The Response to Those Who Interpreted the Story of the People of the Cave Figuratively
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Q8: He said, when translating verse (18) of Surat al-Kahf, which is the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Kahf 18:18] the verse, that the intended meaning is that Christian peoples will rise after a period of decline, and the era of colonialism will begin, and that these peoples will become accustomed to raising dogs?
A8: The Qur'an was revealed in the language of the Arabs, and through it its objectives are known and its meanings clarified. The context of the verses that narrate to us the conditions of the People of the Cave, their wording, and the reason for their revelation indicate that they recount a past historical reality concerning a group of the Children of Israel who were believers, monotheists, and sincere to Allah, worshipping none but Allah. They were persecuted for this by their disbelieving people, and they were a weak minority, among other meanings of the verses of this story that indicate to the reader that they were revealed concerning a believing group that has passed away. Whoever interprets them as referring to Christian peoples that will come... to the end of what he mentioned regarding their conditions, has acted presumptuously, followed his desires, lied about his Lord, and slandered the Qur'an and historical reality by taking the path of guesswork, conjecture, and speaking about Allah without knowledge.
And you would think them awake, while they were asleep. And We turned them to the right and to the left, while their dog stretched his forelegs at the entrance
وَتَحْسَبُهُمْ أَيْقَاظًا وَهُمْ رُقُودٌ وَنُقَلِّبُهُمْ ذَاتَ الْيَمِينِ وَذَاتَ الشِّمَالِ وَكَلْبُهُمْ بَاسِطٌ ذِرَاعَيْهِ بِالْوَصِيدِA8: The Qur'an was revealed in the language of the Arabs, and through it its objectives are known and its meanings clarified. The context of the verses that narrate to us the conditions of the People of the Cave, their wording, and the reason for their revelation indicate that they recount a past historical reality concerning a group of the Children of Israel who were believers, monotheists, and sincere to Allah, worshipping none but Allah. They were persecuted for this by their disbelieving people, and they were a weak minority, among other meanings of the verses of this story that indicate to the reader that they were revealed concerning a believing group that has passed away. Whoever interprets them as referring to Christian peoples that will come... to the end of what he mentioned regarding their conditions, has acted presumptuously, followed his desires, lied about his Lord, and slandered the Qur'an and historical reality by taking the path of guesswork, conjecture, and speaking about Allah without knowledge.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.