The Cave — Verse 2

Which was revealed in Makkah What has been mentioned about the Virtues of this Surah and the first and last ten Ayat Imam Ahmad recorded that Al-Bara' said: "A man recited Al-Kahf and there was an animal in the house which began acting in a nervous manner. He looked, and saw a fog or cloud overhead. He mentioned this to the Prophet , who said: «اقْرَأْ فُلَانُ، فَإِنَّهَا السَّكِينَةُ تَنْزِلُ عِنْدَ الْقُرْآنِ أَوْ تَنَزَّلَتْ لِلْقُرْآن» (Keep on reciting so and so, for this is the tranquillity which descends when one reads Qur'an or because of reading Qur'an;) This was also recorded in the Two Sahihs. This man who recited it was Usayd bin Al-Hudayr, as we have previously mentioned in our Tafsir of Surat Al-Baqarah. Imam Ahmad recorded from Abu Ad-Darda' that the Prophet said: «مَنْ حَفِظَ عَشْرَ آيَاتٍ مِنْ أَوَّلِ سُورَةِ الْكَهْفِ عُصِمَ مِنَ الدَّجَّال» (Whoever memorizes ten Ayat from the beginning of Surat Al-Kahf will be protected from the Dajjal.) This was also recorded by Muslim, Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i and At-Tirmidhi. According to the version recorded by At-Tirmidhi, «مَنْ حَفِظَ ثَلَاثَ آيَاتٍ مِنْ أَوَّلِ الْكَهْف» (Whoever memorizes three Ayat from the beginning of Al-Kahf.) He said, it is "Hasan Sahih. " In his Mustadrak, Al-Hakim recorded from Abu Sa`id that the Prophet said: «مَنْ قَرَأَ سُورَةَ الْكَهْفِ فِي يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ أَضَاءَ لَهُ مِنَ النُّورِ مَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْجُمُعَتَيْن» (Whoever recites Surat Al-Kahf on Friday, it will illuminate him with light from one Friday to the next.) Then he said: "This Hadith has a Sahih chain, but they (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it." Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Al-Bayhaqi also recorded it in his Sunan from Al-Hakim, then he narrated with his own chain that the Prophet said: «مَنْ قَرَأَ سُورَةَ الْكَهْفِ كَمَا نَزَلَتْ، كَانَتْ لَهُ نُورًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَة» (Whoever recites Surat Al-Kahf as it was revealed, it will be a light for him on the Day of Resurrection.) بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Revelation of the Qur'an brings both Good News and a Warning In the beginning of this Tafsir, we mentioned that Allah, praises His Holy Self at the beginning and end of matters, for He is the One to be praised in all circumstances, all praise and thanks be to Him, in the beginning and in the end. He praises Himself for revealing His Mighty Book to His Noble Messenger Muhammad ﷺ, which is the greatest blessing that Allah has granted the people of this earth. Through the Qur'an, He brings them out of the darkness into light. He has made it a Book that is straight, neither distorted nor confusion therein. It clearly guides to a straight path, plain and manifest, giving a warning to the disbelievers and good news to the believers. This is why Allah says: وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُ عِوَجَا (and has not placed therein any crookedness.) meaning, there is nothing twisted or confusing about it. But He has made it balanced and straightforward as He said; قَيِّماً ((He has made it) straight), meaning straightforward, لِّيُنْذِرَ بَأْسًا شَدِيدًا مِّن لَّدُنْهُ (to give warning of a severe punishment from Him,) meaning, to those who oppose His Prophet and disbelieve in His Book, He issues a warning of severe punishment hastened in this world and postponed to the world Hereafter. مِن لَّدُنْهُ (from Him) means, from Allah. For none can punish as He punishes and none is stronger or more reliable than Him. وَيُبَشِّرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (and to give good news to the believers,) means, those who believe in this Qur'an and confirm their faith by righteous actions. أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا حَسَنًا (that they shall have a fair reward.) means, a beautiful reward from Allah. مَّاكِثِينَ فِيهِ (They shall abide therein) means, in what Allah rewards them with, and that is Paradise, where they will live forever. أَبَدًا (forever.) means, for always, never ending or ceasing to be. وَيُنْذِرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُواْ اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ وَلَدًا (And to warn those who say, "Allah has begotten a child.") Ibn Ishaq said: "These are the pagan Arabs, who said, `We worship the angels who are the daughters of Allah."' مَا لَهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ (No knowledge have they of such a thing, ) meaning, this thing that they have fabricated and made up. وَلاَ لاَبَآئِهِمْ (nor had their fathers.) meaning, their predecessors. كَبُرَتْ كَلِمَةً (Mighty is the word) This highlights the seriousness and enormity of the lie they have made up. Allah says: كَبُرَتْ كَلِمَةً تَخْرُجُ مِنْ أَفْوَاهِهِمْ (Mighty is the word that comes out of their mouths.) meaning, it has no basis apart from what they say, and they have no evidence for it apart from their own lies and fabrications. Hence Allah says: إِن يَقُولُونَ إِلاَّ كَذِبًا (They utter nothing but a lie.) Reason why this Surah was revealed Muhammad bin Ishaq mentioned the reason why this Surah was revealed. He said that an old man from among the people of Egypt who came to them some forty-odd years ago told him, from `Ikrimah that Ibn `Abbas said: "The Quraysh sent An-Nadr bin Al-Harith and `Uqbah bin Abi Mu`it to the Jewish rabbis in Al-Madinah, and told them: `Ask them (the rabbis) about Muhammad, and describe him to them, and tell them what he is saying. They are the people of the first Book, and they have more knowledge of the Prophets than we do.' So they set out and when they reached Al-Madinah, they asked the Jewish rabbis about the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. They described him to them and told them some of what he had said. They said, `You are the people of the Tawrah and we have come to you so that you can tell us about this companion of ours.' They (the rabbis) said, `Ask him about three things which we will tell you to ask, and if he answers them then he is a Prophet who has been sent (by Allah); if he does not, then he is saying things that are not true, in which case how you will deal with him will be up to you. Ask him about some young men in ancient times, what was their story For theirs is a strange and wondrous tale. Ask him about a man who travelled a great deal and reached the east and the west of the earth. What was his story And ask him about the Ruh (soul or spirit) -- what is it If he tells you about these things, then he is a Prophet, so follow him, but if he does not tell you, then he is a man who is making things up, so deal with him as you see fit.' So An-Nadr and `Uqbah left and came back to the Quraysh, and said: `O people of Quraysh, we have come to you with a decisive solution which will put an end to the problem between you and Muhammad. The Jewish rabbis told us to ask him about some matters,' and they told the Quraysh what they were. Then they came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, `O Muhammad, tell us,' and they asked him about the things they had been told to ask. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «أُخْبِرُكُمْ غَدًا عَمَّا سَأَلْتُمْ عَنْه» (I will tell you tomorrow about what you have asked me.) but he did not say `If Allah wills.' So they went away, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stayed for fifteen days without any revelation from Allah concerning that, and Jibril, peace be upon him, did not come to him either. The people of Makkah started to doubt him, and said, `Muhammad promised to tell us the next day, and now fifteen days have gone by and he has not told us anything in response to the questions we asked.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ felt sad because of the delay in revelation, and was grieved by what the people of Makkah were saying about him. Then Jibril came to him from Allah with the Surah about the companions of Al-Kahf, which also contained a rebuke for feeling sad about the idolators. The Surah also told him about the things they had asked him about, the young men and the traveler. The question about the Ruh was answered in the Ayah; وَيَسْـَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ (And they ask you concerning the Ruh (the spirit); say: "The Ruh...") 17:85.

