Surah 18. Al-Kahf, Ayah 17
| ۞ وَتَرَى الشَّمْسَ إِذَا طَلَعَتْ تَزَاوَرُ عَنْ كَهْفِهِمْ ذَاتَ الْيَمِينِ وَإِذَا غَرَبَتْ تَقْرِضُهُمْ ذَاتَ الشِّمَالِ وَهُمْ فِي فَجْوَةٍ مِنْهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ ۗ مَنْ يَهْدِ اللَّهُ فَهُوَ الْمُهْتَدِ ۖ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَنْ تَجِدَ لَهُ وَلِيًّا مُرْشِدًا |
| Transliteration | : | wa- taraa ash- shams 'idhaa t.alacat tazaawara can kahf -him dhaat al- yamen wa- 'idhaa gharabat taqrid. -hum dhaat ash- shimaal wa- hum fe fajwah min -hu dhaalika min 'aayaat 'allaah man yahdi 'allaah fa- huwa al- muhtadi wa- man yud.lil fa- lan tajid la- -hu waley(an) murshid(an) |
| Pickthall | : | And thou mightest have seen the sun when it rose move away from their cave to the right, and when it set go past them on the left, and they were in the cleft thereof. That was (one) of the portents of Allah. He whom Allah guideth, he indeed is led aright, and he whom He sendeth astray, for him thou wilt not find a guiding friend. |
| Asad | : | And [for many a year] thou might have seen the sun, on its rising, incline away from their cave on the right, and, on its setting, turn aside from them on the left, while they lived on in that spacious chamber,20 [bearing witness to] this of God's messages: He whom God guides, he alone has found the right way; whereas for him whom He lets go astray thou canst never find any protector who would point out the, right way. |
| Malik | : | If you could look at them in the cave, it would appear to you that the rising sun declines to the right of their cavern, and as it sets, passes them on the left, while they lay in an open space in between. This is from the signs of Allah. He whom Allah guides is rightly guided; but he whom He lets go astray, you will find no guardian to lead him to the Right Way. |
| Yusuf Ali | : | Thou wouldst have seen the sun when it rose declining to the right from their Cave and when it set turning away from them to the left while they lay in the open space in the midst of the Cave. Such are among the Signs of Allah: he whom Allah guided; but he whom Allah leaves to stray for him wilt thou find no protector to lead him to the Right Way. 2347 2348 |
Note - 20Lit., "while they were in a broad cleft thereof". The
cave evidently opened to the north, so that the heat of
the sun never disturbed them: and this, I believe is an
echo of the many Qur'anic allusions to the happiness of
the righteous in paradise, symbolized by its "everlasting
shade" (see, in particular, surah {4}, note [74], on the
metaphorical use of the term zill in the sense of
"happiness").
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Note - 2347In the latitude of Ephesus, 38 degrees north, i.e., well
above the sun's northern declination, a cave opening to
north, would never have the heat of the sun within it, as
the sunny side would be the south. If the youths lay on
their backs with their faces looking to the north, i.e.,
towards the entrance of the Cave, the sun would rise on
their right side, declining to the south, and set on
their left sides, leaving them cool and comfortable.
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Note - 2348The youths, having faith and trust in Allah, found safety
and refuge in the Cave. They were protected from the
persecution and violence of the heathen. Their prayer
(xviii. 16) was heard.
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Lit., "while they were in a broad cleft thereof". The cave evidently opened to the north, so that the heat of the sun never disturbed them: and this, I believe is an echo of the many Qur'anic allusions to the happiness of the righteous in paradise, symbolized by its "everlasting shade" (see, in particular, surah {4}, note [74], on the metaphorical use of the term zill in the sense of "happiness"). |
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In the latitude of Ephesus, 38 degrees north, i.e., well above the sun's northern declination, a cave opening to north, would never have the heat of the sun within it, as the sunny side would be the south. If the youths lay on their backs with their faces looking to the north, i.e., towards the entrance of the Cave, the sun would rise on their right side, declining to the south, and set on their left sides, leaving them cool and comfortable. |
