Ever wondered why Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) asked us to recite Surah Al-Kahf every Friday?

This surah has four stories in it, let’s explore what lessons can be learned from them:

1. The people of the cave

It’s the story of young men who lived in a disbelieving town, so they decided to migrate for the sake of Allah and run away. Allah rewards them with mercy in the cave and protection from the sun – they woke up and found the entire village believers.

Lesson: Trial of faith

2. The owner of two gardens

A story of a man whom Allah blessed with two beautiful gardens, but the man forgot to thank the one who blessed him with everything and he even dared to doubt Allah regarding the afterlife. So his garden was destroyed – he regretted, but was too late and his regret did not benefit him.

Lesson: Trial of wealth

3. Musa (‘alayhissalam) and Khidr (‘alayhissalam)

When Musa (‘alayhissalam) was asked “who’s the most knowledgeable of the people of Earth?” Musa (‘alayhissalam)) said that it was him as he assumed he was the only prophet on Earth at the time. But Allah revealed to him that there’s someone who knows more than him about certain things. Musa (‘alayhissalam) traveled looking for him learned how divine wisdom can sometimes be hidden in matters which we perceive as bad.

Lesson: Trial of knowledge

4. Dhul-Qarnayn

Allah mentions the story of a great king who was given knowledge and power travelling the world helping people and spreading all that’s good. He was able to overcome the problem of Yajooj-Majooj by building a massive dam with the help of people whom he could not even understand.

Lesson: Trial of power

In the middle of the surah, Allah mentions Iblees as the one who stirs these trials:

And [mention] when We said to the angels, “Prostrate to Adam,” and they prostrated, except for Iblees. He was of the jinn and departed from the command of his Lord. Then will you take him and his descendants as allies other than Me while they are enemies to you? Wretched it is for the wrongdoers as an exchange. 18:150

In many hadith, the messenger of Allah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) mentions that the one who reads and memorises verses of Surah Al Kahf will be protected from the trials of the Dajjal.

Abu Darda’ (radi Allahu ‘anhu) narrates that the prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: He who memorizes the first ten verses of Surah Al Kahf will be protected from the trial of the Dajjal. In another narration, it is the last ten verses of Surah Al-Kahf. (Muslim)

Now let us see what the relationship is between Surat al-Kahf and the Dajjal:

Dajjal will appear before the day of judgement with 4 trials:

A) He will ask people to worship him and not Allah: Trial of faith.
B) He will be given powers to start/stop rain and tempt people with his wealth: Trial of with his wealth.
C) He will trial people with the “knowledge” and news he gives them: Trial of knowledge.
D) He will control huge parts of the Earth: Trial of power.

How to Survive these Trials

Allah mentions in the surah how we can survive these trials:

1. Good companionship

And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life, and do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever [in] neglect. 18:28

2. Knowing the truth of this world

And present to them the example of the life of this world, [its being] like rain which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it and [then] it becomes dry remnants, scattered by the winds. And Allah is ever, over all things, Perfect in Ability. 18:45

3. Humility

[Moses] said, “You will find me, if Allah wills, patient, and I will not disobey you in [any] order.”18:69

4. Sincerity

Say, “I am only a man like you, to whom has been revealed that your god is one God. So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord – let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone.” 18:110

5. Calling to Allah

And recite, [O Muhammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book of your Lord. There is no changer of His words, and never will you find in other than Him a refuge. 18:27

6. Remembering the Hereafter

And [warn of] the Day when We will remove the mountains and you will see the earth prominent, and We will gather them and not leave behind from them anyone. And they will be presented before your Lord in rows, [and He will say], “You have certainly come to Us just as We created you the first time. But you claimed that We would never make for you an appointment.”And the record [of deeds] will be placed [open], and you will see the criminals fearful of that within it, and they will say, “Oh, woe to us! What is this book that leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it?” And they will find what they did present [before them]. And your Lord does injustice to no one. 18:47-49

Source unobtainable