Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Kahf Verse 79

Mufti Taqi Usmani

As for the boat, it belonged to some poor people who worked at sea. So I wanted to make it defective, as there was a king across them who used to usurp every boat by force.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

“As for the ship, it belonged to some poor people, working at sea. So I intended to damage it, for there was a ˹tyrant˺ king ahead of them who seizes every ˹good˺ ship by force.

Ruwwad Translation Center

“As for the ship, it belonged to some poor people who worked at the sea. I wanted to make it defective because there was a king ahead of them who seized every [good] ship by force.

A. J. Arberry

As for the ship, it belonged to certain poor men, who toiled upon the sea; and I desired to damage it, for behind them there was a king who was seizing every ship by brutal force.

Abdul Haleem

the boat belonged to some needy people who made their living from the sea and I damaged it because I knew that coming after them was a king who was seizing every [serviceable] boat by force.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

As for the boat, it belonged to poor men working in the sea, so I intended to damage it, for there was before them a prince taking every boat by force.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"As for the boat, it belonged to certain men in dire want; they plied on the water; I but wished to render it unserviceable, for there was after them a certain king who seized on every boat by force.

Abul Ala Maududi

As for the boat it belonged to some poor people who worked on the river, and I desired to damage it for beyond them lay the dominion of a king who was wont to seize every boat by force.

Ahmed Ali

That boat belonged to poor people who used to toil on the sea. I damaged it because there was a king after them who used to seize every ship by force.

Ahmed Raza Khan

“In respect of the boat – it belonged to the poor people who worked on the river, so I wished to flaw it – and behind them was a king who would capture every sound ship.”

Ali Quli Qarai

As for the boat, it belonged to some poor people who work on the sea. I wanted to make it defective, for behind them was a king seizing every ship usurpingly.

Ali Ünal

"As for the boat, it belonged to some destitute people who worked on the sea – and I wished to damage it, for there was a king after them who was seizing every boat by force.

Amatul Rahman Omar

`As for the boat it belonged to (certain) poor people who worked on the river, and in their rear there was a (brutal) king who seized every (good) boat by force, so I chose to damage it (the boat).

English Literal

As for the ship/boat, so it was to (owned by) poorest of poor/poor oppressed working in the sea/ocean/river , so I wanted that I defect it , and behind them was a king he takes/receives every ship/boat forcefully/unjustly/violently.

Faridul Haque

"In respect of the boat - it belonged to the poor people who worked on the river, so I wished to flaw it - and behind them was a king who would capture every sound ship."

Hamid S. Aziz

Said he, "This is the parting between me and you. I will give you the interpretation of that with which you could not bear with me.

Hilali & Khan

"As for the ship, it belonged to Masakin (poor people) working in the sea. So I wished to make a defective damage in it, as there was a king after them who seized every ship by force.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

He said: This is the parting between me and thee. Now I will inform thee of the significance of that with which thou couldst not have patience.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

As for the boat, it belonged to (some) poor men who worked on the river and I wished that I should damage it, and there was behind them a king who seized every boat by force.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

As for the ship, it belonged to poor people working on the river, and I wished to mar it, for there was a king behind them who is taking every ship by force.

Muhammad Sarwar

"The boat belonged to some destitute people who were using it as a means of their living in the sea. The king had imposed a certain amount of tax on every undamaged boat. I damaged it so that they would not have to pay the tax.

Qaribullah & Darwish

As for the ship, it belonged to poor people working on the sea. I rendered it imperfect because behind them there was a king who was taking every ship by brutal force.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

"As for the boat, it belonged to poor people working in the sea. So I wished to make a defective damage in it, as there was a king behind them who seized every boat by force."

Wahiduddin Khan

"The boat belonged to some poor people who made their living from the sea. I wanted to damage it because there was a king coming behind them who was seizing every boat by force.

Talal Itani

As for the boat, it belonged to paupers working at sea. I wanted to damage it because there was a king coming after them seizing every boat by force.

Tafsir jalalayn

As for the ship, it belonged to poor people, ten [in number], who earned a living on the sea, with it, leasing it [to others], as a way of gaining [a living]; and I wanted to make it defective, for behind them, whenever they returned -- or [meaning] before them now -- was a king, a disbeliever, seizing every ship, that was usable, by force (ghasban, is in the accusative as a verbal noun containing an explanation of the nature of such `seizure').

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Interpretations of why the Ship was damaged

Khidr gives the explanation of his actions;

أَمَّا السَّفِينَةُ فَكَانَتْ لِمَسَاكِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ فِي الْبَحْرِ فَأَرَدتُّ أَنْ أَعِيبَهَا وَكَانَ وَرَاءهُم مَّلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ غَصْبًا



"As for the boat, it belonged to poor people working in the sea. So I wished to make a defective damage in it, as there was a king behind them who seized every boat by force."

This is an explanation of what Musa found so hard to understand, and the appearance of which he condemned.

Allah showed Al-Khidr the hidden reasons, so he said,

"I damaged the ship to make it faulty, because they used to pass by a king who was one of the oppressors, who
يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ
(seized every boat), i.e., every good, sound boat
غَصْبًا
(by force). `So I wanted to prevent him from taking this boat by making it appear faulty, so that its poor owners who had nothing else could benefit from it.'

It was also said that they were orphans