Al-Kahf 18:79
The Cave · Meccan · Juz 16 · Page 302
The Lesser Harm
أَمَّا ٱلسَّفِينَةُ فَكَانَتۡ لِمَسَٰكِينَ يَعۡمَلُونَ فِي ٱلۡبَحۡرِ فَأَرَدتُّ أَنۡ أَعِيبَهَا وَكَانَ وَرَآءَهُم مَّلِكࣱ يَأۡخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ غَصۡبࣰا ٧٩
As for the ship, it belonged to poor people working on the river, and I wished to mar it, for there was a king behind them who is taking every ship by force.
Translation: Marmaduke Pickthall
Meaning
“The ship belonged to poor people working at sea. I wanted to damage it, for there was a king behind them seizing every ship.”
Insight
According to Elmalılı, the king was seizing every sound ship by force; damaging it a little to save it from seizure was choosing the lesser of two evils.
Reflect
Consider that a small loss may protect you from a greater harm.
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 ›