وَكَذَٰلِكَ بَعَثْنَـٰهُمْ لِيَتَسَآءَلُوا۟ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ قَالَ قَآئِلٌ مِّنْهُمْ كَمْ لَبِثْتُمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ لَبِثْنَا يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ ۚ قَالُوا۟ رَبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثْتُمْ فَٱبْعَثُوٓا۟ أَحَدَكُم بِوَرِقِكُمْ هَـٰذِهِۦٓ إِلَى ٱلْمَدِينَةِ فَلْيَنظُرْ أَيُّهَآ أَزْكَىٰ طَعَامًا فَلْيَأْتِكُم بِرِزْقٍ مِّنْهُ وَلْيَتَلَطَّفْ وَلَا يُشْعِرَنَّ بِكُمْ أَحَدًا 19
Translations
And similarly, We awakened them that they might question one another. Said a speaker from among them, "How long have you remained [here]?" They said, "We have remained a day or part of a day." They said, "Your Lord is most knowing of how long you remained. So send one of you with this silver coin of yours to the city and let him look to which is the best of food and bring you provision from it and let him be cautious. And let no one be aware of you.
Transliteration
Wa-kadhalika ba'athnāhum li-yatasā'alū baynahum. Qāla qā'ilun minhum kam labithtum? Qālū labithnā yawman aw ba'da yawm. Qālū Rabbukum a'lamu bimā labithtum fa-ib'athū ahidakum bi-wariqikum hādhihi ilā al-madīnah. Fa-lyanzur ayyuhā azkhā ta'āman fa-lyātikum bi-rizqin minhu wa-lyatalattaf wa-lā yush'irnna bikum ahad.
Tafsir (Explanation)
When the young men of the Cave awoke after their long sleep, Allah caused them to question one another about the duration of their stay. They estimated they had slept only a day or part of a day, but they recognized that only Allah truly knew the exact time. They then devised a plan to send one of their companions with their coins to the city to purchase food while being cautious not to reveal their location to the people. Ibn Kathir notes this demonstrates divine wisdom in restoring their consciousness gradually and their prudent discretion in attempting to maintain secrecy despite their extraordinary situation.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of Ashab al-Kahf (the Companions of the Cave), a Meccan surah revealed to comfort the Prophet Muhammad and the believers facing persecution. The story illustrates how Allah preserves His servants and tests their faith across time. This specific ayah depicts the moment of awakening and their initial uncertainty about their situation, reinforcing themes of trust in Allah's knowledge and wisdom.
Related Hadiths
While no single hadith directly references this moment, Surah Al-Kahf itself is mentioned in numerous hadiths regarding its virtues. Sahih Muslim records that reciting Surah Al-Kahf on Friday provides protection from trials, and various hadiths discuss the Sleepers of the Cave as a sign of Allah's power and mercy.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that believers should acknowledge the limits of human knowledge while trusting in Allah's absolute wisdom, and should act with discernment and caution even in extraordinary circumstances. It reminds us that uncertainty about worldly matters should not shake our faith, but rather strengthen our reliance upon the All-Knowing.