ONE AYAT A DAY
وَكَذٰلِكَ بَعَثْنٰهُمْ لِيَتَسَاۤءَلُوْا بَيْنَهُمْۗ قَالَ قَاۤىِٕلٌ مِّنْهُمْ كَمْ لَبِثْتُمْۗ قَالُوْا لَبِثْنَا يَوْمًا اَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍۗ قَالُوْا رَبُّكُمْ اَعْلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثْتُمْۗ فَابْعَثُوْٓا اَحَدَكُمْ بِوَرِقِكُمْ هٰذِهٖٓ اِلَى الْمَدِيْنَةِ فَلْيَنْظُرْ اَيُّهَآ اَزْكٰى طَعَامًا فَلْيَأْتِكُمْ بِرِزْقٍ مِّنْهُ وَلْيَتَلَطَّفْ وَلَا يُشْعِرَنَّ بِكُمْ اَحَدًا
Wa każālika ba‘aṡnāhum liyatasā'alū bainahum, qāla qā'ilum minhum kam labiṡtum, qālū labiṡnā yauman au ba‘ḍa yaum(in), qālū rabbukum a‘lamu bimā labiṡtum, fab‘aṡū aḥadakum biwariqikum hāżihī ilal-madīnati falyanẓur ayyuhā azkā ṭa‘āman falya'tikum birizqim minhu walyatalaṭṭaf wa lā yusy‘iranna bikum aḥadā(n).
And similarly, We awakened them that they might question one another. Said a speaker from among them, "How long have you remained [here]?" They said, "We have remained a day or part of a day." They said, "Your Lord is most knowing of how long you remained. So send one of you with this silver coin of yours to the city and let him look to which is the best of food and bring you provision from it and let him be cautious. And let no one be aware of you.
Their awakening and sending One of Themselves to buy Food Allah says: `just as We caused them to ...كَمْ لَبِثْتُمْ(How long have you stayed (here)) meaning, `how long have you slept'قَالُواْ لَبِثْنَا يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ(They said: "We have stayed a day or part of a day.") because they entered the cave at the beginning of the day, and they woke up at the end of the day, which is why they then said,أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ قَالُواْ رَبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثْتُمْ("...or a part of a day." They said: "Your Lord knows best how long you have stayed...") meaning, `Allah knows best about your situation.' It seems that they were not sure about how long they had slept, and Allah knows best. Then they turned their attention to more pressing matters, like their need for food and drink, so they said:فَابْعَثُواْ أَحَدَكُمْ بِوَرِقِكُمْ(So send one of you with this silver coin of yours) They had brought with them some Dirhams (silver coins) from their homes, to buy whatever they might need, and they had given some in charity and kept some, so they said:فَابْعَثُواْ أَحَدَكُمْ بِوَرِقِكُمْ هَـذِهِ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ(So send one of you with this silver coin of yours to the town,) meaning to their city, which they had left. The definite article indicates that they were referring to a known city.فَلْيَنْظُرْ أَيُّهَآ أَزْكَى طَعَامًا(and let him find out which is the Azka food.) Azka mea…