What does Quran 18:68 mean?

Quran 18:68 (Surah Al-Kahf, Ayah 68) translates to: "And how can you have patience for what you do not encompass in knowledge?""

Which Surah and Juz is Quran 18:68 from?

This ayah is from Surah Al-Kahf (The Cave), the 18th surah of the Quran. It appears in Juz 15.

Are there hadiths related to Quran 18:68?

Yes — there are 3 hadiths related to this ayah from Sahih Muslim, Sunan Ibn Majah.

What tafsir is available for Quran 18:68?

Commentary on this ayah is available from Ibn Kathir, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Abbas, Al-Jalalayn — classical scholars of Quranic exegesis.

Ayah 67

قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِىَ صَبْرًۭا...

18:68Al-Kahf

Q: What topics does Quran 18:68 relate to?

This ayah connects to these Quranic topics: Patience, Testimony of Those of Knowledge, Prophet Musa, Al-Khidr, Scripture & Wisdom.

Ayah 69

قَالَ سَتَجِدُنِىٓ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ صَابِرًۭا وَل...

وَكَيْفَ تَصْبِرُ عَلَىٰ مَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِۦ خُبْرًۭا

Wa kaifa tasbiru 'alaa maa lam tuhit bihee khubraa

And how can you have patience for what you do not encompass in knowledge?"

Themes in this ayah

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Knowledge & reflection89 Patience54

Scores run 0–100: how strongly this ayah speaks to a theme. 70+ is central, 50+ is clear, under 50 is weak.

2 other themes with weak connections

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18:68Ayah 1110

2 ayahs in Al-Kahf are strongly about knowledge and reflection. This is one of them.

← Previous on Knowledge & reflection18:66Moses said to him, "May I follow you on [the condition] that you teach me from what you have been taught of sound judgement?"

Tafsir

Scholars offer complementary perspectives

View Full Tafsir: Al-Jalalayn on 18:68→

And how can you bear with that whereof you have never been informed?’ in the above-mentioned hadīth of Bukhārī after this verse there is the following statement ‘O Moses I possess knowledge which God has taught me and which you do not have and equally you possess knowledge which God has taught you and which I do not have’. His saying khubran ‘informed’ is a verbal noun meaning that which you have never encompassed in other words the truth of which you have never been informed of.

You do not know in what portion the blessing lies."

Sunan Ibn Majah #1330It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:Sahih

"Patience should come with the first shock."

Sahih Muslim #1286'Abdullah narrated it on the authority of his father Yahya:Sahih

Knowledge cannot be acquired with sloth.