a Book upright qayyiman is a second circumstantial qualifier for added emphasis to warn of to make by this Book the disbelievers fear severe chastisement from Him from God and to bring to the believers who perform righteous deeds the good tidings that theirs will be a fair reward

They shall have a beautiful wage, remaining therein endlessly. It gives this warning to the strangers:

They shall have a beautiful wage, remaining therein endlessly. It gives this warning to the strangers:

They shall have a beautiful wage, remaining therein endlessly. It gives this warning to the strangers:

They shall have a beautiful wage, remaining therein endlessly. It gives this warning to the strangers:

They shall have a beautiful wage, remaining therein endlessly.It gives this warning to the strangers:

جعله الله كتابًا مستقيمًا، لا اختلاف فيه ولا تناقض؛ لينذر الكافرين من عذاب شديد من عنده، ويبشر المصدقين بالله ورسوله الذين يعملون الأعمال الصالحات، بأن لهم ثوابًا جزيلا هو الجنة، يقيمون في هذا النعيم لا يفارقونه أبدًا.

ولهذا قال قيما أي مستقيما لينذر بأسا شديدا من لدنه أي لمن خالفه وكذبه ولم يؤمن به ينذره بأسًا شديدًا عقوبة عاجلة في الدنيا وآجلة في الآخرة من لدنه أي من عند الله الذي لا يعذب عذابه أحد ولا يوثق وثاقه أحد " ويبشر المؤمنين " أي بهذا القرآن الذين صدقوا إيمانهم بالعمل الصالح أن لهم أجرًا حسنا أي مثوبة عند الله جميلة.

وقوله : ( قيما ) تأكيد فى المعنى لقوله - سبحانه - : ( وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُ عِوَجَا ) لأنه قد يكون الشئ مستقيما فى الظاهر ، إلا أنه لا يخلو عن اعوجاج فى حقيقة الأمر ، ولذا جمع - سبحانه - بين نفى العوج ، وإثبات الاستقامة .قال صاحب الكشاف : فإن قلت : ما فائدة الجمع بين نفى العوج وإثبات الاستقامة ، وفى أحدهما غنى عن الآخر؟قلت : فائدته التأكيد ، فرب مستقيم مشهود له بالاستقامة ، ولا يخلو من أدنى عوج عند السبر والتصفح ، وقيل : قيما على سائر الكتب ، مصدقا لها ، شاهدا بصحتها ، وقيل : قيما بمصالح العباد وما لا بد لهم منه من الشرائع .وشبيه بهذه الآية فى مدح القرآن الكريم قوله - تعالى - : ( كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ لِتُخْرِجَ الناس مِنَ الظلمات إِلَى النور بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ إلى صِرَاطِ العزيز الحميد ) وقوله - سبحانه - . ( إِنَّ هذا القرآن يَِهْدِي لِلَّتِي هِيَ أَقْوَمُ . . ) وقوله - عز وجل : ( وَلَقَدْ ضَرَبْنَا لِلنَّاسِ فِي هذا القرآن مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٍ لَّعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ قُرْآناً عَرَبِيّاً غَيْرَ ذِي عِوَجٍ لَّعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ ) وقوله - تعالى - : ( أَفَلاَ يَتَدَبَّرُونَ القرآن وَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ عِندِ غَيْرِ الله لَوَجَدُواْ فِيهِ اختلافا كَثِيراً ) ثم شرع - سبحانه - فى بيان وظيفة القرآن الكريم ، بعد أن وصفه بالاستقامة والإِحكام ، فقال : ( لِّيُنْذِرَ بَأْساً شَدِيداً مِّن لَّدُنْهُ .. . ) .والإِنذار : الإِعلام المقترن بتخويف وتهديد ، فكل إنذار إعلام ، وليس كل إعلام إنذارا .واللام فى قوله ( لينذر ) متعلقة بأنزل ، والبأس : العذاب ، وهو المفعول الثانى للفعل ينذر ، ومفعوله الأول محذوف .والمعنى : أنزل - سبحانه - على عبده الكتاب حالة كونه لم يجعل له عوجا بل جعله مستقيما ، لينذر الذين كفروا عذابا شديدا ، صادرا من عنده - تعالى - .والتعبير بقوله ( من لدنه ) يشعر بأنه عذاب ليس له دافع ، لأنه من عند الله تعالى - القاهر فوق عباده .أما وظيفة القرآن بالنسبة للمؤمنين ، فقد بينها - سبحانه - بعد ذلك فى قوله : ( وَيُبَشِّرَ المؤمنين الذين يَعْمَلُونَ الصالحات أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْراً حَسَناً مَّاكِثِينَ فِيهِ أَبَداً ) .أى : أنزل الله هذا القرآن ، ليخوف به الكافرين من عذابه ، وليبشر به المؤمنين الذين يعملون الأعمال الصالحات ، أن لهم من خالقهم - عز وجل - أجراً حسنا هو الجنة ونعيمها .

القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : قَيِّمًا لِيُنْذِرَ بَأْسًا شَدِيدًا مِنْ لَدُنْهُ وَيُبَشِّرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا حَسَنًا (2)يقول تعالى ذكره: أنـزل على عبده القرآن معتدلا مستقيما لا عوج فيه لينذركم أيها الناس بأسا من الله شديدا ، وعنى بالبأس العذاب العاجل، والنكال الحاضر والسطوة ، وقوله: (مِنْ لَدُنْهُ) يعني: من عند الله.وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك، قال أهل التأويل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثنا أبو كريب، قال: ثنا يونس بن بكير، عن محمد بن إسحاق (لِيُنْذِرَ بَأْسًا شَدِيدًا) عاجل عقوبة في الدنيا، وعذابا في الآخرة.(مِنْ لَدُنْهُ) : أي من عند ربك الذي بعثك رسولا.حدثنا ابن حميد، قال: ثنا سلمة، عن ابن إسحاق، بنحوه.حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة، قوله: (مِنْ لَدُنْهُ) : أي من عنده.فإن قال قائل: فأين مفعول قوله (لِيُنْذِرَ) فإن مفعوله محذوف اكتفى بدلالة ما ظهر من الكلام عليه من ذكره، وهو مضمر متصل بينذر قبل البأس، كأنه قيل: لينذركم بأسا، كما قيل: يُخَوِّفُ أَوْلِيَاءَهُ [آل عمران: 175] إنما هو: يخوّفكم أولياءه.وقوله: (وَيُبَشِّرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ) يقول: ويبشر المصدقين الله ورسوله (الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ الصَّالِحَاتِ) وهو العمل بما أمر الله بالعمل به، والانتهاء عما نهى الله عنه (أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا حَسَنًا) يقول: ثوابا جزيلا لهم من الله على إيمانهم بالله ورسوله، وعملهم في الدنيا الصالحات من الأعمال، وذلك الثواب: هو الجنة التي وعدها المتقون.

" قيما " أي : مستقيما . قال ابن عباس : عدلا . وقال الفراء : قيما على الكتب كلها أي : مصدقا لها ناسخا لشرائعها .وقال قتادة : ليس على التقديم والتأخير بل معناه : أنزل على عبده الكتاب ولم يجعل له عوجا ولكن جعله قيما ولم يكن مختلفا على ما قال الله تعالى : " ولو كان من عند غير الله لوجدوا فيه اختلافا كثيرا " ( النساء - 82 ) .وقيل : معناه لم يجعله مخلوقا وروي عن ابن عباس في قوله : " قرآنا عربيا غير ذي عوج " ( الزمر - 28 ) أي : غير مخلوق .( لينذر بأسا شديدا ) أي : لينذر ببأس شديد ( من لدنه ) أي : من عنده ( ويبشر المؤمنين الذين يعملون الصالحات أن لهم أجرا حسنا ) أي : الجنة .

