبوا على أمرهم لنتخذن عليهم مسجدا).

They will say, "[They were] three, the fourth of them being their dog," and they will say, "Five, the sixth of them being their dog," guessing at the unseen, and they will say, "Seven, and the eighth of them being their dog." (سيقولون ثلاثة رابعهم كلبهم ويقولون خمسة سادسهم كلبهم رجما بالغيب ويقولون سبعة وثامنهم كلبهم). Rajman bil-ghayb means conjecture about the unseen.

Say, [O Muhammad], "My Lord is most knowing of their number. None knows them except a few." (قل ربى أعلم بعدتهم ما يعلمهم إلا قليل).

So do not argue about them except with an obvious argument and do not inquire about them among [the people of the Scripture] from anyone. (فلا تمار فيهم إلا مرآء ظاهرا ولا تستفت فيهم منهم أحدا). This means do not engage in lengthy debate about their exact number, except for a clear, superficial discussion, and do not seek confirmation of their story from the People of the Scripture.