فَضَرَبْنَا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ فِى ٱلْكَهْفِ سِنِينَ عَدَدًا 11
Translations
So We cast [a cover of sleep] over their ears within the cave for a number of years.
Transliteration
Fadarabna ala adhanihim fil-kahfi sinin adada
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah caused sleep to overtake the Companions of the Cave, sealing their ears so they remained unconscious for a prolonged period numbering in years. According to classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this miraculous sleep was a divine mercy that preserved them from persecution by their disbelieving king, allowing them to escape harm through supernatural means. The phrase 'sinin adada' (numbered years) emphasizes the precise divine knowledge of the duration, which remained hidden from the young men themselves until their awakening.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the Surah Al-Kahf's central narrative about the Companions of the Cave (Ashab al-Kahf), a story revealed in Mecca that addresses persecution of believers. The context describes how these young believers fled their city to preserve their faith, and Allah miraculously protected them through this prolonged sleep as they sought refuge in a cave, demonstrating divine protection for those who prioritize faith over worldly pressures.
Related Hadiths
The story of the Companions of the Cave is referenced in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, with scholars noting that the Quran itself is the primary source for this account. A related hadith in Sahih Bukhari discusses how reciting Surah Al-Kahf protects from the trials of the Dajjal, connecting the protective theme of this narrative.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that when believers face persecution for their faith, Allah's protection can come through means beyond human understanding, and that trusting in Allah's wisdom often means accepting His divine plan even when circumstances seem desperate. It reassures modern Muslims that steadfastness in faith, even in isolation or difficulty, is witnessed and rewarded by Allah in ways that transcend ordinary comprehension.
Related Ayahs
قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِىَ صَبْرًا
He said, "Indeed, with me you will never be able to have patience.
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰذَا ٱلْقَرْنَيْنِ إِنَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مُفْسِدُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَهَلْ نَجْعَلُ لَكَ خَرْجًا عَلَىٰٓ أَن تَجْعَلَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُمْ سَدًّا
They said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, indeed Gog and Magog are [great] corrupters in the land. So may we assign for you an expenditure that you might make between us and them a barrier?"
وَكَذَٰلِكَ بَعَثْنَـٰهُمْ لِيَتَسَآءَلُوا۟ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ قَالَ قَآئِلٌ مِّنْهُمْ كَمْ لَبِثْتُمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ لَبِثْنَا يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ ۚ قَالُوا۟ رَبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثْتُمْ فَٱبْعَثُوٓا۟ أَحَدَكُم بِوَرِقِكُمْ هَـٰذِهِۦٓ إِلَى ٱلْمَدِينَةِ فَلْيَنظُرْ أَيُّهَآ أَزْكَىٰ طَعَامًا فَلْيَأْتِكُم بِرِزْقٍ مِّنْهُ وَلْيَتَلَطَّفْ وَلَا يُشْعِرَنَّ بِكُمْ أَحَدًا
And similarly, We awakened them that they might question one another. Said a speaker from among them, "How long have you remained [here]?" They said, "We have remained a day or part of a day." They said, "Your Lord is most knowing of how long you remained. So send one of you with this silver coin of yours to the city and let him look to which is the best of food and bring you provision from it and let him be cautious. And let no one be aware of you.
فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا
So he followed a way