Explore Surah Al-Kahf (The Cave), Chapter 18 of the Holy Quran, with its complete text and insightful comments. Discover the profound lessons of faith, patience, trials, and the protection that comes from remembering Allah, presented in clear and simple language for a deeper understanding.
Surah 18: Al-Kahf (The Cave)
Introduction
Surah Al-Kahf is the 18th chapter of the Holy Qur’an. It has 110 verses and was revealed in Makkah. The Surah is named Al-Kahf, which means The Cave, because of the story of the young men who sought refuge in a cave to protect their faith. Their story is one of the main lessons in this Surah.
This Surah teaches us about the importance of faith, patience, and trust in Allah. It also reminds us of the temporary nature of this world, and the reality of the Hereafter. The Surah answers important questions that were asked by the people of Makkah, especially about the People of the Cave, Moses and the wise man (Khidr), and Dhul-Qarnayn, the righteous ruler who travelled the world.
Surah Al-Kahf warns against the dangers of arrogance, forgetting Allah, and being deceived by wealth and power. It encourages believers to stay close to Allah, remain humble, and prepare for the Day of Judgment. One of its powerful lessons is that true knowledge and guidance come only from Allah, and not everything is as it appears to the human eye.
It is recommended to recite Surah Al-Kahf on Fridays, as the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said it brings light and protection from the trials of the Dajjal (the false messiah) and the darkness of this world.
Surah 18: Al-Kahf (The Cave): Text
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
1. All praise belongs to Allah, who sent down the Book to His servant and made it free from any distortion.
2. A Book that is straight and clear, so He may warn of a severe punishment from Him, and give good news to the believers who do good deeds, that they will have a beautiful reward.
3. A reward in which they will live forever.
4. And to warn those who say, ‘Allah has taken a child.’
5. They have no knowledge of this, nor did their forefathers. What a terrible word they speak! They are saying nothing but lies.
6. Perhaps you will worry yourself to death, grieving over them if they do not believe in this message.
7. Indeed, We have made whatever is on the earth a decoration for it, to test which of them is best in deeds.
8. And surely, We will make whatever is on it into dry, barren ground.
9. Have you thought that the story of the people of the cave and the inscription was one of Our amazing signs?
10. When the young men took shelter in the cave and said, ‘Our Lord, give us mercy from You and guide us rightly in our situation.’
11. So We caused them to sleep deeply in the cave for many years.
12. Then We awakened them to see which of the two groups could better calculate how long they had stayed.
13. We tell you their true story: They were young men who believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance.
14. We made their hearts firm when they stood up and said, ‘Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. We will never call upon any god besides Him. If we did, we would be saying something false.’
15. ‘These people of ours have taken other gods besides Him. Why don’t they bring clear proof for what they say? Who is more wrong than someone who makes up lies about Allah?’
16. ‘Now that you have left them and what they worship besides Allah, go into the cave. Your Lord will spread out His mercy for you and arrange ease for you in your situation.’
17. You would have seen the sun, as it rose, turn away from their cave to the right, and when it set, pass by them to the left, while they lay in the middle of the cave. This was one of the signs of Allah. Whoever Allah guides is truly guided, but whoever He lets go astray, you will find no one to guide them.
18. You would think they were awake, even though they were asleep. We turned them to the right and the left, while their dog lay at the entrance, stretching out its front legs. If you had seen them, you would have turned away in fear and run from them.
19. Then We woke them up so they could ask one another. One of them said, ‘How long have we been here?’ They said, ‘Maybe a day, or part of a day.’ Others said, ‘Your Lord knows best how long we’ve been here. Send one of you with this money to the town, and let him find out which food is purest and bring you some. But he must be careful and not let anyone know about you.’
20. ‘If they find out about you, they might stone you to death or force you to return to their religion. Then you would never be successful again.’
21. In this way, We made their story known to the people, so they would know that Allah’s promise is true and that there is no doubt about the Hour. When the people argued about them, some said, ‘Build a structure over them.’ Their Lord knows best about them. But those who were in charge said, ‘We will build a place of worship over them.’
22. Some will say, ‘They were three, and their dog was the fourth.’ Others will say, ‘They were five, and the sixth was their dog,’ just guessing without knowledge. And some will say, ‘They were seven, and the eighth was their dog.’ Say: ‘My Lord knows best how many they were. Only a few know the truth about them, so don’t argue about them except in a clear way, and don’t ask anyone about them.’
23. And never say about anything, ‘I will definitely do that tomorrow,’
24. Without saying, ‘If Allah wills.’ And remember your Lord if you forget, and say, ‘I hope my Lord will guide me to something closer to the right way than this.’
25. And they stayed in their cave for three hundred years, and some added nine more.
26. Say: ‘Allah knows best how long they stayed. He knows what is hidden in the heavens and the earth. How clearly He sees and hears! They have no protector besides Him, and He does not share His command with anyone.’
