Transliteration:( Illaaa any yashaaa'al laah; wazkur Rabbaka izaa naseeta wa qul 'asaaa any yahdiyani Rabbee li aqraba min haazaa rashadaa )
54.Reason for its revelation:Â
When the people of Makkah enquired from the Holy Prophet ?  About the condition of the Companions of the Cave, he told them that he would relate it later. But because the Holy Prophet had forgotten to say, "If Allah wills", revelation was delayed for a number of days. At that point in time Allah Almighty had not yet acquainted about the the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلمfull details of the Companions of the cave.
55.By this is meant if you forget to recite INSHA-ALLAH (if Allah wills) in the beginning, then you should recite it as soon as you remember. The author of (Tafseer Roohul Bayaan) has commented that at the time of revelation of this expression, the Holy Prophet ?recited INSHA-ALLAH
 From this we learn that if a person had forgotten to perform his Salaah, he should do so as soon as he remembers.
56.By this is meant that the types of miracles given to me are such that they are far greater than these. You are merely testing me by asking me about the incident of the Companions of the Cave, but remember that one day I will stand on my pulpit and narrate to you every event that would be taking place before Judgement Day. Thus, all this took place as prophesized, which is recorded in Hadith Shareef.
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The tafsir of Surah Kahf verse 24 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Kahf ayat 23 which provides the complete commentary from verse 23 through 24.
(18:24) unless Allah should will it. And should you forget (and make such a statement), remember your Lord and say: “I expect my Lord to guide me[24] to what is nearer to rectitude than this.”
24. This is a parenthetical clause which has been inserted here because of its relevancy to the preceding verse, in which it was asserted that the correct number of the sleepers of the cave is known only to Allah and a research into it is a useless task. Therefore one should refrain from investigating into unimportant things, nor enter into discussions about them. This has led to the instruction contained in the parenthetical clause for the benefit of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the believers who have been told never to make a positive assertion like this: I will do this thing tomorrow, for you do not know whether you will be able to do that thing or not: you have neither the knowledge of the unknown nor have full powers to do what you like. If ever inadvertently you utter anything like this, you should at once remember your Lord and say, InshaAllah. Besides this you do not know whether there will be any good for you in the thing about which you say: I will do this. It is possible that you may do another thing better than that. Therefore you should trust in God and say: I hope that my Lord will guide me in this matter with that thing which is nearer to the right way for me.
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