1432 Sabeel-Ul-Jannah TakmeelProject SURAT-ALKAHF

1. 1432 Sabeel-Ul-JannahTakmeelProjectSURAT-ALKAHF Project Team Huma Rashid Naima Ahmed Kehkashaan Mahmood Rukya Uddin

2. The Prophet SAW, said to recite Surat-Alkahf every Friday for protection from maseehadajjal. • Ashab Al-Kahf sacrificed their worldly lives to save their Iman & set an example for us on how to create relationships for Allah’s sake. • The story of Two Gardens showed the rahmah of Allah SWT and that the doors are always opertauba. • The story of Musa and Khizr(AS) shows us how to obey Allah SWT’s orders without question • The story of Zulqarnain(AS) tells us that Allah SWT gave us money to help deserving people How to live a Godly Life

3. If one person stands up to the world purely for Allah SWT’s sake then Allah will multiply his efforts. 1x1000,000,…. رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا ﴿١٠﴾ Allah SWT answered their prayers and put them to sleep, cut off from the world فَضَرَبْنَا عَلَىٰ آذَانِهِمْ فِي الْكَهْفِ سِنِينَ عَدَدًا ﴿١١﴾ Anyone who walks on Allah’s path Allah SWT walks with them and puts His world in their service. Following Allah SWT’s path requires stead-fastness. Ashab Al Kahaf provide an example of stead-fastness by returning to the cave without food upon being found out. “Say 'I believe in Allah' and then be Steadfast”, SahihBukhari Belief and Action: وَرَبَطْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ إِذْ قَامُوا Ashab Al-Kahf

4. Those who stayed stead fast on sirat-al-mustaqeem, lay protected for 309 years in a cave. وَلَبِثُوا فِي كَهْفِهِمْ ثَلَاثَ مِائَةٍ سِنِينَ وَازْدَادُوا تِسْعًا ﴿٢٥﴾ However today we have tombs and shrines that can become places of shirk. Saying Insha’Allah for everything we intend to do in the future: وَلَا تَقُولَنَّ لِشَيْءٍ إِنِّي فَاعِلٌ ذَٰلِكَ غَدًا ﴿٢٣﴾ إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّـهُ  Related by Ibn Abbas, (importance of saying insha’Allah). Ashab Al-Kahf

5. According to Sheikh Ibn-Taymiya, Faith in Allah does not suffice without uprightness. He explains this in the context of the hadeeth, “Aamantubi’Allahifastaqim”. He explains: “Rather, it is imperative to believe in Allah and be steadfast upon His religion.”And he says that, “The religion of Islam is based o­n these 2 affairs:First, “the place of Iman is the heart.” Second, Ibn-Taymiya explains what he means by uprightness, “the place of uprightness is the limbs. Even if the heart has a portion of this, the origin is that it is o­n the limbs, and Allahu Alim.” He means that even though part of the “uprightness” is in the heart, as in the intention is in the heart, “the origin” of the amal is “on the limbs”. Lessons from AshabAlkahaf How do they apply to us? The young men know the difference between Haq and Batil. Knowledge is necessary. The Prophet(s) instructs the man who asked him for comprehensive advice and the prophet tells him to “Say: I believe in Allah, then be steadfast”. Why? As there is some value in him outwardly stating and restating his belief in Allah. It’s not enough to just say, but to actually follow through with action. Role Models for the Modern Youth: Believe and Act “Indeed, those who have said, ‘Our Lord is Allah’ and then remained on a right course - the angels will descend upon them, [saying], ‘Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised.’” (Qur’an, Surah Fussilat, 41:30)

