18. [al-Kahf, Mecca 69 ]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَا
تَقُولَنَّ
لِشَيْءٍ إِنِّي
فَاعِلٌ ذَلِكَ
غَدًا ﴿٢٣﴾
18: 23. Nor say of anything, "I shall be sure to do so and so tomorrow" --
18: 24. Without adding, "So please Allah!"
C2363. Verses 23 and 24 are parenthetical. We must never rely upon our own resources so much as to forget Allah. If by any chance we do forget, we must come back to Him and keep Him in remembrance, as did the Companions of the Cave.
... وَاذْكُر رَّبَّكَ إِذَا نَسِيتَ...
And call thy Lord to mind when thou forgettest,
... وَقُلْ عَسَى أَن يَهْدِيَنِ رَبِّي لِأَقْرَبَ مِنْ هَذَا رَشَدًا ﴿٢٤﴾
and say, "I hope that my Lord will guide me ever closer (even) than this to the right road."
C2364. In geometry the perfect circle is an ideal. Any given circle that we draw is not so perfect that we cannot draw one closer to the ideal. So in our life, there is always the hope of drawing closer and closer to Allah.
18: 23
Pickthall And say not of anything: Lo! I shall do that tomorrow,
Transliteration Wa la_ taqa_lanna lisyai'in inni fa_'ilun za_lika gada_(n),
[Asad note 33: According to almost all of the commentators, this parenthetic passage is primarily addressed to the Prophet, who, on being asked by some of the pagan Quraysh as to what “really” happened to the Men of the Cave, is said to have replied, “I shall give you my answer tomorrow” – whereupon revelation was temporarily withheld from him in token of God’s disapproval; in the second instance, this exhortation expresses a general principle addressed to all believers.]
18: 24
Asad ………”I pray that my Sustaienr guide me, even closer than this, to a consciousness of what is right!”
Pickthall Except if Allah will. And remember thy Lord when thou forgettest, and say: It may be that my Lord guideth me unto a nearer way of truth than this.
Transliteration Illa_ ay yasya_'alla_h(u), wa-zkur rabbaka iza_ nasita wa qul 'asa_ ay yahdiyani rabbi li'aqraba min ha_za_ rasyada_(n).
[ Ali’s notes: 2363 Verses 23 and 24 are parenthetical. We must never rely upon our own resources so much as to forget Allah. If by any chance we do forget, we must come back to Him and keep Him in remembrance, as did the Companions of the Cave. (18.24)
2364 ……..in our life, there is always the hope of drawing closer and closer to Allah. (18.24)]
[Ruby’s note: It indicates that there are different paths to the final goal of life: and by living a good life and asking guidance from God to be led in the better and better ways, one can hope to achieve a better and straighter path to the Goal.]