The Quran

سورة الکهف

Surah Al-Kahf 18:21

The Place of Refuge · Verse 21 of 110

وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَعْثَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَأَنَّ السَّاعَةَ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهَا إِذْ يَتَنَازَعُونَ بَيْنَهُمْ أَمْرَهُمْ ۖ فَقَالُوا ابْنُوا عَلَيْهِمْ بُنْيَانًا ۖ رَبُّهُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِهِمْ ۚ قَالَ الَّذِينَ غَلَبُوا عَلَىٰ أَمْرِهِمْ لَنَتَّخِذَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ مَسْجِدًا

Abdul Mannan Omar

That is how We let (other people) know about them (- their intentions and the real state of their affairs), that people might know that the promise of Allâh is true and that as to the (coming of the promised) hour there is no doubt about it. And (recall the time) when the people (that followed) argued among themselves about their affairs and they said, `Build a monument over them;´ their Lord knows them best. Those (of them) who won their point said, `We will certainly build a mosque (- place of worship) over them.´

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Thus did We make their case known to the people, that they might know that the promise of Allah is true, and that there can be no doubt about the Hour of Judgment. Behold, they dispute among themselves as to their affair. (Some) said, "Construct a building over them": Their Lord knows best about them: those who prevailed over their affair said, "Let us surely build a place of worship over them.

Ahmed Ali

Thus did We inform the people about them that they may know the promise of God is true, and there is no doubt that the Hour will come. As they were arguing among themselves as to what should be done with them, (some) said: "Erect a monument over them. Their Lord is best cognisant of them." Those who prevailed, said: "We shall build a place of worship over their (sepulchre)."

12 more translations

Ali Unal

And in this way We disclosed them to the people so that they might know that the promise of God is true, and that there can be no doubt about (the coming of) the Last Hour. When they (the people) disputed about their affair, they said: "Build a structure over them (to hide them and leave them to their rest). Their Lord knows best about them." Those who prevailed (in the long-disputed matter) said: "We will most certainly build a place of worship over them."

Daryabadi

And likewise We caused their affair to be lit upon that they might know that the promise of Allah is true, and that the Hour- there is no doubt thereof, Recall what time they were disputing among themselves regarding their affair, and then they said: build over them a building--their Lord is the Best Knower about them-then those who prevailed in their affair said: surely we will raise over them a place of worship.

Faridul Haque

And this is how We made them known for people to know that the promise of Allah is true and that there is no doubt concerning the Last Day; when the people began disputing among themselves regarding them, they said, "Construct a building over their cave"; their Lord well knows them; those who dominated in this matter said, "We promise we will build a mosque over them."

Maulana Muhammad Ali

And thus did We make (men) to get knowledge of them, that they might know that Allah

Maulvi Sher Ali

And thus did WE disclose them to the people that they might know that the promise of ALLAH was true, and that, as to the promised Hour, there was no doubt about it. And call to mind the time when people disputed among themselves concerning them, and said to each other, `Build over them a building.' Their Lord knew them best. `We will, surely, build a place of worship over them.'

Muhammad Asad

AND IN THIS way have We drawn [people's] attention to their story, so that they might know - whenever they debate among themselves as to what happened to those [Men of the Cave] - that God's promise [of resurrection] is true, and that there can be no doubt as to [the coming of] the Last Hour.

Muhammad Musin Khan

And thus We made their case known to the people, that they might know that the Promise of Allah is true, and that there can be no doubt about the Hour. (Remember) when they (the people of the city) disputed among themselves about their case, they said: "Construct a building over them, their Lord knows best about them," (then) those who won their point said (most probably the disbelievers): "We verily shall build a place of worship over them."

Muhammad Pickthall

And in like manner We disclosed them (to the people of the city) that they might know that the promise of Allah is true, and that, as for the Hour, there is no doubt concerning it. When (the people of the city) disputed of their case among themselves, they said: Build over them a building; their Lord knoweth best concerning them. Those who won their point said: We verily shall build a place of worship over them.

Muhammad Sarwar

We caused their story to become public so that people would know that God's promise was true and that there is no doubt about the coming of the Day of Judgment. They started to argue with each other about the matter (Resurrection) and some of them said, "Let us establish a building at the youths' sleeping place (to hide them). Their Lord knew best their intentions about them. The majority prevailed in their suggestion of the establishment of a mosque in that place.

Muhammed ali Shakir

And thus did We make (men) to get knowledge of them that they might know that Allah's promise is true and that as for the hour there is no doubt about it. When they disputed among themselves about their affair and said: Erect an edifice over them-- their Lord best knows them. Those who prevailed in their affair said: We will certainly raise a masjid over them.

Rashad Khalifa

We caused them to be discovered, to let everyone know that GOD's promise is true, and to remove all doubt concerning the end of the world. The people then disputed among themselves regarding them. Some said, "Let us build a building around them." Their Lord is the best knower about them. Those who prevailed said, "We will build a place of worship around them."

Shabbir Ahmed

And in this way We caused them to be discovered (when their mission had succeeded), and everyone realized that God's promise is always true. There remained no doubt about the success of the Revolution. (The Dwellers of the Cave were revered by their people as the Divine Order was restored. Time went by and they passed on. The reverence of the people took a turn.) Some people said, "Erect a building in the memory of the Dwellers of the Cave since God knows their high stature.” Others, whose opinion prevailed, said, “We must raise a house of worship in their memory in which people would submit to the One True God, a temple of Submission (Masjid).

Commentary 18:21 The context of this verse becomes clear in the light of what has been said above. The early colonizers were given the status of national heroes. Numerous…

قَالَ الَّذِينَ غَلَبُوا عَلَىٰ أَمْرِهِمْ لَنَتَّخِذَنَّ عَلَيْهِم مَّسْجِدًا

18:21 The context of this verse becomes clear in the light of what has been said above. The early colonizers were given the status of national heroes. Numerous churches were built in dedication to them; their kings and missionaries.