27. And recite what has been revealed to you from the Book of your Lord. No one can change His words, and you will find no refuge besides Him.
28. Keep yourself patient with those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, seeking His pleasure. Do not turn your eyes away from them, desiring the luxury of this worldly life. And do not obey the one whose heart We have made unaware of Our remembrance, who follows his own desires, and whose actions are wasteful.
29. Say: ‘The truth is from your Lord. So whoever wants to believe, let him believe, and whoever wants to disbelieve, let him disbelieve.’ We have prepared for the wrongdoers a fire whose walls will surround them. If they call for relief, they will be given water like melted metal that burns their faces. What a terrible drink and what a horrible place to rest!
30. But those who believe and do good deeds – We will not let the reward of anyone who does good be lost.
31. They will have Gardens of Eternity, with rivers flowing beneath them. They will be adorned with bracelets of gold and wear green garments made of fine silk and rich brocade. They will sit on raised thrones. What a wonderful reward, and what a beautiful place to live!
32. Give them an example of two men: We gave one of them two gardens of grapevines, and surrounded them with palm trees, and placed crops between them.
33. Both gardens produced their fruit without failing, and We made a stream flow between them.
34. The man had plenty of wealth, so he said to his friend while talking with him, ‘I have more wealth than you and a stronger family.’
35. Then he entered his garden while wronging himself, and said, ‘I don’t think this will ever end.’
36. ‘And I don’t think the Hour will come. But even if I’m returned to my Lord, I will surely find something even better there.’
37. His friend replied to him while talking, ‘Do you disbelieve in the One who created you from dust, then from a drop of fluid, and then shaped you into a man?’
38. ‘But as for me – Allah is my Lord, and I will never associate anyone with my Lord.’
39. ‘When you entered your garden, why didn’t you say: “Whatever Allah wills will happen. There is no power except with Allah”? Even though you see me with less wealth and children than you,’
40. ‘Maybe my Lord will give me something better than your garden, and send upon your garden a disaster from the sky, turning it into dry, dusty ground.’
41. Or its water might sink deep into the ground, and you will never be able to find it again.
42. And his wealth was destroyed. So he began to wring his hands in regret for what he had spent on it, as it lay in ruins. He said, ‘I wish I had not associated anyone with my Lord.’
43. He had no group to help him besides Allah, and he could not defend himself.
44. That is because the true protection and reward belong only to Allah – He is the best to give rewards and the best to bring results.
45. Give them an example of this life: it is like rain We send from the sky. The plants of the earth absorb it, but later they become dry and scattered by the wind. Allah is capable of everything.
46. Wealth and children are only a decoration of this worldly life. But good deeds that last are better with your Lord in reward and hope.
47. On the Day We will cause the mountains to move, and you will see the earth laid bare. We will gather all people, leaving none behind.
48. And they will be brought before your Lord in rows. He will say, ‘You have come to Us just as We created you the first time. But you claimed that We would never appoint a time for you.’
49. The record of deeds will be placed, and you will see the guilty full of fear about what is in it. They will say, ‘Woe to us! What is this book? It leaves nothing small or big without recording it!’ They will find everything they did present there. And your Lord treats no one unfairly.
50. And remember when We said to the angels, ‘Bow down to Adam.’ So they all bowed, except Iblis. He was one of the jinn and disobeyed the command of his Lord. Will you then take him and his descendants as protectors instead of Me, even though they are your enemies? What a terrible exchange for the wrongdoers!
51. I did not make them (the devils) witness the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor even their own creation. And I would never take the misleaders as helpers.
52. On the Day when Allah will say, ‘Call those you claimed to be My partners.’ They will call them, but they will not answer them. And We will place a barrier between them.
53. The sinners will see the Fire and will be certain they are about to fall into it, but they will find no way to escape it.
54. We have certainly presented every kind of example for people in this Qur’an. But man is the most argumentative of all creatures.
55. What stops people from believing when guidance comes to them, and from asking forgiveness from their Lord, is that they wait for the same fate as those before them or for the punishment to come in front of them.
56. We only send the messengers as bearers of good news and as warners. But those who disbelieve argue with falsehood, trying to weaken the truth. They mock My signs and what they are warned about.
57. And who is more wrong than the one who is reminded of his Lord’s verses but turns away from them and forgets what his hands have done before? We have placed covers over their hearts, so they do not understand, and deafness in their ears. Even if you call them to guidance, they will never be guided.
58. Yet your Lord is the Most Forgiving, full of mercy. If He were to punish them for what they have done, He would have hastened their punishment. But they have an appointed time from which they will find no escape.