6. وَدَخَلَ جَنَّتَهُ وَهُوَ ظالِمٌ لِنَفسِهِ قالَ ما أَظُنُّ أَن تَبيدَ هٰذِهِ أَبَدًا ﴿٣٥﴾ (35) Wadakhalajannatahuwahuwathalimunlinafsihiqala ma athunnu an tabeedahathihiabadan18:35 And he went into his garden while having been unjust to himself. He said: "I do not think that this will ever perish.''وَما أَظُنُّ السّاعَةَ قائِمَةً وَلَئِن رُدِدتُ إِلىٰ رَبّى لَأَجِدَنَّ خَيرًا مِنها مُنقَلَبًا ﴿٣٦﴾ (36) WamaathunnualssaAAataqaimatanwalainrudidtuilarabbeelaajidannakhayranminhamunqalaban 18:36 "And I do not think the Hour will ever come, and if indeed I am brought back to my Lord, I surely, shall find better than this when I return to Him.'' وَأُحيطَ بِثَمَرِهِ فَأَصبَحَ يُقَلِّبُ كَفَّيهِ عَلىٰ ما أَنفَقَ فيها وَهِىَ خاوِيَةٌ عَلىٰ عُروشِها وَيَقولُ يٰلَيتَنى لَم أُشرِك بِرَبّى أَحَدًا ﴿٤٢﴾ (42) WaoheetabithamarihifaasbahayuqallibukaffayhiAAala ma anfaqafeehawahiyakhawiyatunAAalaAAurooshihawayaqooluyalaytanee lam oshrikbirabbeeahadan 18:42 So his fruits were encircled (with ruin). And began Yuqallibu his hands over what he had spent upon it, while it was all destroyed on its trellises, and he could only say: "Would that I had ascribed no partners to my Lord!"وَلَم تَكُن لَهُ فِئَةٌ يَنصُرونَهُ مِن دونِ اللَّهِ وَما كانَ مُنتَصِرًا ﴿٤٣﴾ (43) Walamtakunlahufiatunyansuroonahu min dooniAllahiwama kana muntasiran 18:43 And he had no group of men to help him against Allah, nor could he defend (or save) himself.

7. Arrogance Challenging Faith The second story is that of a man upon whom Allah (SWT) bestowed his blessings and bounty. The man became absorbed in his new fortune. The "superiority" of wealth caused the disbeliever to become not only arrogant towards the believer but also proud and heedless towards Allah. The rich man never thanked Allah for these blessings. He had a good friend who advised him to be repentant and go back to Allah's path; however the rich man refused and challenged his friend that nothing will ever happen to him or his gardens. So Allah punished him by destroying his two gardens as the rich man watched.

8. Lesson Learned 1) It teaches us that worldly goods are of no real benefit to us. They can all be lost in an instant and are temporary.2) Not to be proud and arrogant of the worldly goods. They are all Allah’s rahma and he is the true owner.HadithProphet (peace be upon him) said: “…if the son of Adam has one valley, he will wish that he had a second, and if he had two valleys, he would wish that he had a third. The stomach of the son of Adam will be filled only with dust (i.e., he is never satisfied)…” (Reported by Ahmad, 5/219; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1781) Whenever the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) put on any new garment, he would say, “O Allah, thanks be to You; You gave me this to wear. I ask You to give me the good of this dress and the good for which it is made and I ask You to protect me from the evil of this dress and from the evil of that for which it is made” (At-Tirmidhi).

9. فَوَجَدا عَبدًا مِن عِبادِنا ءاتَينٰهُ رَحمَةً مِن عِندِنا وَعَلَّمنٰهُ مِن لَدُنّا عِلمًا ﴿٦٥﴾  (65) FawajadaAAabdan min AAibadinaataynahurahmatan min AAindinawaAAallamnahu min ladunnaAAilman18:65 Then they found one of Our servants, on whom We had bestowed mercy from Us, and whom We had taught knowledge from Us.قالَ لَهُ موسىٰ هَل أَتَّبِعُكَ عَلىٰ أَن تُعَلِّمَنِ مِمّا عُلِّمتَ رُشدًا ﴿٦٦﴾ (66) QalalahumoosahalattabiAAukaAAala an tuAAallimanimimmaAAullimtarushdan18:66 Musa said to him: "May I follow you so that you teach me something of that knowledge which you have been taught (by Allah)!'' إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون Fitnah of Knowledge: Musa A.S. thought he was the most knowledgeable person on the earth and so Allah revealed to him that there is someone who knows more. After traveling with this man (Khidr), He could not be patient of the things he would do, and did not see the wisdom. The way to deal with this fitnah is to remain humble and not to let your knowledge delude you. “If Allah will, you will find me patient, and I will not disobey you in aught.” (Surah Kahf: 64)

10. إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون The three incidents and Allah’s wisdom • Allah’s wisdom seems to be not apparent at first glance. Al-Khidr’sacts seem not to be justified. This is to prove to the believers that Allah (SWT) may handle matters in ways we may not understand. • We may neither grasp the wisdom behind this nor appreciate the goodness or the positive effects this may have on our lives. This is the • type of knowledge that Allah (SWT) wishes to • teach not only to Prophet Musa (AS) but to us as well. 1- Al-Khidr pierced the ship because there was an unjust king who was taking away every ship by force. 2- Al-Khidr killed the child because he was not dutiful towards his parents who were righteous. His disobedience caused them too much trouble. 3- Al-Khidr rebuilt the wall because a treasure belonging to two orphan boys was buried beneath it. It would have been stolen had he not rebuilt it.

