Transliteration:( Wa kazaalika ba'asnaahum liyatasaaa'aloo bainahum; qaala qaaa'ilum minhum kam labistum qaaloo labisnaa yawman aw ba'da yawm; qaaloo Rabbukum a'lamu bimaa labistum fab'asooo ahadakum biwariqikum haazihee ilal madeenati falyanzur ayyuhaaa azkaa ta'aaman falyaatikum birizqim minhu walyatalattaf wa laa yush'iranna bikum ahadaa )
36. In this is given the wisdom of waking of the Companions of the Cave after three hundred years that is those who saw them would strengthen their own faith, while the faith of the Companions, too. would become very strong.Â
37. This refers to Maximillan who is the oldest amongst them, and also their leader (Khazamul Irfuan).
38. Because Allah Almighty wanted the people to see this miracle of His saints, He therefore made them unaware about this world. in a state of sleep and turned their attention towards Him. just as Allah Almighty had kept Hazrat Uzair (On whom be peace) unaware about his external environment in a death-like condition, so that his miracle could be seen.Â
Otherwise, the true servants of Allah Almighty| are fully aware of everything, whether they are asleep or when they leave this physical world. Says Allah Almighty: "Heavy upon him is your suffering" (S9:V128). The Holy Prophet ? says my eyes sleep, not: my heart". It is for this reason that the Wudhu would not break the Holy Prophet from sleep, because he was never unconscious or unaware of things.Â
All the Prophets, during the night of Me'raaj, performed their Salaah behind the Holy Prophet ?. Many Prophets had joined in the Farewell Pilgrimage. Therefore, the Holy QUR'AAN is saying here:
"Likewise We did inform them" (S18:V21).Â
Therefore, the saying of the Wahabis that the beloved servants of Allah Almighty become totally unaware of the conditions in the world, is incorrect. If this were the case then greetings would not be extended to the dead in the graveyard, because there is no greeting for those who are unconscious.
39. Because these pious persons had entered the cave when the sun was rising and awoke when the sun was setting. Because of this they thought that they had slept for that day.
From this we learn that to exercise interpretation of Islamic law is permissible because these pious persons described the time of their sleep through assumption and interpretation. We further learn that whatever injunction, when overwhelmed by assumption, should not be given any credence. When they saw that their hair and nails had grown so long, they expressed hesitation as to how their hair could have grown so long in a matter of a day. Then they said; Allah Almighty alone knows how long we have slept.
40. The coin of Decius (Daqyanus), which they had taken with them in the cave. From this we learn that keeping money and supplies when on a journey, is not going against trust in Allah Almighty.
41. From this, emerge a few issues:
1. Doing business with the infidels is permissible.
2. The food cooked by a non-Muslim is not prohibited for a Muslim to eat, because all the shopkeepers in the city were infidels.Â
For many years Hazrat Musa (On whom be peace) ate at Pharaoh's home. Our Holy Prophet ? at at Hazrat Abu Talib's house prior to the announcement of Prophethood. However, it is stated in Bukhari Shareef that even prior to the announcement of Prophethood, the Holy Prophet never ate from what was sacrificed to the idols.
3. Eating tasty, wholesome food is not against the rules of piety.
42. They were made to feel hunger, so that through it, they could show their miracle, in order for people to believe in the miracles of saints. Otherwise, Allah Almighty who had thus far kept them asleep without any food; had the power to suppress their hunger at this point in time as well. From this we learn that it is not difficult for Hazrat Isa (On whom be peace) to remain in the heavens without consuming food
This very thing is proven in the case of the Companions of the Cave, as well.
43. It should be remembered that the second LAAM of this word WALMUTA-LATTAF is in the first half of the Holy QUR'AAN, while the TA is in the second half..
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19. Likewise, We woke them that they might question one another. A speaker among them said: “How long have you stayed (here)” They said: “We have stayed a day or part of a day.” They said: “Your Lord knows best how long you have stayed (here). So send one of you with this silver coin of yours to the town, and let him find out which is the Azka food, and bring some of that to you. And let him be careful and let no man know of you.” 20. “For, if they come to know of you, they will stone you or turn you back to their religion; and in that case you will never be successful.”
(How long have you stayed (here)) meaning, `how long have you slept’
(They said: “We have stayed a day or part of a day.”) because they entered the cave at the beginning of the day, and they woke up at the end of the day, which is why they then said,
(“…or a part of a day.” They said: “Your Lord knows best how long you have stayed…”) meaning, `Allah knows best about your situation.’ It seems that they were not sure about how long they had slept, and Allah knows best. Then they turned their attention to more pressing matters, like their need for food and drink, so they said:
(So send one of you with this silver coin of yours) They had brought with them some Dirhams (silver coins) from their homes, to buy whatever they might need, and they had given some in charity and kept some, so they said:
(So send one of you with this silver coin of yours to the town,) meaning to their city, which they had left. The definite article indicates that they were referring to a known city.
(and let him find out which is the Azka food.) Azka means “purest”, as Allah says elsewhere,
(And had it not been for the grace of Allah and His mercy on you, not one of you would ever have been pure ﴿Zaka﴾ from sins) ﴿24:21﴾ and
(Indeed whosoever purifies himself ﴿Tazakka﴾ shall achieve success.) ﴿87:14﴾ From the same root also comes the word Zakah, which makes one’s wealth good and purifies it.
(And let him be careful) meaning when he goes out buying food and coming back. They were telling him to conceal himself as much as he could,
(and let no man know of you. For, if they come to know of you, they will stone you) means, `if they find out where you are,’
(they will stone you or turn you back to their religion;) They were referring to the followers of Decianus, who they were afraid might find out where they were, and punish them with all kinds of torture until they made them go back to their former religion, or until they died, for if they agreed to go back to their (old) religion, they would never attain success in this world or the Hereafter. So they said:
(and in that case you will never be successful.)
(18:19) Likewise, We roused them[16] in a miraculous way that they might question one another. One of them asked: “How long did you remain (in this state)?” The others said: “We remained so for a day or part of a day.” Then they said: “Your Lord knows better how long we remained in this state. Now send one of you to the city with this coin of yours and let him see who has the best food, and let him buy some provisions from there. Let him be cautious and not inform anyone of our whereabouts.
16. They were awakened from their sleep in the same miraculous way that was employed in sending them to sleep and keeping them hidden from the outer world.
[782]- By the will of Allāh.
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