سورة الكهف   

Surah Name: Al-Kahf Meaning: The Cave

  • Revealed at Makkah
  • Surah Kahf, answers two of the three questions put to the Holy Prophet-SW by the non believers of Makkah under the direction of the Jews of Madinah. The third question pertaining to Ruh was answered in Surah Bani IsraiI rather briefly. The other two questions are answered here in detail. However, these details do not cover the exact chronological occurrence of the events or the exact geographical locations where they took place. They also do not give out the exact number of people involved. This is because the Quran does not focus on history or geography but on its objective of inviting mankind to Allah-SWT and its reformation. If the recounting of any event supports this cause, it is revealed accordingly. At times segments of a particular incident are mentioned at different occasions as examples to facilitate understanding. Often a single event has also been repeatedly mentioned to serve the same purpose.

    The learned Commentators have rated this Surah as highly meritorious and blessed and its recitation as a shield against various evils. It may be recited daily or on Fridays, or its opening and last Ayat may be memorized and repeated as a protection against evil.

  • Total Number of Rukū / Sections 12
  • Total Number of Āyāt / Parts 110
  • Sūrah / Chapter number 18
  • Rukū / Section 12 contains Āyāt / Parts 9
  • Siparah/ Volume 15 & 16

bismillah

أَفَحَسِبَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَن يَتَّخِذُوا عِبَادِي مِن دُونِي أَوْلِيَاء إِنَّا أَعْتَدْنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكَافِرِينَ نُزُلًا

Afahasiba allatheena kafaroo an yattakhithoo AAibadee min doonee awliyaa inna aAAtadna jahannama lilkafireena nuzula(n)

Do then who disbelieve think that they may take My-SWT bondmen instead of Me-SWT , as patrons? We-SWT have prepared Hell as an entertainment for the infidels.

(18:102)

قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِالْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَالًا

Qul hal nunabbiokum bi(a)lakhsareena aAAmala(n)

Say you: shall I declare to you the greatest losers in respect of works?

(18:103)

الَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا

Allatheena dalla saAAyuhum fee alhayati a(l)ddunya wahum yahsaboona annahum yuhsinoona sunAAa(n)

They are those whose effort is wasted in the life of the world, and they imagine that they are doing well in action?

(18:104)

أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَلِقَائِهِ فَحَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فَلَا نُقِيمُ لَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَزْنًا

Olaika allatheena kafaroo biayati rabbihim waliqaihi fahabitat aAAmaluhum fala nuqeemu lahum yawma alqiyamati wazna(n)

They are those who disbelieve in the Signs of their Rabb-SWT and in their meeting with Him-SWT , vain shall be made all their works, and We-SWT will not allow them any weight on the Day of Judgment.

(18:105)

ذَلِكَ جَزَاؤُهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ بِمَا كَفَرُوا وَاتَّخَذُوا آيَاتِي وَرُسُلِي هُزُوًا

Thalika jazaohum jahannamu bima kafaroo wa(i)ttakhathoo ayatee warusulee huzuwa(n)

That shall be their reward: Hell; for they disbelieved and held My-SWT Signs and My-SWT Messengers in mockery.

(18:106)

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتُ الْفِرْدَوْسِ نُزُلًا

Inna allatheena amanoo waAAamiloo a(l)ssalihati kanat lahum jannatu alfirdawsi nuzula(n)

Verily those who believe and do righteous works, theirs shall be Gardens of Paradise for an entertainment.

(18:107)

خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا لَا يَبْغُونَ عَنْهَا حِوَلًا

Khalideena feeha la yabghoona AAanha hiwala(n)

Abiding therein, they shall not seek any removal out of them.

(18:108)

قُل لَّوْ كَانَ الْبَحْرُ مِدَادًا لِّكَلِمَاتِ رَبِّي لَنَفِدَ الْبَحْرُ قَبْلَ أَن تَنفَدَ كَلِمَاتُ رَبِّي وَلَوْ جِئْنَا بِمِثْلِهِ مَدَدًا

Qul law kana albahru midadan likalimati rabbee lanafida albahru qabla an tanfada kalimatu rabbee walaw jina bimithlihi madada(n)

Say you: were the oceans to become ink for the words of my Rabb-SWT , these would surely exhaust before the words of my Rabb-SWT exhausted, even though We-SWT brought another ocean for support.

(18:109)

قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَى إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَا إِلَهُكُمْ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاء رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا

Qul innama ana basharun mithlukum yooha ilayya annama ilahukum ilahun wahidun faman kana yarjoo liqaa rabbihi falyaAAmal AAamalan salihan wala yushrik biAAibadati rabbihi ahada(n)

Say you: I am but a human being like yourselves; revealed unto me is that your God is One God. Whoever then hopes the meeting with his Rabb-SWT , let him do righteous deed, and let him not join anyone in the worship of his Rabb-SWT .

(18:110)

In The Name of Allah-SWT the Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
SECRETS OF REVELATION:

All these events and accounts merely provide evidence to the Magnanimity of Allaah-SWT . Given this knowledge, if the infidels still insist on worshipping others than Allah-SWT, those who themselves are His-SWT humble creation, then they must know that for them has been prepared a blazing Fire. The Holy Prophet-SW must inform them about those at a maximum loss. They will be the ones whose worldly efforts will be totally wasted, while they had always considered themselves as successful.

 

Action Contrary To Shari’ah Is A Loss

These people, in other words, strove hard in life to earn wealth and acquire power and thought that they had made great achievements. But all their effort being contrary to Shari'ah not only went in vain, but also became a source of punishment for them. The reason behind the wastage of their deeds is their disbelief; for neither did they accept Allah-SWT's Commands nor believed in the Hereafter and in the precept of gathering before Him-SWT .

 

Thus if such people perchance do something good, it would not have any positive impact on their Akhirah, as their action was not based on faith. Therefore, as a punishment they were condemned to Hell.

 

They were the lot who considered themselves as great thinkers. They made fun of the Prophets-AS and declared the Divine Commandments as inapplicable. Simultaneously with their condemnation to Hell, the obedient and believing servants of Allaah-SWT will be rewarded.

 

Jannah will be adorned to welcome these honoured guests who shall reside therein forever. They will experience a unique joy with each passing moment. So thoroughly will they be satiated that they will not even think of shifting to another place. If somebody wonders how could such a vast range of delicacies be possible, the Holy Prophet-SW must inform them that if the oceans were to be used as ink. His-SWT Grace, Attributes and Powers cannot be fully recorded, even if an equal volume of oceans were to be added. It is He-SWT Who-SWT creates these delicacies in the Paradise.

 

The Holy Prophet-SW must tell them that he-SW has not asked them to take him-SW as God, rather he-SW is a human being like them originating from Prophet Aadam-AS. The difference is that he-SW is not an ordinary human being; he-SW is a Messenger of Allaah-SWT who-SW receives revelation. The honour and greatness of Prophethood aside, he-SW is but a human being. So they must not worship him-SW but be prepared to stand before Allaah-SWT . And the essence of this preparation lies in two things. Firstly, doing good works without relying on one's wisdom, strictly in accordance with Divine Injunctions and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet-SW. Secondly, never to ascribe any partners to Allaah-SWT in His-SWT Being or in His-SWT Attributes, for polytheism indeed invalidates all worships.

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