Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has informed Muslims of the several benefits of reciting Surah Al-Kahf every Friday. These benefits include receiving tranquility, a special light (Nur) for the whole week and protection from the misleading Fitnah (trial) of Dajjal. However, weekly recitation of this Surah, with reflection upon its meanings and exegesis, unveils special lessons for our practical lives. Cocooned in a cave: the young lads on monotheism The Surah starts with the true story of a few young men who decided to save their monotheistic faith and lives from persecution by their polytheistic society, by isolating themselves in a cave. They were sons of rich people, who relinquished lives of ease and luxury solely for the sake of following Tawheed. Allah mentions their brave initiative in order to place a stamp of approval on their actions, and describes how he preserved them for many years in a state of deep slumber by making their ears deaf and the sun's light rays bypass the entrance to their cave in order to avoid waking them up. Thus, Allah covered them with His mercy and protected them from being found and killed by their idolatrous nation for their refusal to associate any partner with Allah and to worship any other besides Him. He did this by preserving their bodies with the sun and wind, stationing their dog at the cave's entrance, turning their bodies on their right and on their left in their sleep, and filling the sight of them with so much awe that anyone who approached and saw them lying there would flee! Wealth becomes woe: the conversing companions in the garden Following the incident of the young lads, Allah highlights the story of two companions, one of whom was blessed with a lush, profitable garden with springs that made him arrogant and boastful towards his poor companion, rejecting the idea that his possessions would ever cease. Allah narrates their conversation. The poorer companion tries to mend the polytheistic belief of his rich companion, who rejected the reality of the hereafter just because of his immense wealth and progeny in this world. This tale is truly an eye-opening reminder for anyone who has let his wealth and big family get to his head! In the end, Allah destroyed his garden and he was left turning his wrists in despair as all his fruit lay fallen around him. “Oh I wish I had not associated any partner with my Sustainer!” he said in despair. Musa and Al-Khidr: a Prophet of Allah as a curious student of a patient teacher The inspiring story that unfolds next in Surah Al-Kahf tells us about the quest of Prophet Musa for knowledge. Allah told him about a slave whom He had blessed with more knowledge, and showed him how to find him with the help of a fish. Prophet Musa traveled far with his servant boy to find this man named Al-Khidr. When that finally happened, Prophet Musa accompanied him as he went about performing certain actions that appeared to be not what they were actually intended to achieve. Losing patience thrice because of not being able to understand their motive, Khidr, who was carrying out Allah's commands, explained why he had done them and that it was purely based on Allah's revelation. The most amazingly comforting of stories, this narrative about Prophet Musa's quest for knowledge, teaches even cursory readers of Surah Al-Kahf that Allah intends mercy and good for sincere and pious believers through events that outwardly appear to be to their detriment. For instance, the damage of the only means of livelihood for the needy fishermen; the death of a young son of righteous parents; and the covering up of a treasure belonging to orphan boys in a town of inhospitable people had hidden good for the people involved, but were apparently going against their favor in the short term. Through this beautifully narrated story, not only does the reader learn the importance of patience in seeking knowledge from a learned teacher, but also the innate wisdom behind Allah's decrees in our lives, the motives of which do not immediately foster themselves into reality for us to see. Dhul Qarnain: the just and righteous conqueror The fourth story before the culminating verses of Surah Al-Kahf tells us about the conquests of Dhul Qarnain, a just and humble conqueror to whom Allah had given resources of every kind that he used to rule the earth and benefit others with: armies, might, power and dominion. He traveled far and wide on earth, subjugating nations and converting them to monotheism, or Tawheed. Whenever he would conquer a nation, he would use their armies and wealth to travel ahead and conquer others. This way, he spread the word of Allah on the earth using his might, and when he was requested to block a gap in the mountains to restrain the corruptive Ya'juj and Ma'juj (Gog and Magog), he took no money offered for this task. Rather, he only used the nation's labor to build a barrier of iron heated up and covered with molten copper. After doing the nation this great favor, he still did not become arrogant; rather, he attributed it to Allah's mercy, and reminded them that when Allah's promise will come, He will crush the iron blockade to bits. All four true stories narrated in Surah Al-Kahf are reminders to us that wealth, possessions, physical resources and knowledge are all from Allah, and can be a Fitnah for us, depending on how we use them. The real test is if we remain humble believers who fear and obey Allah and establish monotheistic creed despite having the means to go astray, follow our desires, or spread corruption in the earth. – SG References: Tafsir Ibn Kathir __
