Lessons from Surah Kahf - Part 2

 

Bismillah Ar-Rehman Ar-Raheem

• The people of the cave who refused to participate in pagan worship, instead clinging onto the deen of Allah, were called before the king, who brought them into trial. These youths were told to explain themselves knowing that their punishment would be death. 

• In moments like these, people are usually anxious and scared, however Allah (subhanahu’watala) gave these young men strength and firmness. The young men stood firm in their tawheed and rebuked the others for following their outrageously stupid beliefs.

“(The young men said to one another): "And when you withdraw from them, and that which they worship, except Allah, then seek refuge in the Cave, your Lord will open a way for you from His Mercy and will make easy for you your affair (i.e. will give you what you will need of provision, dwelling, etc.)." (18:16)

• The young men spoke to each other and said to each other that they should head towards the cave where they used to go and revise their book. 

• They didn’t question if they had provision in the cave or whether it was safe, instead hoping that Allah would shower them with His mercy. This teaches us that even in the worst of situations, we should be certain that Allah will shower His mercy upon us. 

• They reached the cave and decided to rest their heads, sleeping upon the concern that when they wake up, Allah helps them remain obedient in their belief and worship. 

• What are our concerns when we lay down to rest?

• As they slept, the rays of the Sun would come to the entrance of the cave, but would bend to the right. The Sun would avoid them, or else it would burn them with the constant exposure for three hundred years. 

• This shows that who has certainty in Allah, even the Sun would serve him. 

• When Allah is pleased with someone, Allah gives without any limit.

• Allah resurrected them in the same way they were three hundred years ago, and conversed with each other about how long they had been in the cave. One group of them assumed it had only been a part of day, while the other argued more. After discussion they decide to get some food, hoping to send any one of them.

• This displays brotherhood because none of them got offended about being the one who would go to get the food. They all felt equal, and didn’t consider themselves superior to the other.

• They stood in court together, slept in the cave together, worshiped Allah together. This is true brotherhood.

• They hoped to get some halal/permissible food. Despite their dangerous situation, they were concerned about getting a quantity of food that would be enough, and only that which is permissible for them to eat.

• They feared getting caught again by the locals, which would cause them to be stoned to death and/or be forced to not practice their deen. 

• This shows we should not be overconfident. If we, by the decree of Allah escaped a situation before, doesn’t mean we will escape it again. So we must be careful to not put ourselves in fitnah.

• Sometimes a film or book comes out in which the contents are unsettling. Even if we are warned by others to not watch or read those, we go ahead and do it, thinking we can handle it. We must not forget that it may be that Allah protected us in the previous trial, but that doesn’t mean we put ourselves through a similar trial thinking we will survive it.

• The one among them who goes to the market notices all the changes over the three hundred years and is amazed. When the people of the time saw him, they noticed how different he was from the others, which prompted him to return back to the cave. Inside of the cave he realizes all of his brothers have died, after which he sits down, and that’s when Allah takes away his soul.

“...Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “My Lord knows best their ˹exact˺ number. Only a few people know as well.” So do not argue about them except with sure knowledge, nor consult any of those ˹who debate˺ about them.” (18:22)

• The people who witnessed this miracle, rather than learning the lessons from it, began to argue whether to build a monument on the location or a masjid, as well as disputing amongst themselves on the number of individuals in the cave.

• We learn from this that not taking the essence of a lesson, not learning the important aspects of a situation, rather focusing on the insignificant and irrelevant details is a mistake. 

• We should ask the right questions to benefit, not involving ourselves with the irrelevant because that is a waste of time.

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