۞ وَتَرَى ٱلشَّمْسَ إِذَا طَلَعَت تَّزَٰوَرُ عَن كَهْفِهِمْ ذَاتَ ٱلْيَمِينِ وَإِذَا غَرَبَت تَّقْرِضُهُمْ ذَاتَ ٱلشِّمَالِ وَهُمْ فِى فَجْوَةٍ مِّنْهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ مَن يَهْدِ ٱللَّهُ فَهُوَ ٱلْمُهْتَدِ ۖ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُۥ وَلِيًّا مُّرْشِدًا 17
Translations
And [had you been present], you would see the sun when it rose, inclining away from their cave on the right, and when it set, passing away from them on the left, while they were [lying] within an open space thereof. That was from the signs of Allāh. He whom Allāh guides is the [rightly] guided, but he whom He sends astray - never will you find for him a protecting guide.
Transliteration
Wa tara ash-shamsa idha tala'at tazawaru 'an kahfihim dhat al-yameen wa idha gharabat taqriduhum dhat ash-shimal wa hum fi fajwatin minhu. Dhaalika min ayat Allah. Man yahdi Allah fahuwa al-muhtad wa man yudhlil falan tajida lahu waliyyan murshida.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the miraculous placement of the Cave of the Sleepers, positioned such that the sun never directly enters it—when the sun rises to the right, it veers away, and when it sets to the left, it avoids striking them. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this as a divine sign (ayah) protecting the youths from the sun's harmful rays during their long sleep, demonstrating Allah's care and preservation. The ayah concludes with a reminder that guidance comes solely from Allah, and whoever He leaves astray will find no guide to set them right.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Kahf, a Meccan surah that addresses the story of Ashab al-Kahf (the Companions of the Cave), youths who fled persecution for their faith and were miraculously preserved in sleep for centuries. The surah emphasizes divine signs and protection for the believers, with this particular verse highlighting the physical preservation of the cave as evidence of Allah's power and guidance.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) mentioned that Surah Al-Kahf protects from the trials of Dajjal (Antichrist). Additionally, hadiths encourage reciting this surah on Fridays for spiritual protection and guidance, emphasizing the theme of divine guidance mentioned in verse 18:17 (Jami' at-Tirmidhi and others).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that Allah's signs are manifest in creation and in the protection He grants to those who have faith and righteousness; believers should recognize these divine interventions and trust that true guidance comes exclusively from Allah, with no other source of direction or protection available to those He does not guide.
Related Ayahs
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ مَغْرِبَ ٱلشَّمْسِ وَجَدَهَا تَغْرُبُ فِى عَيْنٍ حَمِئَةٍ وَوَجَدَ عِندَهَا قَوْمًا ۗ قُلْنَا يَـٰذَا ٱلْقَرْنَيْنِ إِمَّآ أَن تُعَذِّبَ وَإِمَّآ أَن تَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمْ حُسْنًا
Until, when he reached the setting of the sun [i.e., the west], he found it [as if] setting in a body of dark water, and he found near it a people. We [i.e., Allāh] said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, either you punish [them] or else adopt among them [a way of] goodness."
قَالَ مَا مَكَّنِّى فِيهِ رَبِّى خَيْرٌ فَأَعِينُونِى بِقُوَّةٍ أَجْعَلْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ رَدْمًا
He said, "That in which my Lord has established me is better [than what you offer], but assist me with strength [i.e., manpower]; I will make between you and them a dam.
وَتَحْسَبُهُمْ أَيْقَاظًا وَهُمْ رُقُودٌ ۚ وَنُقَلِّبُهُمْ ذَاتَ ٱلْيَمِينِ وَذَاتَ ٱلشِّمَالِ ۖ وَكَلْبُهُم بَـٰسِطٌ ذِرَاعَيْهِ بِٱلْوَصِيدِ ۚ لَوِ ٱطَّلَعْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ لَوَلَّيْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِرَارًا وَلَمُلِئْتَ مِنْهُمْ رُعْبًا
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 turned from them in flight and been filled by them with terror.
وَعُرِضُوا۟ عَلَىٰ رَبِّكَ صَفًّا لَّقَدْ جِئْتُمُونَا كَمَا خَلَقْنَـٰكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍۭ ۚ بَلْ زَعَمْتُمْ أَلَّن نَّجْعَلَ لَكُم مَّوْعِدًا
And they will be presented before your Lord in rows, [and He will say], "You have certainly come to Us just as We created you the first time. But you claimed that We would never make for you an appointment."