إِذْ أَوَى ٱلْفِتْيَةُ إِلَى ٱلْكَهْفِ فَقَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا 10
Translations
[Mention] when the youths retreated to the cave and said, "Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and prepare for us from our affair right guidance."
Transliteration
Idh awa al-fityatu ila al-kahfi faqaloo rabbana atina min ladunka rahmatan wa hayyi lana min amrina rashada
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the moment when the young believers (the People of the Cave) sought refuge in the cave and made a sincere supplication to Allah, asking Him for mercy and guidance in their affairs. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, their du'a reflects complete reliance upon Allah (tawakkul) and demonstrates the importance of combining practical effort (seeking shelter) with spiritual submission through supplication. The phrase 'from Your presence' (min ladunka) emphasizes that true mercy and guidance come exclusively from Allah's divine grace, not from human efforts alone.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of Ashab al-Kahf (People of the Cave), a story mentioned only in Surah Al-Kahf within the Quran. The broader context addresses a test of faith wherein young believers fled persecution and found solace in a cave, placing their trust entirely in Allah. While no specific asbab al-nuzul (revelation occasion) is documented for this particular ayah, the entire surah was revealed in Mecca to strengthen the believers against doubts and trials they faced.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) mentioned the People of the Cave in various contexts emphasizing sincerity and faith. A related hadith in Sahih Muslim discusses how sincere supplication (du'a) is a powerful weapon, which connects to the youths' earnest prayer in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that when facing trials and uncertainty, we should combine practical wisdom (seeking appropriate refuge or solutions) with heartfelt reliance on Allah through sincere supplication. True guidance and mercy come only from Allah, and acknowledging our complete dependence on His grace—rather than our own abilities—is essential to finding the straight path in life's challenges.
Related Ayahs
وَكَيْفَ تَصْبِرُ عَلَىٰ مَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِۦ خُبْرًا
And how can you have patience for what you do not encompass in knowledge?"
وَكَانَ لَهُۥ ثَمَرٌ فَقَالَ لِصَـٰحِبِهِۦ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُۥٓ أَنَا۠ أَكْثَرُ مِنكَ مَالًا وَأَعَزُّ نَفَرًا
And he had fruit, so he said to his companion while he was conversing with him, "I am greater than you in wealth and mightier in [numbers of] men."
وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَعْثَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَأَنَّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهَآ إِذْ يَتَنَـٰزَعُونَ بَيْنَهُمْ أَمْرَهُمْ ۖ فَقَالُوا۟ ٱبْنُوا۟ عَلَيْهِم بُنْيَـٰنًا ۖ رَّبُّهُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِهِمْ ۚ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ غَلَبُوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَمْرِهِمْ لَنَتَّخِذَنَّ عَلَيْهِم مَّسْجِدًا
And similarly, We caused them to be found that they [who found them] would know that the promise of Allāh is truth and that of the Hour there is no doubt. [That was] when they disputed among themselves about their affair and [then] said, "Construct over them a structure. Their Lord is most knowing about them." Said those who prevailed in the matter, "We will surely take [for ourselves] over them a masjid."
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ مَطْلِعَ ٱلشَّمْسِ وَجَدَهَا تَطْلُعُ عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ لَّمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُم مِّن دُونِهَا سِتْرًا
Until, when he came to the rising of the sun [i.e., the east], he found it rising on a people for whom We had not made against it any shield.