لما كان النهي عن الجهر بالدعاء أو قراءة الصلاة سداً لذريعة زيادة تصميمهم على الكفر أعقب ذلك بأمره بإعلان التوحيد لقطع دابر توهم من توهموا أن الرحمان اسم لمسمى غير مسمى اسم الله ، فبعضهم توهمه إلهاً شريكاً ، وبعضهم توهمه مُعيناً وناصراً ، أمر النبي بأن يقول ما يقلع ذلك كله وأن يعظمه بأنواع من التعظيم .وجملة { الحمد لله } تقتضي تخصيصه تعالى بالحمد ، أي قصر جنس الحمد عليه تعالى لأنه أعظم مستحق لأن يحمد . فالتخصيص ادعائي بادعاء أن دواعي حمد غير الله تعالى في جانب دواعي حمد الله بمنزلة العدم ، كما تقدم في سورة الفاتحة .و ( مِن ) في قوله : { من الذل } بمعنى لام التعليل .والذل : العجز والافتقار ، وهو ضدّ العز ، أي ليس له ناصر من أجل الذل . والمراد : نفي الناصر له على وجه مؤكد ، فإن الحاجة إلى الناصر لا تكون إلا من العجز عن الانتصار للنفس . ويجوز تضمين ( الولي ) معنى ( المانع ) فتكون ( من ) لتعدية الاسم المضمن معناه .ومعنى { كبره } اعتقد أنه كبير ، أي عظيم العِظم المعنوي الشامل لوجوب الوجود والغِنى المطلق ، وصفات الكمال كلها الكاملة التعلقات ، لأن الاتصاف بذلك كله كمال ، والاتصاف بأضداد ذلك نقص وصغار معنوي .وإجراء هذه الصلات الثلاث على اسم الجلالة الذي هو متعلق الحمد لأن في هذه الصلاة إيماء إلى وجه تخصيصه بالحمد . والإتيان بالمفعول المطلق بعد { كَبّره } للتوكيد ، ولما في التنوين من التعظيم ، ولأنّ من هذه صفاته هو الذي يقدر على إعطاء النعم التي يعجز غيره عن إسدائها .

وقوله { لِيُنْذِرَ بَأْسًا شَدِيدًا مِنْ لَدُنْهُ } أي: لينذر بهذا القرآن الكريم، عقابه الذي عنده، أي: قدره وقضاه، على من خالف أمره، وهذا يشمل عقاب الدنيا وعقاب الآخرة، وهذا أيضا، من نعمه أن خوف عباده، وأنذرهم ما يضرهم ويهلكهم. كما قال تعالى -لما ذكر في هذا القرآن وصف النار- قال: { ذلك يخوف الله به عباده يا عباد فاتقون } فمن رحمته بعباده، أن قيض العقوبات الغليظة على من خالف أمره، وبينها لهم، وبين لهم الأسباب الموصلة إليها. { وَيُبَشِّرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا حَسَنًا } أي: وأنزل الله على عبده الكتاب، ليبشر المؤمنين به، وبرسله وكتبه، الذين كمل إيمانهم، فأوجب لهم عمل الصالحات، وهي: الأعمال الصالحة، من واجب ومستحب، التي جمعت الإخلاص والمتابعة، { أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا حَسَنًا } وهو الثواب الذي رتبه الله على الإيمان والعمل الصالح، وأعظمه وأجله، الفوز برضا الله ودخول الجنة، التي فيها ما لا عين رأت، ولا أذن سمعت، ولا خطر على قلب بشر. وفي وصفه بالحسن، دلالة على أنه لا مكدر فيه ولا منغص بوجه من الوجوه، إذ لو وجد فيه شيء من ذلك لم يكن حسنه تاما.

