Sūrat al-Kahf is a Meccan surah. It is also known by the name Sūrat Aṣḥāb al-Kahf as is apparent from one of the narrations. It is said to have been revealed all at once. It has also been reported that only its twenty-eighth verse was revealed in Medina, or that its final four verses were Medinan.
The reason for revelation of the surah has some slightly differing accounts. What follows is the most well-known.
It is related that Naḍr ibn Ḥārith used to bother the Holy Prophet and mock him. Naḍr had learned some of the stories of the Persian epochs about Rostam, Esfandiyār, and so on. When the Prophet was reciting the Quran, Naḍr would stand up and say: ‘I can tell you better stories than that,’ and then proceed to relate those tales.
The idolaters of Mecca sent Naḍr ibn Ḥārith and ʿUqbah ibn Abī Muʿayṭ to Medina (known as Yathrib at the time) to ask the Jews living there to teach them some difficult questions to ask the Prophet in order to disprove his prophethood. They thought to themselves that the Jews had knowledge of previous prophets of whom Muhammad (s) claimed to know and be a successor of, and in this way they thought they could challenge him.
The Jews instructed them that if they wished to test this man they should ask about three things, and if he can answer them then he is indeed a prophet sent by God, and if he cannot then he is a lying fabricator; they should ask him about the wonderous story of the young men that went away during an early age – what happened to them? And about the man that travelled to the east and the west of the earth. And finally, about the spirit (rūḥ) – what is it? This was the first indirect interaction between the Prophet and the Jews.
They returned to Mecca and with a gathering of the Quraysh they went to the Prophet and asked him about these things. The Prophet told them he would give them their answers. According to some reports he did not make an exception to this by saying ‘if God wills’ (in shāʾ allāh). Some days passed, but revelation did not come, nor did Gabriel come to visit him. The people of Mecca began to talk and this was difficult for the Prophet to bear, until God finally sent revelation through Gabriel, revealing this surah and at least verse 85 of Sūrat al-Isrāʾ.
Some have also mentioned that when Gabriel came, the Prophet asked him why he had tarried, and he replied: We do not descend except by the command of your Lord. To Him belongs whatever is before us and whatever is behind us and whatever is in between that, and your Lord is not forgetful (19:64). Some versions also have the Jews instructing the Prophet to be asked about Prophet Moses (a), and which knowledgeable man he was sent to learn from.
It could be said that the objective of the surah is to mention the three stories found therein: the story of the People of the Cave, the journey of Prophet Moses (a) and the youth that accompanied him, and Dhū al-Qarnayn.
The main theme of this surah can be summarised as the ‘true account’. It is brought up in its first and second verses, All praise belongs to Allah, who has sent down the book to His servant and did not let any crookedness be in it. [A book] upright, to warn of a severe punishment from Him, and to give good news to the faithful who do righteous deeds, that there shall be for them a good reward. One of the primary functions of the Quran is to tell the truth and make it known. The stories it tells are the true account of what happened, without any addition, falsification, or interpolation. This is most explicitly stated in verse 13, We relate to you their account in truth.
This truth-telling is more than stories, though. The Quran speaks the truth regarding the state of affairs as well, not just informing of their reality, but apprising people of the final outcome and their true scope, depth, and nature: to give good news to the faithful who do righteous deeds, that there shall be for them a good reward in verse 2 means that God knows the final outcome that awaits each individual based on the path they choose. Whilst people might see things in a limited and superficial manner, not grasping their reality and truth, God sees all, and sees not only the true nature of things, but also their origin and destination. The kernel of this ‘true account’ is that individuals and nations come and go, yet nothing remains of value except faith and good deeds, Indeed We have made whatever is on the earth an adornment for it that We may test them [to see] which of them is best in conduct. And indeed We will turn whatever is on it into a barren plain (verses 7-8). Nothing should distract man from this reality. Rather, true faith requires submitting oneself to God’s will and letting Him be the guide.
When the group of believers in the message of Prophet Jesus (a) withdrew to the cave they did so fleeing the tyrannical Roman pagans. They could not imagine what would happen to them and how they would sleep there for centuries, to emerge and see that pagan rule had ended and God’s promise of giving aid to His religion had manifested. Human beings often only perceive a small part of reality, failing to see the big picture, so to speak; whereas God is aware of the whole. The cave is powerful imagery of this. The mouth of the cave is deceptively small, while it can hide vast expanses within it.
The second story of the surah tells of two men, one wealthy, another not so. The wealth of the man had caused him to become proud and haughty, inflating his perception of himself and fooling him into thinking his wealth could never be lost. The destruction of his garden was a lesson in God’s plan and His complete control over all affairs. The reality is that all is dependent on Him. The dangerous mix of hubris and ignorance often causes people to develop misguided notions about themselves and the world around them. The ‘true account’ given by God is meant to correct such misconceptions.
The third story recounts how Prophet Moses (a) travelled to meet Khiḍr (a), a mysterious servant of God, to learn from his wisdom. With him he learned of the hidden realities of things and how God does not see only the now and the outer aspect, but the past and the future and the innermost secrets, and plans everything accordingly, never forgetting anyone nor wronging them. Prophet Moses (a) witnessed how Khiḍr (a) committed acts which, according to a limited scope of understanding, seemed wrong or unjust, but in reality were good and benevolent.
