Tafsir — Al-Kahf 30

Likewise, We woke them that they might question one another. A speaker among them said: "How long have you stayed (here)?" They said: "We have stayed a day or part of a day." They said: "Your Lord 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 Azka food, and bring some of that to you. And let him be careful and let no man know of you. (19)"For, if they come to know of you, they will stone you or turn you back to their religion; and in that case you will never be successful. (20) Their awakening and sending One of Themselves to buy Food Allah says: 'just as We caused them to sleep, We resurrected them with their bodies, hair and skin intact, and nothing locking in their form and appearance.' This was after three hundred and nine years. This is why they asked each other: كَمْ لَبِثْتُمْ (How long have you stayed (here)?) meaning, 'how long have you slept?' قَالُوا لَبِثْنَا يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ (They said: "We have stayed a day or part of a day.") because they entered the cave at the beginning of the day, and they woke up at the end of the day, which is why they then said, أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ ۚ قَالُوا رَبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثْتُمْ ("...or a part of a day." They said: "Your Lord knows best how long you have stayed...") meaning, 'Allah knows best about your situation.' It seems that they were not sure about how long they had slept, and Allah knows best. Then they turned their attention to more pressing matters, like their need for food and drink, so they said: فَابْعَثُوا أَحَدَكُم بِوَرِقِكُمْ (So send one of you with this silver coin of yours) They had brought with them some Dirhams (silver coins) from their homes, to buy whatever they might need, and they had given some in charity and kept some, so they said: فَابْعَثُوا أَحَدَكُم بِوَرِقِكُمْ هَٰذِهِ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ (So send one of you with this silver coin of yours to the town,) meaning to their city, which they had left. The definite article indicates that they were referring to a known city. فَلْيَنظُرْ أَيُّهَا أَزْكَىٰ طَعَامًا (and let him find out which is the Azka food.) Azka means "purest", as Allah says elsewhere, وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ مَا زَكَىٰ مِنكُم مِّنْ أَحَدٍ أَبَدًا (And had it not been for the grace of Allah and His mercy on you, not one of you would ever have been pure [Zaka] from sins)[24:21] and قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ (Indeed whosoever purifies himself [Tazakka] shall achieve success.)[87:14] From the same root also comes the word Zakah, which makes one's wealth good and purifies it. وَلْيَتَلَطَّفْ (And let him be careful) meaning when he goes out buying food and coming back. They were telling him to conceal himself as much as he could, وَلَا يُشْعِرَنَّ بِكُمْ أَحَدًا - إِنَّهُمْ إِن يَظْهَرُوا عَلَيْكُمْ يَرْجُمُوكُمْ (and let no man know of you. For, if they come to know of you, they will stone you) means, 'if they find out where you are,' يَرْجُمُوكُمْ أَوْ يُعِيدُوكُمْ فِي مِلَّتِهِمْ (they will stone you or turn you back to their religion;) They were referring to the followers of Decianus, who they were afraid might find out where they were, and punish them with all kinds of torture until they made them go back to their former religion, or until they died, for if they agreed to go back to their (old) religion, they would never attain success in this world or the Hereafter. So they said: وَلَن تُفْلِحُوا إِذًا أَبَدًا (and in that case you will never be successful.)

जिस प्रकार हमने उनके साथ वह कुछ किया, जिसका हमने अपनी शक्ति के अजूबों में से उल्लेख किया है, उसी प्रकार हमने उन्हें एक लंबी अवधि के बाद जगा दिया, ताकि वे एक-दूसरे से उस अवधि के बारे में पूछें, जो उन्होंने सोते हुए बिताई। चुनाँचे उनमें से कुछ ने उत्तर दिया : हम एक दिन या दिन के कुछ समय तक सोए रहे। जबकि उनमें से जिसके लिए उनके सोए रहने की अवधि स्पष्ट नहीं हो सकी, उसने उत्तर दिया : तुम्हारा पालनहार ही अधिक जानता है कि तुम कितने दिनों तक सोए रहे। अतः इसके ज्ञान को उसी के हवाले कर दो और अपने काम में व्यस्त हो जाओ। इसलिए अब तुम अपने में से किसी व्यक्ति को चाँदी के ये सिक्के देकर अपने शहर की ओर भेजो। वह देख ले कि नगर का कौन व्यक्ति अधिक उत्तम एवं पवित्र भोजन रखता है, तो उससे तुम्हारे पास कुछ खाना ले आए। और वह जाते-आते तथा सौदा करते समय सावधान रहे तथा व्यवहार कुशलता से काम ले और किसी को भी तुम्हारे स्थान का पता न चलने दे। क्योंकि इससे बड़ा नुकसान हो सकता है।

Así como llevé a cabo los maravillosos actos que he mencionado, los desperté después de un largo período de tiempo y comenzaron a preguntarse sobre cuánto habían dormido. Uno de ellos respondió: “Me quedé dormido por un día o parte de un día”. Uno de ellos, a quien no le quedó claro cuánto tiempo habían dormido, respondió: “Su Señor sabe mejor acerca del período que han permanecido dormidos, por lo tanto, confíen en Su conocimiento y concéntrense en lo que nos preocupa. Enviemos a uno de nosotros con este dinero en plata a la ciudad que conocemos y que observe cuál de los habitantes de esa ciudad tiene los alimentos más puros. Quien vaya debe proceder con precaución al entrar y salir, así como cuando realice la compra. También debe ser discreto y no dejar que nadie descubra dónde se encuentra, porque eso resultará en un gran perjuicio.

De la même manière que Nous avons accompli des merveilles découlant de l’étendue de Notre pouvoir, Nous les avons réveillés longtemps après, afin qu’ils s’interrogent les uns les autres sur la durée de leur sommeil. Certains répondirent: Nous avons dormi durant un jour ou une partie d’un jour. D’autres, qui n’arrivaient pas à estimer cette durée, répondirent encore: Votre Seigneur sait le mieux combien de temps vous êtes restés endormis. Remettez-vous en donc à Lui à ce sujet et préoccupez-vous de ce qui vous concerne. Envoyez donc l’un de vous muni de ces pièces d’argent dans la cité où nous vivions afin qu’il trouve qui de ses habitants vend la nourriture la plus agréable et la plus licite. Qu’il soit prudent lorsqu’il entre et sort de la cité, qu’il se comporte avec politesse et qu’il ne laisse personne savoir où vous vous trouvez. Sans quoi, vous subiriez un grave préjudice.