وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَعۡثَرۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ لِيَعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ وَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقّٞ وَأَنَّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ لَا رَيۡبَ فِيهَآ إِذۡ يَتَنَٰزَعُونَ بَيۡنَهُمۡ أَمۡرَهُمۡۖ فَقَالُواْ ٱبۡنُواْ عَلَيۡهِم بُنۡيَٰنٗاۖ رَّبُّهُمۡ أَعۡلَمُ بِهِمۡۚ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ غَلَبُواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَمۡرِهِمۡ لَنَتَّخِذَنَّ عَلَيۡهِم مَّسۡجِدٗا 21

21 And (just like how We put them to a deep sleep and then woke them up with Our power) and thus We made (it) known to the people of the town about the people of the Cave (with Our power and wisdom). (One of the benefits of this event was that) they might know that Allah’s Promise is true and that there is no doubt about the Day of Resurrection. (Finally the people of the cave died there in the Cave). And (remember) when the people of their city disputed among them-selves about their matter, they said: “Construct a building over them. Their Crea-tor knows best about them.” Then those people who had dominating role, said: “We shall build a masjid over them.” (Masjid will remind others that the people of the Cave worshipped Allah. If another building is constructed, people may start worshiping that building in due course of time).

سَيَقُولُونَ ثَلَٰثَةٞ رَّابِعُهُمۡ كَلۡبُهُمۡ وَيَقُولُونَ خَمۡسَةٞ سَادِسُهُمۡ كَلۡبُهُمۡ رَجۡمَۢا بِٱلۡغَيۡبِۖ وَيَقُولُونَ سَبۡعَةٞ وَثَامِنُهُمۡ كَلۡبُهُمۡۚ قُل رَّبِّيٓ أَعۡلَمُ بِعِدَّتِهِم مَّا يَعۡلَمُهُمۡ إِلَّا قَلِيلٞۗ فَلَا تُمَارِ فِيهِمۡ إِلَّا مِرَآءٗ ظَٰهِرٗا وَلَا تَسۡتَفۡتِ فِيهِم مِّنۡهُمۡ أَحَدٗا 22

22 Some say that they were three, and the fourth was their dog, and others say that they were five, the dog was the sixth, they are simply guessing about the unseen. And some others say that they were seven and the dog was the eighth. [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] Say: “My Creator knows best their number; none knows their number but a few.” Hence, don’t in-dulge in this debate except in a passing way and don’t ask any of them (i.e.the people of the Scripture) about them (i.e.the people of the cave). 

وَلَا تَقُولَنَّ لِشَاْيۡءٍ إِنِّي فَاعِلٞ ذَٰلِكَ غَدًا 23

23 And never say about anything: “I shall certainly do it tomorrow.”

إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُۚ وَٱذۡكُر رَّبَّكَ إِذَا نَسِيتَ وَقُلۡ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَهۡدِيَنِ رَبِّي لِأَقۡرَبَ مِنۡ هَٰذَا رَشَدٗا 24

24 Except (by adding to it): “If Allah wills.” And remember your Creator when you forget, and say: “I am very hopeful that my Creator will lead me to a more guided way of truth (than that which I have chosen).”

وَلَبِثُواْ فِي كَهۡفِهِمۡ ثَلَٰثَ مِاْئَةٖ سِنِينَ وَٱزۡدَادُواْ تِسۡعٗا 25

25 And (just like how people differ about the number of the people of the cave, similarly they differ in the period of their sleep. Here is the correct information). And they stayed in their Cave for three hundred (solar) years, adding nine (for lunar years) (Tafsir Qurtubi).

قُلِ ٱللَّهُ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثُواْۖ لَهُۥ غَيۡبُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ أَبۡصِرۡ بِهِۦ وَأَسۡمِعۡۚ مَا لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ مِن وَلِيّٖ وَلَا يُشۡرِكُ فِي حُكۡمِهِۦٓ أَحَدٗا 26

26 (If they differ about it even after this correct information) Say: “Allah knows best how long they stayed. Allah has (the knowledge of) the Unseen of the heavens and the earth. What a Great Seer and Hearer! They have no helper be-sides Him and He makes none to share His Authority.

وَٱتۡلُ مَآ أُوحِيَ إِلَيۡكَ مِن كِتَابِ رَبِّكَۖ لَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَٰتِهِۦ وَلَن تَجِدَ مِن دُونِهِۦ مُلۡتَحَدٗا 27

27 [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] And recite the Book of your Creator which is revealed to you. Nobody can change Allah’s Words, and you will not find any refuge besides Him. 

وَٱصۡبِرۡ نَفۡسَكَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدۡعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلۡغَدَوٰةِ وَٱلۡعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجۡهَهُۥۖ وَلَا تَعۡدُ عَيۡنَاكَ عَنۡهُمۡ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۖ وَلَا تُطِعۡ مَنۡ أَغۡفَلۡنَا قَلۡبَهُۥ عَن ذِكۡرِنَا وَٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُ وَكَانَ أَمۡرُهُۥ فُرُطٗا 28

28 [O Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!] And pa-tiently keep the company of the people who call on their Creator morning and evening seeking His Pleasure. Your attention should not divert from them desir-ing shine and show of this life. And don’t obey one whose heart We have made negligent of Our remembrance, and who follows his own vain desires and his affairs are beyond limit.

