Surah 18:20
Show Full Scripture Context (18:19-20) — 2 Verses
وَكَذَٰلِكَ بَعَثۡنَٰهُمۡ لِيَتَسَآءَلُواْ بَيۡنَهُمۡۚ قَالَ قَآئِلٞ مِّنۡهُمۡ كَمۡ لَبِثۡتُمۡۖ قَالُواْ لَبِثۡنَا يَوۡمًا أَوۡ بَعۡضَ يَوۡمٖۚ قَالُواْ رَبُّكُمۡ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثۡتُمۡ فَٱبۡعَثُوٓاْ أَحَدَكُم بِوَرِقِكُمۡ هَٰذِهِۦٓ إِلَى ٱلۡمَدِينَةِ فَلۡيَنظُرۡ أَيُّهَآ أَزۡكَىٰ طَعَامٗا فَلۡيَأۡتِكُم بِرِزۡقٖ مِّنۡهُ وَلۡيَتَلَطَّفۡ وَلَا يُشۡعِرَنَّ بِكُمۡ أَحَدًا
So We raised them up (again) that they might ask questions among themselves. A speaker among them said, ‘How long have you remained (here)?’ Some said, ‘We have (only) remained (here) a day, or part of a day.’ Others said, ‘Your Lord knows how long you have remained (here). So send one of you with this paper (money) of yours to the city, and let him see which (part) of it (has the) purest food, and let him bring you a supply of it. But let him be astute, and let no one realize (who) you (are).
إِنَّهُمۡ إِن يَظۡهَرُواْ عَلَيۡكُمۡ يَرۡجُمُوكُمۡ أَوۡ يُعِيدُوكُمۡ فِي مِلَّتِهِمۡ وَلَن تُفۡلِحُوٓاْ إِذًا أَبَدٗا
Surely they – if they become aware of you – they will stone you, or make you return to their creed, and then you will never prosper.’
Allah says: 'just as We caused them to sleep, We resurrected them with their bodies, hair and skin intact, and nothing lacking in their form and appearance.' This was after three hundred and nine years. This is why they asked each other,
{How long have you stayed (here)?} meaning, 'how long have you slept?'
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,
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:
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:
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.
{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,
means, 'if they find out where you are,'
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:
— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Page 131-132)