11. Hadiths The Prophet salallaahu ‘alayhiwasallam said: “The seeking of knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim.” [At-Tirmidhee]The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: God, His angels and all those in Heavens and on Earth, even ants in their hills and fish in the water, call down blessings on those who instruct others in beneficial knowledge. [Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 422]The Prophet said: Knowledge from which no benefit is derived is like a treasure out of which nothing is spent in the cause of God. [At-Tirmidhee]

12. Things are not always as they seem. • Allah shows us a glimpse of his “ilm-ul-ghaib.” • Musa alaihissalam questioned in all incidents; this proves a point that prophets did not know “ghaib” beyond what Allah revealed to them. • “Sabr” on small troubles saves from bigger agony. Common Factors Between the Three Incidents:

13. DulQurnain A Highly Resourceful man *إِنَّا مَكَّنَّا لَهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَآتَيْنَاهُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ سَبَبًا* “Behold, We established him securely on Earth, and endowed him with knowledge of the right means to achieve anything (that he might set out to achieve). Allah had bestowed every kind of resource [18:84] and means *سَبَبًا* upon DulQurnain, which TafsirIbneKathir describes as: Knowledge “Allah gave him the means of all things, meaning the means of Power to conquer all areas, regions, and countries, to defeat enemies, suppress the kings of the Earth, and humiliate the people of Shirk. He was given all that a man like him would need.”

14. Hadiths • (I)The Prophet (SAWS) said, “He who reads Surat Al-Kahf on Friday, Allah will light for him radiance that stretches from his feet to the holy Kabba. • (II)The Prophet (SAWS) also said, “…and he who reads the last ten ayahs of Surat Al-Kahf, Al-Dijjal will not be able to harm him.” and in another Hadith“Whoever among you encounters him, Al-Dijjal, should read upon him the opening ayahs of Surat Al-Kahf

15. The story talks about the trials and temptations in human life. • Humility: Despite the fact that DulQurnain was a great leader in history and Allah had bestowed upon him all the wealth and power that a king and leader can ever ask for. He was a humble servant of Allah (SWT). DulQurnain spoke unto Him with mild words, “This is a mercy from my Lord.” [18:98] • Sincerity: Whoever seeks Allah’s full acceptance of his deeds in the hereafter must satisfy to the following conditions: (I) his work in life must be done correctly in conformity with the Sunnah (sayings and deeds of Prophet SAWS) (II) must be wholly dedicated to ALLAH (SWT) These two conditions are mentioned in the closing ayahs of Surat Al-Kahf • The Quran is a protection from trials and temptations. It is interesting to note that the Surah stands and ends with reference to the Quran because it is a shield against temptation and trials provided we read it and understand the core ideas and objectives of its Surahs. Lessons

16. Lessons Cont… • Dawaa: Call to Allah (SWT) DulQurnain, a king calling his people. The Surah urges us to have trust in Allah (SWT) and surrender to Him so that we can be assured of protection from temptations. • Despite the fact that he was capable of building the barriers alone, with all his servants he asked for help so that they may learn a lesson from it. The lesson on Teamwork. A good teamwork can overcome all the obstacles in Deen, and one’s life. • Islam is not against means of resources. In fact, wealth and manpower can spread the words of Allah (SWT). • Finally, Allah (SWT) might give knowledge, wealth, authority, and power to many individuals and families, but few are guided to “follow”.

17. Worshipping one true God-surah Al-Kahf illustrates to us that the only true deserving power of our dependence is of Allah (swt.) • Having good companions-the surah points out to us that having the right company keeps us on the straight path. • Wealth and Power-are they blessing or fitna?-The surah teaches us the importance of balance in order to turn our wealth into blessing instead of fitna. • Knowledge belongs to Allah (swt)-Surah al-Kahf reminds us that Allah’s knowledge is like an ocean and importance of seeking the knowledge. Also, increase in knowledge should bring humility not arrogance. • Powerful ranks-Surah al-Kahf reminds us that even if you are in powerful position, you should make your decision with Allah’s taqwa and his deen in your heart. Reflections on Lessons Learned from Surah Al-Kahf