قَيِّمًانصب على الحال .وقال قتادة : الكلام على سياقه من غير تقديم ولا تأخير , ومعناه : ولم يجعل له عوجا ولكن جعلناه قيما .وقول الضحاك فيه حسن , وأن المعنى : مستقيم , أي مستقيم الحكمة لا خطأ فيه ولا فساد ولا تناقض .وقيل : " قيما " على الكتب السابقة يصدقها .وقيل : " قيما " بالحجج أبدا .لِيُنْذِرَ بَأْسًا شَدِيدًاأي لينذر محمد أو القرآن .وفيه إضمار , أي لينذر الكافرين عقاب الله .وهذا العذاب الشديد قد يكون في الدنيا وقد يكون في الآخرة .مِنْ لَدُنْهُأي من عنده وقرأ أبو بكر عن عاصم " من لدنه " بإسكان الدال وإشمامها الضم وكسر النون , والهاء موصولة بياء .والباقون " لدنه " بضم الدال وإسكان النون وضم الهاء .قال الجوهري : وفي " لدن " ثلاث لغات : لدن , ولدى , ولد .وقال : من لد لحييه إلى منحوره المنحور لغة في المنحر .وَيُبَشِّرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا حَسَنًاأي بأن لهم أجرا حسنا وهي الجنة .وإن حملت التبشير على البيان لم يحتج إلى الباء في " بأن " .والأجر الحسن : الثواب العظيم الذي يؤدي إلى الجنة .

The Quran is the corrected edition of previous divine scriptures. In the case of previous scriptures, successive generations made the divine teachings complicated by indulging in hair-splitting. Furthermore, the original teachings were subjected to distortion by means of interpolation, and in this way the very direction of these teachings was deflected. The Quran is free of both these types of human interference. On the one hand, it contains religion in its natural, pure and simple form, and on the other, its direction is unwaveringly towards God, as in fact it should be. Why is it that God has arranged for the revelation of scriptures to the people of the world? The purpose of this is to acquaint them with His divine scheme. God has created man in this world for the purpose of trial. Thereafter, He will take a reckoning of everybody, and according to his deeds, will send him to hell or settle him in the eternal gardens of heaven. God wants everybody to be aware of this before death, so that nobody should have any excuse for wrongdoing. One cause of man’s going astray in this world is his taking someone other than God as his supporter. This deviance is at its worst when someone is believed to be the son of God. All such beliefs are false, because there is nobody on earth or in heaven who wields any power or authority except God.

