Al-Kahf 18:12
The Cave · Meccan · Juz 15 · Page 294
Who Counted Best
ثُمَّ بَعَثۡنَٰهُمۡ لِنَعۡلَمَ أَيُّ ٱلۡحِزۡبَيۡنِ أَحۡصَىٰ لِمَا لَبِثُوٓاْ أَمَدࣰا ١٢
And afterward We raised them up that We might know which of the two parties would best calculate the time that they had tarried.
Translation: Marmaduke Pickthall
Meaning
Then We raised them up to make evident which of the two parties best calculated how long they remained.
Insight
According to Elmalılı, “to know” means to make it evident in fact. The two parties are the believing Companions of the Cave and their idolatrous opponents; on waking they saw they had succeeded.
Reflect
Think about what you want to see at the end of your patience.
This short note is based on Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır’s Turkish commentary and has not yet been reviewed by a scholar.
Elmalılı’s commentary
An English translation of Elmalılı’s full commentary is coming soon. Read the original Turkish ›