ߞߘߐ ߟߎ߬ ߘߟߊߡߌ߬ߘߊ߬ߟߌ ߟߝߊߙߌ ߘߏ߫ 9 ߝߐߘߊ ߘߏ߫ ߝߊߟߊ߲ - ߊ߲߬ߞߌ߬ߟߋ߬ߞߊ߲ ߘߟߊߡߌߘߊ - ߞߓ. ߥߊ߬ߟߌ߯ߘ ߓߊߟߌߤߊߛ߭ ߊ.ߟߑߊ߳ߺߊߡߑߙߌ߮ ߓߟߏ߫ - ߊ߬ ߓߊ߯ߙߊ ߦߋ߫ ߛߋ߲߬ߠߊ߫. - ߞߎ߬ߙߣߊ߬ ߞߟߊߒߞߋ ߔߘߋߞߎ

ߟߝߊߙߌ ߘߏ߫: 9

أَمۡ حَسِبۡتَ أَنَّ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلۡكَهۡفِ وَٱلرَّقِيمِ كَانُواْ مِنۡ ءَايَٰتِنَا عَجَبًا

(9) ^[3748]Or did you think ˹Muhammad˺ that the companions of the cave and the inscription^[3749] were, of ˹all˺ Our Signs, ˹especially˺ wondrous!

[3748] After the preceding, tone-setting preamble, now comes the anxiously awaited answer. It begins with a note on the story that will shortly be narrated only showing, though made so significant by the Arabs and the Jews who asked about it, that it is not of great consequence compared to the many other Divine Signs (the creation of the Heavens and Earth, the alternation of day and night, the subjection of the sun, the moon and the planets, bringing the dead to life, to name a few) to which people are willingly heedless (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar, Ibn ʿĀshūr). This passage gives a brief interest-building synopsis of the story, highlighting some significant aspects of it, only to be told in detail in the next passages where we will shed light on them.
[3749] al-Raqīm (translated here as the inscription) as it derives from the act of inscribing and writing (yarqumu). Exegetes have different views as to its nature. Some think it was a book the youths had in which they wrote the dictates of their religion or who they were and why they fled to the cave (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr); or the name of the mountain in which their cave was, or the valley in which this mountain was or the village from which they fled (cf. Ṭabarī, Ibn al-Jawzī).