Surah Al Kahf (Section 8)

18-54   And certainly We have made distinct in this Qur’an for mankind every kind of description; and man is in most things contentious.^a

وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَا فِى هَـٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانِ لِلنَّاسِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٍۢ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ أَكْثَرَ شَىْءٍۢ جَدَلًۭا (۵۴)

18-54a: أَكْثَرَ شَىْءٍۢ جَدَلًۭا – does not mean that humans most often display contentious behavior. It means that despite repeatedly explaining the truth in different ways, humans respond by arguing and instead of accepting the truth, they resort to contentious debates. The real purpose of this section is to pledge destruction to those enemies of the truth who are specifically mentioned in this chapter: وَيُنذِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوا۟ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَدًۭا : And to warn those who say: Allah has taken to Himself a son (18:4). Leading up to this pledge is the statement that despite making the truth clear in different ways, the enemies start quarrelling with it, instead of accepting it.

18-55   And nothing prevents men from believing when the guidance comes to them, and from asking forgiveness of their Lord, but that (they wait) for the way of the ancients to overtake them, or that the chastisement should confront them.

وَمَا مَنَعَ ٱلنَّاسَ أَن يُؤْمِنُوٓا۟ إِذْ جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّهُمْ إِلَّآ أَن تَأْتِيَهُمْ سُنَّةُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ أَوْ يَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابُ قُبُلًۭا (۵۵)

18-56   And We send not messengers but as givers of good news and warning, and those who disbelieve contend with falsehood to weaken thereby the Truth, and they take My messages and the warning for a mockery.^a

وَمَا نُرْسِلُ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ ۚ وَيُجَـٰدِلُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِٱلْبَـٰطِلِ لِيُدْحِضُوا۟ بِهِ ٱلْحَقَّ ۖ وَٱتَّخَذُوٓا۟ ءَايَـٰتِى وَمَآ أُنذِرُوا۟ هُزُوًۭا (۵۶)

18-56a: يُدْحِضُوا۟ – دَحۡض means to slip and اِدۡحاض means to make someone slip (LA). For an argument to be دَاحِض means it is erroneous and futile, as in حُجَّتُهُمْ دَاحِضَةٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ : their plea is null with their Lord (42:16).

18-57   And who is more unjust than he who is reminded of the messages of his Lord, then he turns away from them and forgets what his hands have sent before? Surely We have placed veils over their hearts, lest they understand it, and a deafness in their ears. And if thou call them to the guidance, they will even then never follow the right course.^a

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن ذُكِّرَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِۦ فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهَا وَنَسِىَ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ ۚ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًۭا ۖ وَإِن تَدْعُهُمْ إِلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰ فَلَن يَهْتَدُوٓا۟ إِذًا أَبَدًۭا (۵۷)

18-57a: See 6-25a. It is very clear in this verse that the veil over the hearts is not something ingrained from the start, but is placed as a punishment. The mirror of a person’s heart who turns away from Allah’s guidance and is involved in unrighteous behavior becomes darkened and does not reflect the truth., as is apparent from the following verse:

نَسِىَ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ : forgets what his hands have sent (18:57),

18-58   And thy Lord is Forgiving, Full of mercy. Were He to punish them for what they earn, He would certainly hasten the chastisement for them. But for them there is an appointed time from which they will find no refuge.^a

وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ذُو ٱلرَّحْمَةِ ۖ لَوْ يُؤَاخِذُهُم بِمَا كَسَبُوا۟ لَعَجَّلَ لَهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابَ ۚ بَل لَّهُم مَّوْعِدٌۭ لَّن يَجِدُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦ مَوْئِلًۭا (۵۸)

18-58a: مَوْئِلً – The meaning of دَأَلَ الیه is took refuge with him, and مَوۡئل means asylum or refuge (LA).

Pledge of destruction: The deeds of the unjust are such that they deserve instant chastisement, but Allah’s forgiveness and mercy are very great. Hence, He gives a lot of latitude before punishing but when the punishment comes, there is no reprieve from it. It has been made very clear that there is a time for the punishment of the enemies of truth who are under discussion here, but that time is only in the knowledge of Allah, and may not be soon. By mentioning the destruction of the previous nations in the next verse, it is clearly conveyed that the destruction of the current enemies is similarly certain. Destruction only means breaking their power that is directed against the truth.

18-59   And these towns — We destroyed them when they did wrong. And We have appointed a time for their destruction.

وَتِلْكَ ٱلْقُرَىٰٓ أَهْلَكْنَـٰهُمْ لَمَّا ظَلَمُوا۟ وَجَعَلْنَا لِمَهْلِكِهِم مَّوْعِدًۭا (۵۹)