59. And those towns – We destroyed them when they did wrong, and We set a time for their destruction.
60. And remember when Moses said to his young helper, ‘I will not stop travelling until I reach the place where the two seas meet, even if it takes me many years.’
61. But when they reached the place where the two seas meet, they forgot their fish, and it slipped away into the sea and disappeared.
62. After they had gone further, Moses said to his young companion, ‘Bring us our meal. We are truly tired from this journey.’
63. The young man replied, ‘Did you notice when we rested at the rock? I forgot the fish – and only Satan made me forget to mention it. It slipped away into the sea in a strange way!’
64. Moses said, ‘That is what we were looking for!’ So they turned back, retracing their steps.
65. There they found one of Our servants whom We had given mercy from Us and taught special knowledge from Ourself.
66. Moses said to him, ‘May I follow you so that you can teach me something of the right guidance you have been taught?’
67. He replied, ‘You will not be able to be patient with me.’
68. ‘And how can you be patient with something you do not fully understand?’
69. Moses said, ‘If Allah wills, you will find me patient, and I will not disobey you in anything.’
70. He said, ‘If you follow me, then do not ask me about anything until I myself explain it to you.’
71. So they both set out, until they boarded a boat. The man made a hole in it. Moses said, ‘Did you damage it to drown its people? You have done a terrible thing!’
72. The man replied, ‘Did I not tell you that you would not be able to have patience with me?’
73. Moses said, ‘Please don’t blame me for forgetting, and don’t make my task too hard for me.’
74. Then they continued on their way until they met a young boy. The man killed him. Moses said, ‘Have you killed an innocent soul without a reason? You have truly done something awful!’
75. He replied, ‘Did I not tell you that you would not be able to have patience with me?’
76. Moses said, ‘If I ask you about anything after this, then do not keep me with you. You have every right to leave me.’
77. So they went on until they came to a town. They asked the people for food, but the people refused to host them. Then they found a wall about to collapse, and the man repaired it. Moses said, ‘If you wished, you could have taken a payment for this!’
78. The man said, ‘This is where we must part ways. But I will now tell you the meaning of what you could not bear patiently.’
79. ‘As for the boat – it belonged to some poor people who worked at sea. I damaged it because a king was coming after them who seizes every good boat by force.’
80. ‘And as for the boy – his parents were believers, and we feared he would burden them with rebellion and disbelief.’
81. ‘So we wished that their Lord would give them a better child in his place – one who would be more pure and kind to them.’
82. ‘And as for the wall – it belonged to two orphan boys in the town, and beneath it was a treasure belonging to them. Their father was a righteous man. So your Lord wanted them to grow up and take out their treasure at the right time, as a mercy from your Lord. I did not do these things on my own. That is the explanation of what you could not bear patiently.’
83. They ask you about Dhul-Qarnayn. Say: ‘I will tell you something about him.’
84. We gave him power on earth and gave him a way to achieve whatever he needed.
85. So he followed a path.
86. When he reached the setting place of the sun, he found it setting in a dark, muddy spring, and near it he found a people. We said, ‘O Dhul-Qarnayn, you can either punish them or treat them with kindness.’
87. He said, ‘Whoever does wrong, we will punish him, then he will be returned to his Lord, and He will punish him with a terrible punishment.’
88. ‘But whoever believes and does good, he will have the best reward, and We will speak to him gently and respectfully.’
89. Then he followed another path.
90. Until he reached the rising place of the sun, and he found it rising on a people for whom We had made no cover from it.
91. That is how it was. And We had full knowledge of everything he encountered.
92. Then he followed another path.
93. Until he reached a place between two mountains, where he found a people who could hardly understand any speech.
94. They said, ‘O Dhul-Qarnayn! Gog and Magog are causing corruption in the land. Can we give you payment so you can build a barrier between us and them?’
95. He said, ‘What my Lord has given me is better than what you offer. But help me with your strength, and I will build a solid barrier between you and them.’
96. ‘Bring me blocks of iron.’ Then, when he had filled the gap between the mountains, he said, ‘Blow!’ When it became like fire, he said, ‘Bring me molten copper to pour over it.’
97. So they (Gog and Magog) could neither climb over it nor dig through it.
98. Dhul-Qarnayn said, ‘This is a mercy from my Lord. But when my Lord’s promise comes true, He will level it to the ground. The promise of my Lord is always true.’
99. On that Day, We will let them surge like waves over one another, and the Trumpet will be blown, and We will gather them all together.
100. And on that Day, We will present Hell, exposed for all the disbelievers to see clearly.
101. Those whose eyes were covered from My reminder, and who could not bear to listen.
102. Do the disbelievers think they can take My servants as protectors besides Me? We have surely prepared Hell as a resting place for the disbelievers.
103. Say, ‘Shall We tell you who are the biggest losers in what they do?’
104. ‘It is those whose efforts in this worldly life are wasted, while they think they are doing good.’
