Faith vs Materialism: a commentary on Surah al- Kahf

1. Faith vs Materialism: a commentary on Surah al-Kahf presents DhulQarnayn Presented by Abdurragmaan Khan

2. Sabab an-Nuzul The cause for its revelation: The people of Qurayshasked the Jews of something about which they would ask the Prophet Muhammad sallaLlahualayhiwasallamto test his knowledge. The Jews told them: Ask him about a man who traveled through the earth, and about some young men who set out and no one knew what happened to them? Thereupon, Allah the Almighty revealed the stories of the Owners of the Cave and that of DhulQarnayn. Thus, Allah revealed

3. Translation of the verses

4. Commentary on Verses Who was DhulQarnayn?? What does the possessor of two horns signify? Was he a Prophet?

5. Commentary on Verses Who was DhulQarnayn?? Scholars differed. Many suggested that he was Alexander (the great); while others criticized this view. Another opinion states that he was Abu BakribnAfriqash al-Himyari and another that he was Cyprus an Iranian Emperor

6. Commentary on Verses Who was DhulQarnayn?? IbnKathir writes in his Stories from the Quran: Al-Azraqiand others mentioned that Dhul ­Qarnaynembraced Islam at the hands of Nabi Ibrahim alayhis Salam and that he circumbulatedaround the Ka' bah with him and his son, Isma'ilalayhimas Salam. Also, it was narrated after 'UbaidIbn 'Umair and his son, 'Abdullah and others: that DhulQarnaynset out on foot to perform Pilgrimage. Upon hearing this, Nabi Ibrahim alayhis Salam welcomed him and invoked Allah for his sake and gave him advice as well. In addition, Allah the Almighty subjugated for DhulQarnaynthe clouds to carry him wherever he wished. Allah knows best!

7. Commentary on the Verses What does the possessor of two horns signify? Once again we find many interpretations. Some suggested that the two sides of his head was made of copper. Others stated that he was the ruler of Rome and Persia or the east and west. Another opinion has it that he travelled to the lands where the qarn of the Sun is first and last seen.

8. Commentary on Verses • Was he a Prophet?? • A minority of scholars suggested that he was a Prophet based on the verse, “We said: “O DhulQarnayn! Either you punish them or treat them with kindness.”” • This is however inaccurate. Consider the mother of Musa, or the bee. وأوحينا إلى أم موسى أن أرضعيه، فإذ خفت عليه فألقيه في اليم ولا تخافي وتحزني - سورة القصص وأوحينا إلى أمك ما يوحى - سوة طه وأوحى ربك إلى النحل أن اتخذي من الجبال بيوتا ومن الشجر ومما يعرشون – سورة النحل

9. Translation of the verses

10. Commentary on Verses “He reached the setting of the sun” refers to the far west beyond which there was no populated area. “He found it setting in a spring of dark mud” according to another recitation “a boiling hot spring” Where exactly this was, many have made suggestions and Allah knows best

11. Translation of the verses

12. Commentary on Verses This verse and those following, speaks of the qualities of a true Muslim ruler: Da’wah. IbnKathir states: Some scholars from among the People of the Book mentioned that he spent one thousand and six hundred years traveling through the land inviting people to the worship of Allah the Almighty Who has no partner in His Dominion. But, it seems that there is some exaggeration in specifying that lengthy period, and Allah knows best!

13. Commentary on Verses 2. Justice and fairness DhulQarnayn establishes an important principle where the righteous are rewarded and the criminals punished. Ultimately acknowledging that real judgement lies with Allah.

14. Translation of the verses

15. Commentary on Verses “He found it raising on a people for whom We had not made against it (the sun) an shield” they do not have houses or any shelters to save them from the blazing sun. Some scholars say: they used to resort to trenches dug in the earth to shelter then from the burning rays of the sun [ibnKathir]

16. Translation of the verses

17. Translation of the verses

18. Commentary on Verses Here DhulQarnayn displays additional qualities of leadership: 3. Assisting the oppressed 4. self-restraint and contentment in Allah’s favors

19. Translation of the verses

20. Translation of the verses

21. Commentary on Verses Ya’juj and Ma’juj or Gog and Magog Gog and Magog are two groups of Turks, descended from Yaafith (Japheth), the father of the Turks, one of the sons of Nuh. There has been much assumption as to who Gog and Magog are and whether they have escaped from the barrier erected by DhulQarnayn or not. My intention is to produce authentic and sound traditions from the Prophet sallaLlahualayhiwasallamand leave you to decide:

22. Commentary on Verses Hadith no. 1 Zainabbint Jahsh narrates, “That the Prophet once came to her in a state of fear and said, “None has the right to be worshipped but Allah. Woe unto the Arabs from a danger that has come near. An opening has been made in the wall of Gog and Magog like this,” making a circle with his thumb and index finger. Zainab bint Jahsh said, “O Allah’s Apostle! Shall we be destroyed even though there are pious persons among us?” He said, “Yes, when the evil person will increase.”

