مَّـٰكِثِينَ فِيهِ أَبَدًا 3
Translations
In which they will remain forever
Transliteration
Maa kitheen feehi abada
Tafsir (Explanation)
This phrase means 'remaining therein forever,' referring to the people of the Cave who will dwell in Paradise eternally as a reward for their faith and steadfastness. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that this denotes the permanent, unending nature of their abode in Paradise, emphasizing Allah's promise of eternal reward for those who sacrifice for their deen. The word 'abada' (forever/eternally) underscores the Islamic concept that righteous deeds yield everlasting consequences in the afterlife.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah Al-Kahf, a Meccan surah revealed to strengthen the hearts of believers facing persecution. The broader context (18:1-3) praises Allah and warns against false deities, while setting up the narrative of the People of the Cave as an example of believers who fled persecution for their faith, making their eternal reward in Paradise a powerful message of hope for the early Muslim community.
Related Hadiths
The concept relates to Sahih Bukhari (Hadith 4476) where the Prophet ﷺ described the permanence of Paradise: 'In it [Paradise] is what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has ever conceived.' This reinforces the ayah's emphasis on the eternal and incomparable nature of the believer's reward.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that sacrificing worldly comfort and security for one's faith yields eternal, incomparable rewards that last forever. It encourages steadfastness during trials by connecting present hardship to permanent spiritual gain in the afterlife.