إِنَّهُمْ إِن يَظْهَرُوا۟ عَلَيْكُمْ يَرْجُمُوكُمْ أَوْ يُعِيدُوكُمْ فِى مِلَّتِهِمْ وَلَن تُفْلِحُوٓا۟ إِذًا أَبَدًا 20
Translations
Indeed, if they come to know of you, they will stone you or return you to their religion. And never would you succeed, then - ever."
Transliteration
Innahum in yaz-haroo AAalaykum yarjumookum aw yuAAeedookum fee millatihim walan tuflihoo iza abada
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah is part of the speech of the young men of the Cave warning each other about the danger of being discovered by the disbelievers of their town. They caution that if their pursuers find them, they will either stone them to death or force them to return to idolatry, and in either case, they would never succeed or find happiness. Ibn Kathir notes this reflects the severity of the threat faced by those who abandon false religion for monotheism, emphasizing both physical persecution and spiritual corruption as grave dangers.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of Ashab al-Kahf (the Companions of the Cave), a central story in Surah Al-Kahf. It provides the internal dialogue of the young believers as they flee persecution and seek refuge in the cave, illustrating the courage required to maintain faith against societal pressure. The broader context of Surah Al-Kahf emphasizes divine protection of the faithful during trials.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari 3159 narrates that the Prophet Muhammad mentioned the story of the Companions of the Cave as one of the greatest signs of Allah's power. Additionally, hadiths on persecution for faith (such as those in Surah Al-Buruj 85:10) relate thematically to the trials described here.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that maintaining faith during persecution is preferable to physical survival coupled with spiritual compromise, and that believers should trust in Allah's protection when they prioritize their religion over worldly safety.
Related Ayahs
وَإِذِ ٱعْتَزَلْتُمُوهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ فَأْوُۥٓا۟ إِلَى ٱلْكَهْفِ يَنشُرْ لَكُمْ رَبُّكُم مِّن رَّحْمَتِهِۦ وَيُهَيِّئْ لَكُم مِّنْ أَمْرِكُم مِّرْفَقًا
[The youths said to one another], "And when you have withdrawn from them and that which they worship other than Allāh, retreat to the cave. Your Lord will spread out for you of His mercy and will prepare for you from your affair facility."
وَيُنذِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوا۟ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَدًا
And to warn those who say, "Allāh has taken a son".
قَالَ إِن سَأَلْتُكَ عَن شَىْءٍۭ بَعْدَهَا فَلَا تُصَـٰحِبْنِى ۖ قَدْ بَلَغْتَ مِن لَّدُنِّى عُذْرًا
[Moses] said, "If I should ask you about anything after this, then do not keep me as a companion. You have obtained from me an excuse."
قُل لَّوْ كَانَ ٱلْبَحْرُ مِدَادًا لِّكَلِمَـٰتِ رَبِّى لَنَفِدَ ٱلْبَحْرُ قَبْلَ أَن تَنفَدَ كَلِمَـٰتُ رَبِّى وَلَوْ جِئْنَا بِمِثْلِهِۦ مَدَدًا
Say, "If the sea were ink for [writing] the words of my Lord, the sea would be exhausted before the words of my Lord were exhausted, even if We brought the like of it in [continual] supplement."