Surah Kahf

Benefits of Surah Kahf

Hadhrat Anas (RA) has narrated that the Prophet (SAW) said that the whole Surah Kahf was revealed at one time and seventy thousand angels descended with the Surah. (Roohul Ma’ani)

In one Hadith it is mentioned that the person who learns the first ten ayats of Surah Kahaf by heart will be saved from the Fitnah of Dajjal.

Prophet (SAW) said, “He who reads the first and last ayaats of Surah Kahf, then for him there will be Noor from his feet till his head. And he who reads the full Surah then for him there will be Noor from the Earth to the skies”

It is mentioned in another Hadith that the person who reads Surah Kahaf on Friday then for him there will be Noor from the Earth to the skies which will be a light for him on the day of Qiyamah and the sins that he did between the last Friday and this Friday will be forgiven.”

In another Hadith the Prophet (SAW) said: “He who reads Surah Kahf on Friday will be saved from Fitnah for eight days and if the Dajjal comes then he will be saved from him also.”

Reason for revelation

In Makkah the Quraish were becoming worried with spread of Islam and wanted to put a stop to the Prophet (SAW).  They sent Nadhar bin Haarith and Uqbah bin Abi Mu’it to Madinah to the Jewish scholars as they knew they were learned in the knowledge of the Tawraat and the Injeel.

The scholars said to them, “Ask him three questions, if he can answer them then he is the true Nabi of Allah (SWT) and if he cannot answer them then know that he is a liar; Ask him about some young men from the ancient times who fled from there city, what is their story? For it is a wondrous tale. Ask him about the man who travelled the world and reached the east and west of the world, what was his story? And ask him about the soul, what is the soul?”

On reaching Makkah they went to the Prophet and posed the questions to the Prophet.  The Prophet said, “I will tell you tomorrow” but he did not say Insha’Allah. Because of this the revelation didn’t come the day after, or the day after, in fact there was no revelation for fifteen days. The people of Makkah started to taunt the Prophet and they began to doubt him. After fifteen days Hadhrat Jibra’eel (AS) came down with the revelation of Surah about the story of the young men, ‘the people of the cave’ and the story of Zul Qarnain who travelled the whole world. The answer regarding the soul is mentioned in Surah Al-Isra.

Also Hadhrat Jibra’eel (AS) revealed the ayat, “Don’t say you are definitely going to do something tomorrow without saying Insha’Allah.”

Four lessons from Surah Al-Kahaf

1.       Trial of faith/religion – Ashabe Kahaf – it is a lesson for us that when it comes to the protection of our deen we should leave no stone unturned. Even if it means abandoning our place of residence.

2.      Trial of the wealth – stories of the two men and the two gardens – the lesson is that when wealth comes to us, it’s not actually ours because it belongs to Allah (SWT) and it is only because of Allah that we have this wealth. Allah (SWT) has just made us a custodian of it.

3.      Trial of knowledge – Prophet Musa (AS) and Khidhar (AS) – the lesson is that all knowledge is the knowledge of Allah. Always search for knowledge, never think that you know it all. And above that, make sure its pristine, uncontaminated knowledge. And hunt for it. We must never be satisfied with the level of knowledge that we have.

4.      Trial of power – Zul Qarnain – He was a person who didn’t abuse the power that Allah (SWT) gave him. He knew he could do whatever he wanted but he had the fear of Allah. So we learn that whenever Allah (SWT) gives us power, we can do whatever we want, but remember one thing that Allah (SWT) is more powerful than us. Remember, fear Allah.

What is the connection of Dajjal with this surah?

When Dajjal comes we will be tested in four ways.

1.       He will try to take our religion from us he will claim that he is God and we have to follow him.

A Dajjal is a liar – those who want to take their religion from you. There will be famine and drought and he will say to you, if you accept me as God I will give you food. He will want you to disbelieve in Allah. In the Hadeeth of the Prophet it is mentioned that he who has believed in Allah, upon looking at Dajjal he will see on his forehead ‘kaaf’ ‘faa’ and ‘raa’

2.      The second test is the test of wealth. People will be poor, people will be suffering. But Dajjal will have control of the water, of the food. He says I will allow water to get to your land and you will have produce but only if you believe in me as God.

1.       The third test is the test of knowledge. What is right will be considered wrong and it will be believed. Those who have knowledge will be thought ignorant and the ignorant will be thought knowledgeable. They will begin to eradicate the people of knowledge. In the hadeeth of the Prophet it is said that knowledge will be gone with the death of the knowledgeable. He will take it away from us and make us believe that what we have with us is knowledge when in fact it is not.

2.      The final test is the test of power. Where people will love to have power and to gain a bit of power they will begin to worship him.