23. Commentary on Verses Hadith no. 2 Narrated by Abu Said Al-Khudri, “The Prophet said, “Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection), ‘O Adam.’ Adam will reply, ‘LabbaikwaSa’daik’, and all the good is in Your Hand.’ Allah will say: ‘Bring out the people of the fire.’ Adam will say: ‘O Allah! How many are the people of the Fire?’ Allah will reply: ‘From every one thousand, take out nine-hundred-and ninety-nine.’ At that time children will become hoary headed, every pregnant female will have a miscarriage, and one will see mankind as drunken, yet they will not be drunken, but dreadful will be the Wrath of Allah.” The companions of the Prophet asked, “O Allah’s Apostle! Who is that (excepted) one?” He said, “Rejoice with glad tidings; one person will be from you and one-thousand will be from Gog and Magog.” The Prophet further said, “By Him in Whose Hands my life is, hope that you will be one-fourth of the people of Paradise.” We shouted, “Allahu Akbar!” He added, “I hope that you will be one-third of the people of Paradise.” We shouted, “Allahu Akbar!” He said, “I hope that you will be half of the people of Paradise.” We shouted, “Allahu Akbar!” He further said, “You (Muslims) (compared with non-Muslims) are like a black hair in the skin of a white ox or like a white hair in the skin of a black ox (i.e. your number is very small as compared with theirs).”

24. Commentary on Verses Hadith no. 3 Hudhaifa b. UsaidGhifari reported: Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) came to us all of a sudden as we were (busy in a discussion). He said: What do you discuss about? They (the Companions) said. We are discussing about the Last Hour. Thereupon he said: It will not come until you see ten signs before and (in this connection) he made a mention of the smoke, Dajjal, the beast, the rising of the sun from the west, the descent of Jesus son of Mary (Allah be pleased with him), the Gog and Magog, and land−slidings in three places, one in the east, one in the west and one in Arabia at the end of which fire would burn forth from the Yemen, and would drive people to the place of their assembly

25. Commentary on Verses Hadith no. 4 [Sahih Muslim] He (Dajjal) would be a young man with twisted, contracted hair, and a blind eye. I compare him to ‘Abdul ’Uzzab. Qatan. He who amongst you would survive to see him should recite over him the opening verses of SuraKahf. He would appear on the way between Syria and Iraq and would spread mischief right and left. O servant of Allah! adhere (to the path of Truth). We said: Allah’s Messenger, how long would he stay on the earth? He said: For forty days, one day like a year and one day like a month and one day like a week and the rest of the days would be like your days. We said: Allah’s Messenger, would one day’s prayer suffice for the prayers of day equal to one year? Thereupon he said: No, but you must make an estimate of time (and then observe prayer).

26. Commentary on Verses We said: Allah’s Messenger, how quickly would he walk upon the earth? Thereupon he said: Like cloud driven by the wind. He would come to the people and invite them (to a wrong religion) and they would affirm their faith in him and respond to him. He would then give command to the sky and there would be rainfall upon the earth and it would grow crops. Then in the evening, their posturing animals would come to them with their humps very high and their udders full of milk and their flanks stretched. He would then come to another people and invite them. But they would reject him and he would go away from them and there would be drought for them and nothing would be left with them in the form of wealth. He would then walk through the waste, land and say to it:

27. Commentary on Verses Bring forth your treasures, and the treasures would come out and collect (themselves) before him like the swarm of bees. He would then call a person brimming with youth and strike him with the sword and cut him into two pieces and (make these pieces lie at a distance which is generally) between the archer and his target. He would then call (that young man) and he will come forward laughing with his face gleaming (with happiness) and it would at this very time that Allah would send Christ, son of Mary, and he will descend at the white minaret in the eastern side of Damascus wearing two garments lightly dyed with saffron and placing his hands on the wings of two Angels. When he would lower his head, there would fall beads of perspiration from his head, and when he would raise it up, beads like pearls would scatter from it.

28. Commentary on Verses Every non−believer who would smell the odor of his self would die and his breath would reach as far as he would be able to see. He would then search for him (Dajjal) until he would catch hold of him at the gate of Ludd and would kill him. Then a people whom Allah had protected would come to Jesus, son of Mary, and he would wipe their faces and would inform them of their ranks in Paradise and it would be under such conditions that Allah would reveal to Jesus these words: I have brought forth from amongst My servants such people against whom none would be able to fight; you take these people safely to Tur, and then Allah would send Gog and Magog and they would swarm down from every slope. The first of them would pass the lake of Tibering and drink out of it. And when the last of them would pass, he would say:

29. Commentary on Verses There was once water there. Jesus and his companions would then be besieged here (at Tur, and they would be so much hard pressed) that the head of the ox would be dearer to them than one hundred dinirs and Allah’s Apostle, Jesus, and his companions would supplicate Allah, Who would send to them insects (which would attack their necks) and in the morning they would perish like one single person. Allah’s Apostle, Jesus, and his companions would then come down to the earth and they would not find in the earth as much space as a single span which is not filled with their putrefaction and stench. Allah’s Apostle, Jesus, and his companions would then again beseech Allah, Who would send birds whose necks would be like those of bactrin camels and they would carry them and throw them where God would will.

30. Commentary on Verses Then Allah would send rain which no house of clay or (the tent of) camels’ hairs would keep out and it would wash away the earth until it could appear to be a mirror. Then the earth would be told to bring forth its fruit and restore its blessing and, as a result thereof, there would grow (such a big) pomegranate that a group of persons would be able to eat that, and seek shelter under its skin and milch cow would give so much milk that a whole party would be able to drink it. And the milch camel would give such (a large quantity of) milk that the whole tribe would be able to drink out of that and the milch sheep would give so much milk that the whole family would be able to drink out of that and at that time Allah would send a pleasant wind which would soothe (people) even under their armpits,

31. Commentary on Verses and would take the life of every Muslim and only the wicked would survive who would commit adultery like asses and the Last Hour would come to them