وَقُلِ ٱلۡحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكُمۡۖ فَمَن شَآءَ فَلۡيُؤۡمِن وَمَن شَآءَ فَلۡيَكۡفُرۡۚ إِنَّآ أَعۡتَدۡنَا لِلظَّٰلِمِينَ نَارًا أَحَاطَ بِهِمۡ سُرَادِقُهَاۚ وَإِن يَسۡتَغِيثُواْ يُغَاثُواْ بِمَآءٖ كَٱلۡمُهۡلِ يَشۡوِي ٱلۡوُجُوهَۚ بِئۡسَ ٱلشَّرَابُ وَسَآءَتۡ مُرۡتَفَقًا 29

29 And announce: “This absolute truth (i.e. the Quran) is from your Creator.” Then whosoever wills, let him believe, and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve. In-deed, We have prepared for the wrong-doers the Fire whose walls will be sur-rounding them. And if they cry for water, they will be given water which looks like boiling oil and it will roast their faces. What a terrible drink and what an evil resting place!

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ إِنَّا لَا نُضِيعُ أَجۡرَ مَنۡ أَحۡسَنَ عَمَلًا 30

30 Indeed, those who believed and did good deeds, We shall not waste the re-ward of any good doer.

أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمۡ جَنَّٰتُ عَدۡنٖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهِمُ ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ يُحَلَّوۡنَ فِيهَا مِنۡ أَسَاوِرَ مِن ذَهَبٖ وَيَلۡبَسُونَ ثِيَابًا خُضۡرٗا مِّن سُندُسٖ وَإِسۡتَبۡرَقٖ مُّتَّكِ‍ِٔينَ فِيهَا عَلَى ٱلۡأَرَآئِكِۚ نِعۡمَ ٱلثَّوَابُ وَحَسُنَتۡ مُرۡتَفَقٗا 31

31 For them, there will be ever-lasting Gardens, beneath which the rivers flow, they will be decorated with bracelets of gold there and they will wear green gar-ments of fine and thick silk. They will be resting on the raised couches there. What a marvellous reward and what an excellent resting place.

۞وَٱضۡرِبۡ لَهُم مَّثَلٗا رَّجُلَيۡنِ جَعَلۡنَا لِأَحَدِهِمَا جَنَّتَيۡنِ مِنۡ أَعۡنَٰبٖ وَحَفَفۡنَٰهُمَا بِنَخۡلٖ وَجَعَلۡنَا بَيۡنَهُمَا زَرۡعٗا 32

32 And (in order to explain how pointless this worldly life is and how lasting the Hereafter is) give them an example of two men (who were well known to each other). We gave one of them (a disbeliever) two gardens of grapes and both gardens were bordered by palm-trees, and between these gardens there were green crops too. 

كِلۡتَا ٱلۡجَنَّتَيۡنِ ءَاتَتۡ أُكُلَهَا وَلَمۡ تَظۡلِم مِّنۡهُ شَيۡ‍ٔٗاۚ وَفَجَّرۡنَا خِلَٰلَهُمَا نَهَرٗا 33

33 Each of those two gardens had its fruit and there was never shortage of fruit in either of them. And We made a river flow in the midst of them.

وَكَانَ لَهُۥ ثَمَرٞ فَقَالَ لِصَٰحِبِهِۦ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُۥٓ أَنَا۠ أَكۡثَرُ مِنكَ مَالٗا وَأَعَزُّ نَفَرٗا 34

34 And he had (plenty of) fruits. So he said to his friend during an argument: “I am wealthier than you and I also command more respect in the society.”

وَدَخَلَ جَنَّتَهُۥ وَهُوَ ظَالِمٞ لِّنَفۡسِهِۦ قَالَ مَآ أَظُنُّ أَن تَبِيدَ هَٰذِهِۦٓ أَبَدٗا 35

35 And he entered his garden (along with his friend), and he was unjust to himself. He said: “I don’t think that it will ever perish.

وَمَآ أَظُنُّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ قَآئِمَةٗ وَلَئِن رُّدِدتُّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّي لَأَجِدَنَّ خَيۡرٗا مِّنۡهَا مُنقَلَبٗا 36

36 “And I don’t think that the Day of Judgement will occur. And if I am brought back to my Creator (as you believe) I shall definitely find the returning place even better than this.”

قَالَ لَهُۥ صَاحِبُهُۥ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُۥٓ أَكَفَرۡتَ بِٱلَّذِي خَلَقَكَ مِن تُرَابٖ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطۡفَةٖ ثُمَّ سَوَّىٰكَ رَجُلٗا 37

37 His friend (a poor believer) said to him during the argument: “Do you disbe-lieve in Allah Who created you out of dust [through your father Adam ( peace be upon him ) ], then out of mixed semen drops of male and female discharge, then made you a complete man? (Inspite of this you disbelieve in Allah).

لَّٰكِنَّا۠ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ رَبِّي وَلَآ أُشۡرِكُ بِرَبِّيٓ أَحَدٗا 38

38 “But I believe that Allah is my Creator and I don’t associate any partners in worship with my Creator.

وَلَوۡلَآ إِذۡ دَخَلۡتَ جَنَّتَكَ قُلۡتَ مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِۚ إِن تَرَنِ أَنَا۠ أَقَلَّ مِنكَ مَالٗا وَوَلَدٗا 39

39 “And why did you not say when you enter your garden: ‘That which Allah wills (will occur) and there is no power except with Him?’ If you see me less than you in wealth and children,

فَعَسَىٰ رَبِّيٓ أَن يُؤۡتِيَنِ خَيۡرٗا مِّن جَنَّتِكَ وَيُرۡسِلَ عَلَيۡهَا حُسۡبَانٗا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَتُصۡبِحَ صَعِيدٗا زَلَقًا 40

40 “It may be that my Creator will give me something better than your garden (may be Here or in the Hereafter), and He may send a torment from the sky, then your garden will become a barren, slippery field.