Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 39–47

18. Al-Kahf · The Cave

Makkan110 verses

وَلَوْلَآ إِذْ دَخَلْتَ جَنَّتَكَ قُلْتَ مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ ۚ إِن تَرَنِ أَنَا۠ أَقَلَّ مِنكَ مَالًۭا وَوَلَدًۭا

18:39Why did you not say, when you entered your garden, ‘‘[This is] as Allah has willed! There is no power except by Allah!’’ If you see that I have lesser wealth than you and children,

فَعَسَىٰ رَبِّىٓ أَن يُؤْتِيَنِ خَيْرًۭا مِّن جَنَّتِكَ وَيُرْسِلَ عَلَيْهَا حُسْبَانًۭا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَتُصْبِحَ صَعِيدًۭا زَلَقًا

18:40maybe my Lord will give me [something] better than your garden, and He will unleash upon it bolts from the sky, so that it becomes a bare plain.

أَوْ يُصْبِحَ مَآؤُهَا غَوْرًۭا فَلَن تَسْتَطِيعَ لَهُۥ طَلَبًۭا

18:41Or its water will sink down, so that you will never be able to obtain it.’

وَأُحِيطَ بِثَمَرِهِۦ فَأَصْبَحَ يُقَلِّبُ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَنفَقَ فِيهَا وَهِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا وَيَقُولُ يَٰلَيْتَنِى لَمْ أُشْرِكْ بِرَبِّىٓ أَحَدًۭا

18:42And ruin closed in on his produce, and he began to wring his hands for what he had spent on it, as it lay fallen on its trellises. He was saying, ‘I wish I had not ascribed any partner to my Lord.’1

وَلَمْ تَكُن لَّهُۥ فِئَةٌۭ يَنصُرُونَهُۥ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا كَانَ مُنتَصِرًا

18:43He had no party to help him, besides Allah, nor could he help himself.

هُنَالِكَ ٱلْوَلَٰيَةُ لِلَّهِ ٱلْحَقِّ ۚ هُوَ خَيْرٌۭ ثَوَابًۭا وَخَيْرٌ عُقْبًۭا

18:44There, all authority belongs to Allah, the Real. He is best in rewarding, and best in requiting.

وَٱضْرِبْ لَهُم مَّثَلَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا كَمَآءٍ أَنزَلْنَٰهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَٱخْتَلَطَ بِهِۦ نَبَاتُ ٱلْأَرْضِ فَأَصْبَحَ هَشِيمًۭا تَذْرُوهُ ٱلرِّيَٰحُ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ مُّقْتَدِرًا

18:45Draw for them the parable of the life of this world: [It is] like the water We send down from the sky. Then the earth’s vegetation mingles with it. Then it becomes chaff, scattered by the wind. And Allah has power over all things.2

ٱلْمَالُ وَٱلْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَٱلْبَٰقِيَٰتُ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًۭا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًۭا

18:46Wealth and children are an adornment of the life of the world, but lasting righteous deeds are better with your Lord in reward and better in hope.3

وَيَوْمَ نُسَيِّرُ ٱلْجِبَالَ وَتَرَى ٱلْأَرْضَ بَارِزَةًۭ وَحَشَرْنَٰهُمْ فَلَمْ نُغَادِرْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدًۭا

18:47The day We shall set the mountains moving and you will see the earth in full view, We shall muster them, and We will not leave out anyone of them.4

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 39

1.The logic of faithful believers is quite different from infidels. Infidels arc wholly engrossed in their pride and think that the world and Resurrection Day is in their control while believers deem whatever arc as gift of God and remain hopeful of whatever they are deprived of, as Allah is only the Provider of everything.

Verse 45

2.‘Life’ is best example of the world. A man can take a lesson from it. One day he notices barren earth, then he sees rain and due to this vegetation grows and spreads on the earth like a green carpet, but subsequently in a matter of a few days, the same vegetation turns into dust. After being perceptive to this fact, a man who docs not take lesson is bound to become very sorrowful.

Worldly adornments are of two types. Some embellishments are individual and as man obtains it for his own personality. Some are social and that are used for the community’s development. These social adornments are called the good that one does, memory of one’s good deeds and its payment is gain with the purpose of hopes for its good in Hereafter.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. 1

    Khawiya - Empty and one that stoops. Arsh - Height. However it denotes that the whole orchard with all its branches became level with the ground.

  2. 2

    Ibne Arabi writes in Futuhaat-e-Makkiyah that Allah is Qadir (powerful) from the aspect of His command and Muqtaddar (destiner) from the aspect of creation. That is He can issue command regarding anything. He has created by commanding and this is a sign that He is Muqtadar. Benefit: The holy ayat has clarified the following things :

    (i) The material bounties should not be relied upon.

    (ii) Companions are not helpful in calamities.

    (iii) Realization after the descent of calamity is useless.

    (iv) Poverty is not the proof of degradation and wealth is not an honour.

    (v) One should always remember ones origin so that one is not deviated.

  3. 3

    It is only the good deed in which you can repose hope. The rest of the things in which man hopes ultimately cause despair. Wealth and children both leave us one day.

  4. 4

    In the fields of Mahshar the grounds shall be cleared so that from the first man to the last can be accommodated therein.