Hadiths

Surah kahf - explained briefly

💥🌅Friday Reflections 🌅💥

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

Virtues of Surah Al Kahf (فضائلها)

1.       Light (النور):
§  Hadith: (قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم: من حفظ عشر آيات من أول سورة الكهف، عصم من الدجال

§  رواه مسلم ، كتاب # ٩ حديث # ١٠٢١) (The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever commits to memory the first ten Ayat of the Surat Al-Kahf, will be protected from (the trial of) Ad-Dajjal (Antichrist)." (Muslim, Book #9 Hadith #1021))

§  If you recite it on Friday, Allah (swt) will give you light from Friday to Friday. So Surah Al Kahf is a source of light when you ponder it. It will give you light to the fitnas you face.

2.       Protection from the fitna of the Dajjal (العصمة من فتنة المسيح الدجال):
§  Hadith: (قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم: من قرأ سورة ( الكهف ) في يوم الجمعة أضاء له من النور ما بين الجمعتين 
§  صححه الألباني في صحيح الترغيب والترهيب / 736) (The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever recites Surah Al-Kahf on Friday will have a light until the next Friday.") – Authenticated by Al Albani as Sahih
§  We are going through weekly trials and the greatest is the fitna of the Dajjal. 

3.       Descending of tranquility (تنزل السكينة):
§  Hadith: (عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ، قَالَ كَانَ رَجُلٌ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْكَهْفِ وَإِلَى جَانِبِهِ حِصَانٌ مَرْبُوطٌ بِشَطَنَيْنِ فَتَغَشَّتْهُ سَحَابَةٌ فَجَعَلَتْ تَدْنُو وَتَدْنُو وَجَعَلَ فَرَسُهُ يَنْفِرُ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ لَهُ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ تِلْكَ السَّكِينَةُ تَنَزَّلَتْ بِالْقُرْآنِ ‏"‏‏) (Narrated Al-Bara': A man was reciting Surat Al-Kahf and his horse was tied with two ropes beside him. A cloud came down and spread over that man, and it kept on coming closer and closer to him till his horse started jumping (as if afraid of something). When it was morning, the man came to the Prophet, and told him of that experience. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "That was As-Sakina (tranquility) which descended because of (the recitation of) the Qur'an.") - Sahih al-Bukhari 5011
§  It is a reason for tranquility and barakah to descend, similar to Surah Al Baqarah, subhan Allah. 

Theme of Surah Al Kahf (محور سورة الكهف)

§  Al Kahf – 'The Cave' – as a protection from the fitnas (الكهف من الفتن)

Overview of Surah Al Kahf (محاور سورة الكهف)

§  Introduction (المقدمة) – Ayat 1 to 8
§  Types of trials (أنواع الفتن) – Ayat 9 to 98
o   Trial of the deen (فتنة الدين) – Ayat 9 to 31
o   Trial of wealth (فتنة المال) – Ayat 32 to 59
o   Trial of knowledge (فتنة العلم) – Ayat 60 to 82
o   Trial of power (فتنة السلطة) – Ayat 83 to 98
§  Trial of the shaitan (فتنة ابليس) – Ayah 50: this appears in the middle of all trials and the one who is inciting these four trials is the shaitan.
§  Conclusion (الخاتمة) – Ayat 99 to 110

Note that for each trial mentioned, Allah (swt) gives us the solution. So for every fitna, there is an anti-fitna.

Introduction (المقدمة) – Ayat 1 to 8

§  The scholars said the first eight ayat of Surah Al Kahf are what will protect you from fitnas, like a 'vaccine'.
§  Ayat 1 to 3: are about the Quran, this is what will protect you from the fitnas. There is no crookedness in the Quran, whereas fitnas are foggy and unclear. The path is hard to see, but the Quran is a safeguard from the fitna. The Quran gives warnings and glad tidings.

