Skip to content
MyDeenTools

Al-Kahf (The Cave)

Verse 86of 110

حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ مَغْرِبَ ٱلشَّمْسِ وَجَدَهَا تَغْرُبُ فِى عَيْنٍ حَمِئَةٍۢ وَوَجَدَ عِندَهَا قَوْمًۭا ۗ قُلْنَا يَٰذَا ٱلْقَرْنَيْنِ إِمَّآ أَن تُعَذِّبَ وَإِمَّآ أَن تَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمْ حُسْنًۭا﴿٨٦

Translation (Sahih International)

Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it [as if] setting in a spring of dark mud, and he found near it a people. Allah said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, either you punish [them] or else adopt among them [a way of] goodness."

Word-by-word meaning

حَتَّىٰٓḥattāUntil
إِذَاidhāwhen
بَلَغَbalaghahe reached
مَغْرِبَmaghriba(the) setting place
ٱلشَّمْسِl-shamsi(of) the sun
وَجَدَهَاwajadahāhe found it
تَغْرُبُtaghrubusetting
فِىin
عَيْنٍʿaynina spring
حَمِئَةٍۢḥami-atin(of) dark mud
وَوَجَدَwawajadaand he found
عِندَهَاʿindahānear it
قَوْمًۭا ۗqawmana community
قُلْنَاqul'nāWe said
يَـٰذَاyādhāO Dhul-qarnain
ٱلْقَرْنَيْنِl-qarnayniO Dhul-qarnain
إِمَّآimmāEither
أَنan[that]
تُعَذِّبَtuʿadhibayou punish
وَإِمَّآwa-immāor
أَنan[that]
تَتَّخِذَtattakhidhayou take
فِيهِمْfīhim[in] them
حُسْنًۭاḥus'nan(with) goodness

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

His traveling and reaching the Place where the Sun sets (the West)فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَباً (So he followed a way.) Ibn `Abbas said that he followed different routes to achieve what he wanted.فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَباً (So he followed a way.) Mujahid said that he followed different routes, east and west. According to one report narrated from Mujahid, he said:سَبَباً(a way) means, "A route through the land." Qatadah said, "It means he followed the routes and landmarks of the earth.

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

Share this verse with others

WhatsAppX

These tools are free because of generous Muslims.

$10/month keeps this platform free for 50,000 people. Every visit earns you reward — Sadaqah Jariyah.

Support this project