His saying, exalted and glorified is He: "And likewise We raised them up so they could question one another. A speaker among them said, 'How long have you remained?' They said, 'We have remained a day or part of a day.' They said, 'Your Lord knows best how long you have remained. So send one of you with this silver of yours to the city and let him look at which food is best and bring you provision from it, and let him be cautious and not let anyone know about you.'" "Indeed, if they come to know about you, they will stone you or return you to their religion, and then you will never succeed."

The reference by "that" is to the matter that Allah mentioned regarding them and the lesson that was made in them. And "resurrection" means movement from stillness. The 'lam' in His saying, blessed and exalted is He: "so they could question one another" is the lam of purpose; because their resurrection was not for the sake of their own questioning. And the saying of the speaker: "How long have you remained?" implies that he pondered in his mind the length of their sleep and felt that their matter had deviated from the norm in some way. The apparent state of them is that they awoke at a time and in a temporal atmosphere that does not differ from that in which they slept. However, to specify the matter very precisely is distant.

Ibn Kathir, Nafi', Ibn Amer, Al-Kisai, and Hafs from Asim read: "with your silver" (p-584) with a broken 'ra'. Abu Amr, Hamza, and Abu Bakr from Asim read: "with your silver" with a silent 'ra'. And these are two dialects. Al-Zajjaj reported the reading of "with your silver" with a broken 'waw' and a silent 'ra' without assimilation. It was narrated from Abu Amr that there is assimilation, but it is actually an obscuring; because assimilation with a silent 'ra' is impossible. Ibn Muhaysin assimilated the 'qaf' into the 'kaf'. Abu Hatim said: and that is only permissible with the movement of the 'ra'. And Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, read: "your silver" as a plural noun like 'al-jail' and 'al-baqir'. And Abu Rajaa' read: "with your silver" with a broken 'waw' and 'ra' and assimilation.

It is narrated that they occasionally awoke, and that the one sent was Tamlikha. It was narrated that they slept for one night and sent Tamlikha in the morning.

It is narrated that the door of the cave was destroyed by the construction of the disbelievers over it due to the passage of many years. It is also narrated that a shepherd destroyed it to let his sheep enter. So, Tamlikha took shabby, worn-out clothes and wore them. He exited the cave and was astonished by the ruined structure; he did not recognize it from the day before. Then he walked and began to mention the road and the landmarks, and he was confused. While in that state, he did not feel complete awareness, but he disbelieved his thoughts regarding what had changed for him until he reached the city gate. There he saw the signs of Islam at its gate, which increased his confusion, and he said: 'How is this in the land of Daqnuyus, when yesterday we were with him wherever we were?' He then went to another gate and saw something similar until he walked through all the gates. His confusion increased, and he did not distinguish any person. He heard the people swearing by the name of 'Isa, and he became suspicious of himself, thinking that he had gone mad and that his mind had become corrupted. He remained bewildered, calling upon Allah, the Exalted. Then he went to the food seller from whom he intended to buy. He said: 'O servant of Allah, sell me your food for this silver.' The seller handed him coins like the hooves of a quarter, as is mentioned. The seller was astonished by them and handed them to another in his amazement. The people took them and said to him: 'These are the coins of the reign of so-and-so the king. Where are you from? And how did you find this treasure?' He began to stammer and be amazed, as he was well-known in the city along with his companions. He said: 'I do not know anything except that I and my companions exited yesterday from this city.' The people said: 'This is a madman, take him to the king.' He was frightened at that, and he was taken until he was brought to the king. When he did not see Daqnuyus the disbeliever, he felt at ease. That king was a believing, virtuous man named Tairusis. The king said to him: 'Where did you find this treasure?' He said to him: 'I only exited with my companions yesterday from this city, and we took refuge in the cave that is in the mountain of Angelus.' When the king heard that, he said - in some of what was narrated -: 'Perhaps Allah has sent you, O people, a sign. Let us go to the cave with him until we see his companions.' So they set out. It is narrated that he or some of his companions said: 'These are the youths whose story was recorded during the reign of Daqnuyus the king, and it was written on a copper tablet at the city gate.' The king proceeded to them, and the people followed him. When they reached the cave, Tamlikha said: 'I will enter upon them so that they are not frightened.' So he entered upon them and informed them of the matter and that the community is a community of Islam. It is narrated that they were pleased and went out to the king, honoring him and he honored them. Then they returned to their cave, and most narrations state that they died where Tamlikha informed them. The people waited for them, and when their exit was delayed, the people entered upon them. Everyone who entered was terrified, then they advanced and found them dead. They disputed according to what will come in the verse that follows this.

In this story, there are various narrations and words that would fill the pages, so I have summarized it and mentioned the important aspects that clarify the meanings of this verse. I relied on the most authentic, and Allah is the Helper by His mercy.

And in this mission with the paper is the agency and its validity. Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, entrusted his brother Aqil with it at the time of Uthman, may Allah be pleased with them.

The majority read: "So let him look" with the lam of the command being silent. Al-Hasan read: "So let him look" with the lam being broken. And "more pure" means more, according to what Ikrimah mentioned. Qatadah said: Its meaning is better. Muqatil said: What is meant is more pleasant. Ibn Jubair said: What is meant is more permissible.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: From the perspective of the sacrifices of the disbelievers and others, it has been narrated that he intended to buy raisins, and it was said: Rather, he intended to buy dates.

And His saying, the Exalted, "And let him be kind," means: in his hiding and his trickery. Al-Hasan read: "And let him be kind" with the lam being broken.

And the pronoun in "Indeed, they" refers back to the disbelievers of the family of Daqinous. And "If they prevail" means: they will capture you by their dominance and their victory over you. And His saying, the Exalted, "They will stone you" means: with stones, according to Al-Zajjaj.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: And this is the most correct; because he was determined to kill them if he were to overpower them. And stoning, as has been mentioned, was the killing of those who opposed the religion of the people, as it was more satisfying for the bearers of that religion, and they have a share in it. And Al-Hajjaj said: "They will stone you" means with words. And the rest of the verse is clear.