§  Ayat 4 to 6: are about tawheed and to protect yourself from shirk, this is the other safeguard.
§  Ayat 7 to 8: to understand the reality of the duniya. Allah (swt) made the duniya adorned, but don't be deceived by it because we are tested for the goodness of our deeds, not amount. In the end, the duniya will perish and become barren, so why attach to it? However your deeds will remain.
§  We are facing many trials throughout the week, as a result we need to be with the Quran, to correct our aqeedah, and to understand the reality of the duniya.

Trial of the deen (فتنة الدين) – Ayat 9 to 31

§  Ayah 9: The name of Surah Al Kahf is mentioned in this first trial – trial of the deen. Imagine Allah (swt) associated the fitna of the deen with the kahf, because to be tested for your faith is a great test. To be oppressed by others can cause someone to leave their faith and this is a great test, may Allah (swt) protect us. Ameen. Don't be amazed by the story of the people of the cave because the ayat of Allah, the Quran, is even more amazing.

§  Ayah 10: they are young boys and they went to the cave. So you need a 'cave' in order to protect yourself from the trial of the faith. This 'cave' is a place you go to away from the trial of the deen and you need to make dua'a to Allah (swt) to protect you because you're afraid to lose your faith.

§  Ayat 11 to 16: the young boys went to the cave and Allah (swt) gave them more. When you do little, Allah (swt) will give you more. Allah (swt) increased them in guidance, He tied their hearts and gave them firmness to speak the truth to the people. They're afraid of shirk so they left the place of fitna. They asked Allah (swt) for guidance and Allah (swt) gave them (مرفقا) – it was comfortable and accommodating for them. And this shows that Allah (swt) will give you more than you expect.

§  Ayat 17 to 18: how was it (مرفقا)? They had some sun, but not directly. You see them awake, but they're actually asleep, and Allah (swt) was turning them. At the door was a dog. The dog is not rewarded, but he's mentioned in the story because the dog was with the people of the cave. The scholars said when you are with the people of good, even if you're not doing many deeds like them, you will accompany them and be praised as well, subhan Allah. May Allah (swt) make us accompany people of goodness. Ameen.

§  Ayat 19 to 22: when you have any confusion about any matter, don't argue because you're in the 'cave', rather say (ربكم أعلم بما لبثتم). They don't want to argue about how many years they were asleep. You're in the cave, so you don't want to cause fitna by arguing or prolonging any argument because you want your deeds to be protected. Also, when you delegate tasks, delegate to only a few because the more involved, the more it will corrupt the deeds, subhan Allah. For this reason, they sent one person to bring the best quality of food. They need good food for strength. And they need to show gentleness to the disbelievers when going out, so what about amongst believers? Subhan Allah. 

§  Ayat 23 to 25: don't say you'll do something without remembering the will of Allah (swt). And if we forget, then we ask Allah (swt) to guide us.
§  Ayat 26 to 27: Allah (swt) is commanding the Prophet (ﷺ) to tell the people that Allah (swt) is the One Who knows how long they spent in the cave, and this is what's important. Allah (swt) knows the unseen in the heavens and earth, no one will be a partner with Allah (swt) nor in His judgment and this is important to know. And the Prophet (ﷺ) is to tell the people whatever is revealed to him from divine revelation. So we need to keep up with the Quran. Uthman bin Affan (ra) was in fear of being killed, so he was just with the Quran.

§  Ayah 28: what else is needed? These are advices after fitna of the deen. To be patient with those who are calling to Allah (swt) day and night, they're seeking the face of Allah (swt). You don't want to be those who are hypocrites or those just seeking the duniya because they will not be able to stay put in the 'cave'. Don't turn your eyes away from them, wanting the pleasure of the duniya instead. What makes you to go 'out'? When you want the adornment of the duniya. What else? Don't obey the one whose heart is negligent from remembering Allah (swt) and he's following his desires. You can understand those who are following their desires and those who are not – they're reaction is different. The one who is muttaqqi is balanced emotionally but the one who's following his desires is emotionally imbalanced.

§  Ayat 29 to 31: we have the free will to choose to believe or not, so a person is being unjust to himself when he chooses misguidance. The hellfire will surround those who took the misguidance like a wall, may Allah (swt) protect us. Ameen. But the one who is doing the best of deeds,