قُلِ ٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثُوا۟ ۖ لَهُۥ غَيْبُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ أَبْصِرْ بِهِۦ وَأَسْمِعْ ۚ مَا لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ مِن وَلِىٍّ وَلَا يُشْرِكُ فِى حُكْمِهِۦٓ أَحَدًا 26
Translations
Say, "Allāh is most knowing of how long they remained. He has [knowledge of] the unseen [aspects] of the heavens and the earth. How Seeing is He and how Hearing! They have not besides Him any protector, and He shares not His legislation with anyone."
Transliteration
Qul Allahu a'lamu bima labithoo; lahu ghayb as-samawati wal-ard; absir bihi wa asma'; ma lahum min doonnihi min waliyyin wa la yushrik fi hukmihi ahad.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah concludes the story of the People of the Cave by affirming that only Allah knows the exact duration of their sleep, as He alone possesses knowledge of the unseen (ghayb) in the heavens and earth. The phrase 'Absir bihi wa asma' (how perfect is His sight and hearing) emphasizes Allah's perfect knowledge and awareness of all things, while the final clause reaffirms His exclusive sovereignty and that none share in His divine judgment or decree. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note this serves to redirect focus from human speculation about the Sleepers to recognition of Allah's absolute omniscience and uniqueness.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears at the conclusion of the Ashab al-Kahf narrative (18:9-26), which was revealed in Mecca in response to questions posed by the Quraysh about the People of the Cave. The context emphasizes that while the Quran provides details about their story, only Allah knows the precise duration of their sleep—teaching believers humility regarding the limits of human knowledge and the vastness of divine knowledge.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari (3:98): The Prophet ﷺ said, 'The best among you are those who learn the Quran and teach it.' This relates to the importance of reflecting on Quranic narratives like the Cave story. Additionally, Sahih Muslim (1/91) contains hadiths about Allah's knowledge of the unseen being exclusive to Him.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should recognize the limitations of human knowledge and refrain from speculation about matters known only to Allah, while deepening their trust in His perfect knowledge and governance. This ayah teaches that certainty regarding divine matters comes through faith rather than human reasoning, encouraging intellectual humility and reliance on revelation.
Related Ayahs
وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَن ذِى ٱلْقَرْنَيْنِ ۖ قُلْ سَأَتْلُوا۟ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْهُ ذِكْرًا
And they ask you, [O Muḥammad], about Dhul-Qarnayn. Say, "I will recite to you about him a report."
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ ٱسْجُدُوا۟ لِـَٔادَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِبْلِيسَ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْجِنِّ فَفَسَقَ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِۦٓ ۗ أَفَتَتَّخِذُونَهُۥ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُۥٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِى وَهُمْ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّۢ ۚ بِئْسَ لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ بَدَلًا
And [mention] when We said to the angels, "Prostrate to Adam," and they prostrated, except for Iblees. He was of the jinn and departed from [i.e., disobeyed] the command of his Lord. Then will you take him and his descendants as allies other than Me while they are enemies to you? Wretched it is for the wrongdoers as an exchange.
قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِىَ صَبْرًا
He said, "Indeed, with me you will never be able to have patience.
وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ذُو ٱلرَّحْمَةِ ۖ لَوْ يُؤَاخِذُهُم بِمَا كَسَبُوا۟ لَعَجَّلَ لَهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابَ ۚ بَل لَّهُم مَّوْعِدٌ لَّن يَجِدُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦ مَوْئِلًا
And your Lord is the Forgiving, the possessor of mercy. If He were to impose blame upon them for what they earned, He would have hastened for them the punishment. Rather, for them is an appointment from which they will never find an escape.