The properties and merits of Surah al-Kahf According to a narration of Sayyidna Abu al-Darda' ؓ appearing in Muslim, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, al-Nasa'i and the Musnad of Ahmad, one who has memorized the first ten verses of Surah al-Kahf will remain protected from the ill effects of Dajjal (imposter). In another report in the same books and from the same authority, the same thing has been said about having memorized the last ten verses of Surah al-Kahf. And it has been reported in the Musnad of Ahmad on the authority of Sayyidna Sahl ibn Mu` adh ؓ that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said, "One who recites the first and the last verses of Surah al-Kahf, for him there is light from his feet up to his head. And the one who were to recite the whole Surah, then, for him there is light from the earth up to the sky." And it appears in some narratives that a person who recites Surah al-Kahf on the day of Jumu'ah will have light from his feet up to the sky. This light will serve him well on the day of Qiyamah, and every sin committed by him between the past and the present Jumu'ah will be forgiven." (Imam Ibn Kathir has declared this report to be mawquf (a Hadith the narration of which stops at a Sahabi and does not ascend to the Holy Prophet ﷺ). And Hafiz Zya' al-Maqdisi, in his book Al-Mukhtarah, has reported on the authority of Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said, "One who recites Surah al-Kahf on the day of Jumu'ah will remain protected from every fitnah. And if Dajjal appears, he will stay safe against the trying challenges released by him as well." (All these narrative reports have been taken from Tafsir ibn Kathir) According to a report from Dailami on the authority of Sayyidna Anas ؓ appearing in Ruh al-Ma’ ani, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said, "The entire Surah al-Kahf was revealed at one time and seventy thousand angels came with it" - which shows its majesty. The cause of revelation Imam ibn Jarir al-Tabari has reported from Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ عنہما that the Quraysh of Makkah (disturbed by the rising influence of the Holy Prophet ﷺ as a prophet) sent two of their men, Nadr ibn Harith and 'Uqbah ibn Abi Mu` ayt, to the Jewish scholars of Madinah. Their mission was to find out what they said about him as they were learned in past scriptures of the Torah and Injil. The Jewish scholars told them, "put three questions before him. If he answers these correctly, you should know that he is a Prophet and Messenger of Allah ﷺ ، and if he fails to do that, you should know that he is a pretender and not a messenger. Firstly, ask him about the young men who had left their city in the distant past and what had happened to them, for this is a unique event. Secondly, ask him about the person who had traveled through the East and West of the Earth and what had happened to him. Thirdly, ask him about the Ruh (soul, spirit) as to what it was?" That is, he gives the answer he should give (and his correct answer to the question about 'Rte' will be that Allah Ta` ala knows its reality best). So, this report which appears in Tafsir al-Tabari, p. 191, v. 15 is not contrary to the report which has appeared on pages 544-47 of this volume under the commentary on verse 85 of Surah Banff Isra'il - Muhammad Taqi Usmani. The two Quraysh emissaries returned to Makkah al-Mukarramah, informed their tribesmen that they had come back with a decisive plan of action and told them all about their encounter with the Jewish scholars of Madinah. Then, these people took these questions to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . He heard the questions and said that he will answer them tomorrow. But, he forgot to say 'insha Allah' at that time. These people went back and the Holy Prophet ﷺ kept waiting for the Divine revelation in the hope that he will be told about answers to these questions through wahy. But, no wahy came until the next day as promised. In fact, fifteen days went by and things stood as they were, neither did Sayyidna Jibra'il come nor did the revelation. The Quraysh of Makkah started throwing taunts which caused real pain to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . After fifteen days, came angel Jibra'il with Surah al-Kahf (wherein the delay caused has also been explained by saying that one should say 'insha Allah' when promising to do something in the future. Since, this was not done in the event concerned, therefore, revelation was delayed as a measure of reminder. In this Surah, verses relating to this matter such as: وَلَا تَقُولَنَّ لِشَيْءٍ إِنِّي فَاعِلٌ ذَٰلِكَ غَدًا إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّـهُ (18:23, 24) will be appearing later). Also related in this Surah there was the event about the young men known as Ashab al-Kahf or the People of the Cave, and the event concerning the travel of Dhul-Qarnain from the East to the West. Also included therein was the answer to the question asked about 'Ruh' (Qurtubi and Mazhari with reference to Ibn Jarir). But, answering the question about Ruh (soul, spirit) briefly was as dictated by wisdom. This was taken up separately at the end of Surah Bani Isra'il (17:85) and this is the reason why Surah al-Kahf has been placed after Surah Bani Isra'il [ al-Isra'] - as mentioned by Al-Suyuti. Commentary The word: عوج ('iwaj) in: وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُ عِوَجًا (and allowed no crookedness in it - 1) means crookedness of any kind, or inclination towards one side or deviation from the norms of rectitude. The Holy Qur'an remains pure and free of all that in terms of the perfection of its words and meanings. It simply admits of no distortion anywhere, either in eloquence or in knowledge and wisdom. The sense which has been conveyed in a negative or eliminative form through: ` وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُ عِوَجًا (and allowed no crookedness in it) has been fortified positively through the word: قَيِّمًا (qayyima) which follows immediately for emphasis. The reason is that this word carries the sense of: مُستَقِیمَا (mustaqima) and that which is: مُستَقِیم (mustaqim: straightforward, straight, upright) will not have the least crookedness or tilt towards any side. However, قَیَّم (qayyim) can also have another sense, that of caretaker, custodian and protector. Given this probability, the sense of the expression would be that the Qur’ an, while perfect in itself as free from all kinds of excess, deficiency and crookedness, keeps others upright, firm and unflinching and protects the inter-ests and advantages of all servants of Allah. Thus the gist of the two expressions would be that the Holy Qur'an stands perfect in itself and has the ability to make men and women created by Allah become equally perfect. (Mazhari)

((But hath made it) straight) and it is also said that this means: custodian over all other Scriptures, (to give warning) so that Muhammad (pbuh) gives warning by means of the Qur'an (of stern punishment from Him, and to bring) and so that Muhammad brings the Qur'an (unto the) sincere (believers who do good works) between them and their Lord (the news that theirs will be a fair reward) they will have a fair reward in Paradise.