105. They are the ones who reject the signs of their Lord and the meeting with Him. So their deeds are worthless, and on the Day of Judgment, We will give them no value.
106. Hell will be their reward – because they disbelieved and took My signs and My messengers as a joke.
107. But those who believe and do good deeds – they will have the Gardens of Paradise as their home.
108. They will live there forever and will never wish to leave.
109. Say, ‘If the sea were ink for the words of my Lord, the sea would run dry before the words of my Lord were finished, even if We brought another sea like it to add.’
110. Say, ‘I am only a human being like you. It has been revealed to me that your God is only One God. So whoever hopes to meet his Lord should do good deeds and never associate anyone with his Lord in worship.’ 0 0 0
Comment
Surah Al-Kahf is a deep and powerful reminder for every believer, regardless of time or place. Through its stories, Allah teaches us that true success does not lie in wealth, knowledge, or power, but in faith, humility, and obedience to Him.
The story of the People of the Cave shows how Allah protects those who sincerely believe in Him, even when they are young and weak. The story of the man with two gardens warns us not to be proud of our worldly possessions, as everything in this life can vanish in a moment. The journey of Moses and Khidr teaches us that human knowledge is limited, and we must trust Allah’s wisdom, even when things seem difficult or unfair. Ultimately, the story of Dhul-Qarnayn underscores the importance of wielding power with justice, mercy, and responsibility.
This Surah also prepares the heart for the trials of the Dajjal (Antichrist), by teaching believers to rely only on Allah, to stay firm in truth, and not to be deceived by appearances or miracles.
In today’s fast-moving world, where many are chasing fame, wealth, and status, Surah Al-Kahf reminds us to stay connected to the eternal truths of the Qur’an, to guard our faith, and to seek protection through remembrance, patience, and righteousness.
It is a Surah that deserves to be reflected upon regularly, especially every Friday, as it brings both light in this world and preparation for the next. 0 0 0
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Surah Al-Kahf: Additional Study
Frequently Asked Questions on Surah Al-Kahf (The Cave)
Q1. What is Surah Al-Kahf about?
Surah Al-Kahf is the 18th chapter of the Quran. It tells stories of the People of the Cave, Prophet Musa and Khidr, Dhul-Qarnayn, and lessons about trials of faith, wealth, knowledge, and power.
Q2. Why is Surah Al-Kahf important?
Surah Al-Kahf is important because it protects believers from the trials of life and faith. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) recommended reciting it, especially on Fridays, for blessings and protection from the Antichrist (Dajjal).
Q3. When should Surah Al-Kahf be recited?
Surah Al-Kahf is recommended to be recited on Fridays, but it can be read anytime for guidance and spiritual strength.
Q4. What lessons can we learn from Surah Al-Kahf?
Surah Al-Kahf teaches lessons about patience, reliance on Allah, the temporary nature of worldly life, humility in knowledge, and the importance of faith over material wealth.
Q5. How many verses are in Surah Al-Kahf?
Surah Al-Kahf has 110 verses and is classified as a Meccan Surah.
Q6. What is the meaning of the name Al-Kahf?
The word Al-Kahf means “The Cave” in Arabic. It refers to the story of the young men who sought refuge in a cave and were protected by Allah.
Q7. What is the benefit of memorizing Surah Al-Kahf?
Memorizing Surah Al-Kahf helps strengthen faith, provides protection from trials, and serves as a shield against the deception of Dajjal. 0 0 0
The Lessons of Surah Al-Kahf
Surah Al-Kahf speaks of a cave so still,
Where faithful youths surrendered their will.
They left the world of pride and gain,
And found in Allah their true sustain.
Surah Al-Kahf tells of gardens wide,
Where wealth and riches fueled man’s pride.
One heart was humbled, one heart was vain,
The test of fortune brought joy and pain.
Surah Al-Kahf recalls a journey deep,
Where Musa sought the truths to keep.
Khidr revealed with wisdom’s grace,
That patience guides the seeker’s pace.
Surah Al-Kahf speaks of a king so just,
Who ruled with strength, with faith and trust.
Dhul-Qarnayn built with steady hand,
A wall of mercy to guard the land.
Surah Al-Kahf warns of life’s short stay,
That riches fade and youth decays.
But faith remains, a guiding light,
Through darkest trial and longest night.
Surah Al-Kahf shines on every page,
With lessons deep for every age.
It calls the soul to stand, be strong,
To walk with truth, to flee from wrong.
So read Surah Al-Kahf, let your heart be near,
Each verse a shield, each word sincere.
On Fridays bright, recite its song,
And find in Allah where you belong. 0 0 0
N.B. If you find the translation of Surah Al-Kahf fine, then send your feedback.