The fourth and final story is of Dhū al-Qarnayn, who much like in the previous story, travelled the land and brought justice to those he met. God tells the reader of the exotic lands and peoples that Dhū al-Qarnayn met; how God has a plan for all of them – even if that plan takes centuries to unfold – and does not forget any of His servants, even if they be unknown to the rest of us. It imparts to the reader how grand and mysterious the creation of God is, and how limited our knowledge of it truly is. God knows the ‘true account’ of His creation. He is fully aware of all its diverse nations and individuals, famous or forgotten, past, present, or future. He encompasses everything fully in His knowledge.
The four stories are hence united by the central theme. They also represent different degrees of knowledge of the truth. The companions of the cave go to the cave not knowing what will happen to them. When they wake up, they know not what has happened to them (verses 19-21). Even the darkness of an unknown cave can be navigated with the light of faith and reliance on God. The account of the two companions and the two gardens tells of two men with very different levels of understanding, one myopic and blinded by pride, the other humble and in possession of insight. Prophet Moses (a), himself a man of wisdom and insight, is taught the important lesson that there is always so much more known only to God, and He gives of that knowledge to whom He wills only. Dhū al-Qarnayn comes across tribes and nations far less developed than his own civilisation, to whom he imparts knowledge, which he declares he has been blessed with by God: What my Lord has furnished me is better (verse 95).
The surah’s penultimate verse closes with a reminder that God is the wellspring of all knowledge and the fountainhead of wisdom, Say: ‘If the sea were ink for the words of my Lord, the sea would be spent before the words of my Lord are spent, though We brought another like it for replenishment’, confirming that the true accounts God could relate of previous nations and individuals mentioned in this surah, of the realities of His creation, of what was, is, will be, or could have been, is by no means exhaustive. Indeed, there is no exhausting the words of God. The truths He could inform of and show are almost endless.
The final parting statement affirms that what the Prophet has declared of God’s words in this surah is not his own thoughts or remarks, but only revelation from God: Say: ‘I am just a human being like you. It has been revealed to me that your God is the one God. So whoever expects to encounter his Lord – let him act righteously, and not associate anyone with the worship of his Lord’. The most important of truths is to prepare for the encounter with God.
There are also many symbolic elements which act as threads to join the stories:
- Travel has a central role in three of the stories: the youths going to the cave, Prophet Moses (a) going to meet Khiḍr (a) and then travelling with him, and Dhū al-Qarnayn traveling to the far reaches of the earth.
- Two animals play prominent roles: the dog accompanying the People of the Cave, and the fish that marks where the meeting with Khiḍr (a) should take place.
- Both Khiḍr (a) and Dhū al-Qarnayn construct walls.
- Money, payments, and rewards appear in all the stories. The People of the Cave send a person out with an old coin to buy food. The man with two gardens boasts of his wealth. Moses (a) complains that Khiḍr (a) could have asked for a payment in return for fixing the wall. The unnamed tribe offer Dhū al-Qarnayn a tribute in exchange for constructing a wall for them.
There is also a motif that connects the questions directed to Prophet Muhammad (s). Both the stories of the People of the Cave and Dhū al-Qarnayn are about people considered to be inspired by God, and yet they are not famous and well-known prophets, and hence questions about them would not have been considered easy questions for the Prophet to answer. These also link to the question of the spirit, as the holy spirit was considered to be that which inspired prophets and non-prophets alike.
The surah also being a Meccan surah is meant to inspire the nascent Muslim community. It gives examples of how the most seemingly insignificant things bring about monumental or historical changes. God may inspire a single person and it may change the course of history. He may inspire Constantine to become Christian, or Cyrus to free the Jews so they may return and rebuild their temple in Jerusalem. A small act of charity causes the happiness of orphans when Khiḍr (a) rebuilds a wall. A coin meant to buy food leads to the discovery of the People of the Cave. These are reminders to the Muslims that they should never lose hope and that God will help them overcome their problems and challenges.
[1] Tibyan, 7/3; Razi, 21/421; Qurtubi, 10/346; Alusi, 8/189.
[2] Alusi, 8/189.
[3] Tabrisi, 6/690; Alusi, 8/189; Mizan, 13/236; Nemuneh, 12/336. However, this is likely a mistake. See the commentary on that verse for more.
[4] Alusi, 8/189.
[5] In Qummi, 2/31, this is given as Najrān instead. What is most correct is that they probably sent delegations to both Medina and Najrān. The story of the People of the Cave should have been asked about by the Christians of Najrān. In this regard see for example Tabrisi, 6/710; Thalabi, 6/162; Zamakhshari, 2/712; Muhit, 7/159.
[6] According to what is reported by Ṭabrisī, they were told that if he is truly a prophet, he will not inform them about the spirit (Tabrisi, 6/697). According to Qummī, instead of this they instructed them to ask when the final hour will be, similarly instructing that he should not answer it if he is truthful (Qummi, 2/32). The narration in Qummi has several problems though (see Mizan, 13/280), the most glaring of which is its claim that the sleepers of the cave are still there sleeping, whilst no such cave with sleepers exists in the world.
[7] According to some reports it was fifteen days. Others give it as forty (see for example Qummi, 2/32).
[8] See Ibn Hishām, al-Sīrah al-Nabawiyyah, 1/198; Tibyan, 7/6; Tabrisi, 6/697; Tabari, 15/127; Razi, 21/429; Qurtubi, 10/347; Muhit, 7/134-135; Suyuti, 4/217; Mizan, 13/245-280; Nemuneh, 12/352-353; Tantawi, 8/473-474.
[9] Qurtubi, 10/347-348.
[10] Qummi, 2/31-32.
[11] Mizan, 13/236.