Sura Al-Kahf (The Cave)
Dear brothers, this week’s khutba is one of my favourite topics and that is specifically on the Quran. Sura Al Kahf, meaning The Cave. This sura was revealed in Mecca and it’s name is given from the prominent story in the sura.
This khutba can never do justice to the sura but instead it will attempt to outline the lessons we can learn from it. But first, a summary on the stories within:
- The first and most prominent story is about the story of young men who lived in a disbelieving town, so they decide to migrate for the sake of Allah SWT and run away. Allah SWT rewards them with mercy in the cave and upon waking from their sleep, they find the entire town to be believers.
- The second story is of a man who Allah SWT blessed with two beautiful gardens, but he was ungrateful and arrogant and Allah SWT destroyed the gardens.
- The third story is about Prophet Moses and Khidr (peace be upon them) learning the lesson that sometimes Divine Wisdom can be hidden in matters that we originally perceive as bad.
- And the fourth story is a story of a great King called Dhul-Qarnayn that was given knowledge and power and he used that to helping people and spreading all that’s good.
This summary does not even scratch the surface of the richness that is delivered in the text of the Glorious Quran and the stories within this sura.
To get an understanding though, the final story of the great King Dhul-Qarnayn is given in ayat 98 and Allah SWT tells us the greatness of the ruler in that his humility was present before his lord. The ayat is translated as the king saying:
This is a mercy from my Lord; but when the promise of my Lord comes, He will make it level, and ever is the promise of my Lord true.
Dear brothers, this khutba is being delivered today to give you not only a glimpse into this amazing sura, but lessons that we can all take away from it.
But before the lessons are delivered, there is a hadith relating to this sura that we should be made aware of.
The Prophet SAWS that Sura Al-Kahf will protect from the trial of the Dajjal (or Anti-Christ as we have heard in this country).
The Dajjal will be a false messiah and people will be tricked into worshipping him. He will be able to tempt people with his wealth, his power and his knowledge. So why does Sura Al-Kahf be the Sura to protect us from him?
Dear brothers, the answer to this lies in the stories that were just summarized.
The first story of the cave was a trial of faith. The Dajjal will be a trial of faith.
The second story of the man with the gardens was a trial of wealth. The Dajjal will be a trial of wealth.
The third story of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) and Divine Wisdom was a trial of knowledge. The Dajjal will be a trial of knowledge.
And finally the story of the King was a trial of power. The Dajjal will be a trial of power.
Dear brothers, as you can see, this sura being a protection from the Dajjal has a direct correlation between the trials that he will bring and the trials mentioned in the stories within the Sura.
Therefore to read, to understand and to absorb the lessons within is to give yourself that protection from him.
And we can do this in simple steps again mentioned within the lesson this amazing Sura provides.
Arm yourself with good companionship, humbleness, sincerity, rememberance of the hereafter and most of all, Allah SWT’s Glorious Quran.
This sura is more than something that should be recited every Friday, it is armour against the times that we live in and the reality that we face.
Dear brothers, use your time wisely and spend a moment to read the Sura and it’s translation. For those of you who don’t have access to this already, our own masjid’s website has both the Arabic Quran and the English translation in text and audio.
Be mindful of the lessons Allah SWT mentions of the ungrateful man and his woes after the gardens were ruined in ayat 42 of this sura when it says:
And so it was: his fruit was completely destroyed, and there he was, wringing his hands over what he had invested in it, as it dropped on its trellises, and saying ‘I wish I had not set up any partner with my Lord’
May Allah SWT protect us from the tests mentioned in Sura Al-Kahf. May Allah SWT enable us to develop a clear understanding of the lessons of Sura Al-Kahf and may Allah SWT reward us for the efforts we put in understanding this amazing Sura.Ameen. Walhamdullilahi RabilAlameen.
