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Al-Kahf (The Cave)

Verse 19of 110

وَكَذَٰلِكَ بَعَثْنَٰهُمْ لِيَتَسَآءَلُوا۟ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ قَالَ قَآئِلٌۭ مِّنْهُمْ كَمْ لَبِثْتُمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ لَبِثْنَا يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍۢ ۚ قَالُوا۟ رَبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثْتُمْ فَٱبْعَثُوٓا۟ أَحَدَكُم بِوَرِقِكُمْ هَٰذِهِۦٓ إِلَى ٱلْمَدِينَةِ فَلْيَنظُرْ أَيُّهَآ أَزْكَىٰ طَعَامًۭا فَلْيَأْتِكُم بِرِزْقٍۢ مِّنْهُ وَلْيَتَلَطَّفْ وَلَا يُشْعِرَنَّ بِكُمْ أَحَدًا﴿١٩

Translation (Sahih International)

And similarly, We awakened them that they might question one another. Said a speaker from among them, "How long have you remained [here]?" They said, "We have remained a day or part of a day." They said, "Your Lord is most knowing of how long you remained. So send one of you with this silver coin of yours to the city and let him look to which is the best of food and bring you provision from it and let him be cautious. And let no one be aware of you.

Word-by-word meaning

وَكَذَٰلِكَwakadhālikaAnd similarly
بَعَثْنَـٰهُمْbaʿathnāhumWe raised them
لِيَتَسَآءَلُوا۟liyatasāalūthat they might question
بَيْنَهُمْ ۚbaynahumamong them
قَالَqālaSaid
قَآئِلٌۭqāiluna speaker
مِّنْهُمْmin'humamong them
كَمْkamHow long
لَبِثْتُمْ ۖlabith'tumhave you remained
قَالُوا۟qālūThey said
لَبِثْنَاlabith'nāWe have remained
يَوْمًاyawmana day
أَوْawor
بَعْضَbaʿḍaa part
يَوْمٍۢ ۚyawmin(of) a day
قَالُوا۟qālūThey said
رَبُّكُمْrabbukumYour Lord
أَعْلَمُaʿlamuknows best
بِمَاbimāhow long
لَبِثْتُمْlabith'tumyou have remained
فَٱبْعَثُوٓا۟fa-ib'ʿathūSo send
أَحَدَكُمaḥadakumone of you
بِوَرِقِكُمْbiwariqikumwith this silver coin of yours
هَـٰذِهِۦٓhādhihiwith this silver coin of yours
إِلَىilāto
ٱلْمَدِينَةِl-madīnatithe city
فَلْيَنظُرْfalyanẓurand let him see
أَيُّهَآayyuhāwhich is
أَزْكَىٰazkāthe purest
طَعَامًۭاṭaʿāmanfood
فَلْيَأْتِكُمfalyatikumand let him bring to you
بِرِزْقٍۢbiriz'qinprovision
مِّنْهُmin'hufrom it
وَلْيَتَلَطَّفْwalyatalaṭṭafand let him be cautious
وَلَاwalāAnd let not be aware
يُشْعِرَنَّyush'ʿirannaAnd let not be aware
بِكُمْbikumabout you
أَحَدًاaḥadananyone

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Their awakening and sending One of Themselves to buy Food Allah says: `just as We caused them to ...كَمْ لَبِثْتُمْ(How long have you stayed (here)) meaning, `how long have you slept'قَالُواْ لَبِثْنَا يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ(They said: "We have stayed a day or part of a day.") 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,أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ قَالُواْ رَبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثْتُمْ("...or a part of a day.

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

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