وَتَرَى الشَّمْسَ إِذَا طَلَعَتْ تَزَاوَرُ عَنْ كَهْفِهِمْ ذَاتَ الْيَمِينِ وَإِذَا غَرَبَتْ تَقْرِضُهُمْ ذَاتَ الشِّمَالِ وَهُمْ فِي فَجْوَةٍ مِنْهُ ذَلِكَ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ مَنْ يَهْدِ اللَّهُ فَهُوَ الْمُهْتَدِ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَنْ تَجِدَ لَهُ وَلِيًّا مُرْشِدًا ﴿۱۷﴾ وَتَحْسَبُهُمْ أَيْقَاظًا وَهُمْ رُقُودٌ وَنُقَلِّبُهُمْ ذَاتَ الْيَمِينِ وَذَاتَ الشِّمَالِ وَكَلْبُهُمْ بَاسِطٌ ذِرَاعَيْهِ بِالْوَصِيدِ لَوِ اطَّلَعْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ لَوَلَّيْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِرَارًا وَلَمُلِئْتَ مِنْهُمْ رُعْبًا ﴿۱۸﴾

﴾17﴿ Wa tarash shamsa izaa tala'at tazaawaru 'an kahfihim zaatal yameeni wa izaa gharabat taqriduhum zaatash shimaali wa hum fee fajwatim minh; zaalika min Aayaatillaah; mai yahdil laahu fahuwal muhtad, wa mai yudlil falan tajida lahoo waliyyam murshidaa
﴾18﴿ Wa tahsabuhum ayqaazanw wa hum ruqood; wa nuqallibuhum zaatal yameeni wa zaatash shimaali wa kalbuhum baasitun ziraa'ayhi bilwaseed; lawit tala'ta 'alaihim la wallaita minhum firaaranw wa lamuli'ta minhum ru'ba

﴾17﴿ And you would see the sun, when it rose, inclining away from their cave to the right, and when it set, passing away from them to the left, while they were [lying] within an open space of the cave. That was from the signs of Allah. Whoever Allah guides is the [rightly] guided, but whoever He lets go astray, you will never find for him a protecting guide
﴾18﴿ 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 out its forelegs at the entrance. If you had looked at them, you would have turned away from them in flight and been filled with fear of them

[17] In the verse, the condition of the cave is mentioned—how Allah Most High protected them from the heat of the midday sun (i.e., the heat passed by them from the right and the left sides).
(ذَلِكَ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ) – This is evidence that this was a miracle (karamah) granted to them, and a miracle is proof of Allah’s power.
It becomes clear that the essence of karamah is Allah’s protection for His saints, and that karamah is attained through calling to the truth and making hijrah (migration).
This is the correct interpretation of the verse.
Some commentators have said that the structure of the cave was such that the heat of the sun never reached them—meaning the entrance of the cave faced north.
But this is not correct, because in (تَقْرِضُهُمْ) there is an indication that at sunset, a slight amount of sunlight would touch them.
This slight exposure to sunlight benefited their bodies physically.
Also, تَقْرِضُهُمْ is derived from قراضة الذهب—meaning “a portion” or “small piece.”
(مَنْ يَهْدِ اللَّهُ) refers to the Companions of the Cave, who were guided, while their people remained in polytheism—this is the choice of Allah Most High.
Or, through this event, some may be guided while others are not—this too is by Allah’s will and choice.
[18] In this verse, another condition of the Companions of the Cave is mentioned during their stay in the cave—specifically, the preservation of their bodies from dust, and also their protection through the presence of the dog, which prevented people from disturbing or awakening them.
(وَنُقَلِّبُهُمْ) – “We turned them” – this was a cause for making them appear awake, as frequent turning of their sides gave the impression that they were not asleep, similar to someone who is awake.
Therefore, the explanation by some commentators that their eyes were open during sleep is not necessary, and there is no definitive proof for that claim either.
(وَكَلْبُهُمْ بَاسِطٌ ذِرَاعَيْهِ بِالْوَصِيدِ) – “And their dog stretched its forelegs at the entrance” – this dog was a servant of the monotheists, and Allah Most High elevated its status and mentioned it in the Qur’an because of its service to them.
This indicates that keeping a dog for guarding purposes is permissible.
It also implies that keeping a dog inside the home is not allowed; rather, it should stay at the doorway or entrance.
(لَوَلَّيْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِرَارًا) – “You would have turned away from them fleeing” – this too is a karamah (miracle), in that Allah instilled such awe in them that no one could come near them.