The Holy Quran 18:18 — Surah Al-Kahf

Arabic text

وَتَحْسَبُهُمْ أَيْقَاظًا وَهُمْ رُقُودٌ ۚ وَنُقَلِّبُهُمْ ذَاتَ ٱلْيَمِينِ وَذَاتَ ٱلشِّمَالِ ۖ وَكَلْبُهُم بَـٰسِطٌ ذِرَاعَيْهِ بِٱلْوَصِيدِ ۚ لَوِ ٱطَّلَعْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ لَوَلَّيْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِرَارًا وَلَمُلِئْتَ مِنْهُمْ رُعْبًا

Translation

(Had you seen them,) You would have thought that they were awake though they were asleep. (Allaah made them appear as if they were awake. Had they appeared asleep, a passer-by would take advantage of their helpless situation and harm them in some way). And (so that their bodies would not decompose or become stiff,) We used to turn them over on their right and left sides, while their dog stretched out his paws (and lay) at the threshold (at the entrance of the cave to protect them). If you were to observe them closely, you would surely have turned away and fled from them, and you would have been filled with (terror) awe (because the scene was a frightening one, Allaah made it appear frightening to discourage anyone from disturbing them).

Tafsir (excerpt) — Tafsir Usmani

The sleep of the People of the Cave and their outward state: it is said that while they slept their eyes remained open, and the effect of so long a sleep did not show on their bodies; so anyone who saw them would think that they were awake.

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