"O you who believe! keep your duty to Allah and speak straight, true words." (Holy Quran 33:70)
"O you who believe, keep your duty to Allah, and be with the truthful people." (9:119)
"Be maintainers of justice and bearers of true witness for Allah, even if it (the truth) goes against your own selves or parents or relatives or someone who is rich or poor." (4:135)
"Serve Allah, being sincere to Him in obedience." (39:2)
"It is most hateful in the sight of Allah that you say things which you do not do." (61:3)
"Woe to those who pray but are unmindful of their prayers, who do good to be seen." (107:4-6)
"You cannot attain to righteousness unless you spend (in charity) out of those things which you love." (3:91)
"They (the true believers) give food, out of love for Allah, to the poor, the orphan and the slave, saying: We feed you only for Allah's pleasure - we desire from you neither reward nor thanks." (76:8-9)
"Do no favour seeking gain." (74:6)
"The servants of the Beneficent (Allah) are those who walk on the earth in humility." (25:63)
"Do not turn your face away from people in contempt, nor go about in the land exultingly." (31:18)
"Do not ascribe purity to yourselves. Allah knows best who is righteous." (53:32)
"Allah loves those who are patient." (3:145)
"Give good news to the patient, who, when a misfortune befalls them, say: We are Allah's and to Him do we return." (2:155-156)
"Pardon (people) and overlook (their faults). Don't you love that Allah should forgive you." (24:22)
"(The dutiful are) . . . those who restrain their anger and pardon people. Allah loves those who do good to others." (3:134)
"Whenever they (true believers) are angry they forgive." (42:37)
"The recompense of evil is punishment like it. But whoever forgives (an evil committed against himself) and amends (matters), his reward is with Allah. . . . Whoever is patient and forgives, that is a matter of great resolution." (42:40, 43)When the Holy Prophet Muhammad defeated his enemies in Makka and returned to that city as its conqueror, he forgave them in the following words:
"No reproof be against you this day; Allah may forgive you, and He is the most Merciful of those who show mercy." (12:92)
"He indeed is successful who purifies himself (in mind and body), and remembers the name of his Lord, then prays." (87:14-15)
"Purify your garments and shun uncleanness." (74:4-5)
"Don't go near the property of an orphan, except in a goodly way, till he attains maturity. And fulfil the promise (you make) . . .. Give full measure when you measure out, and weigh with a true balance." (17:34-35)
"Do not swallow up your property among yourselves by false means, nor offer it as a bribe to the officials so that you may swallow up other people's property unlawfully while you know." (2:188)
"Allah commands you to uphold justice and to do good to others and to give to the relatives." (16:90)Three degrees of doing good are mentioned here: "justice," which means returning any good that someone has done you with equal good; "do good to others," which means taking the initiative in doing good to others; and "give to the relatives," which means doing good to people instinctively and naturally just as one does good to one's close relatives.
"Do good to others, surely Allah loves those who do good to others." (2:195)
"O you who believe! do not enter houses other than your own until you have asked permission and greeted the inmates . . . and if it is said to you, 'Go back', then go back." (24:27-28)
"O you who believe! avoid most of suspicion (against others), for surely suspicion in some cases is sin; and do not spy (into other people's affairs), nor let some of you backbite others." (49:12)
"When you are greeted with a greeting, greet with one better than it, or return it (in the same terms at least)." (4:86)
"Those to whom men said: people have gathered against you, so fear them; but this increased their faith, and they said: Allah is sufficient for us and He is an excellent Guardian." (3:173)
"Eat and drink, but do not be immoderate." (7:31)
"Do not chain your hand to your neck (so that you are mean in spending), nor stretch it out to the utmost limit (so that you waste everything)." (17:29)Regarding the performance of religious duties, the Holy Prophet has given the following advice:
"Religion is easy, but any one who exerts himself too much in religious devotions will get overcome by it; so you should just act rightly, and keep to the mean, and be of good cheer, and ask for Allah's help morning, evening, and a part of the night." (Bukhari.)
"Be of good cheer." (Holy Prophet in Bukhari.)
"It is an act of charity to meet your fellow with a cheerful face." (Holy Prophet in Mishkat.)Finally, we give a verse of the Holy Quran mentioning a number of qualities a Muslim, man or woman, should try to acquire:
"The truthful men and the truthful women, the patient men and the patient women, the humble men and the humble women, the charitable men and the charitable women, the fasting men and the fasting women, the men who guard their chastity and the women who guard their chastity, the men who remember Allah much and the women who remember Allah much - for all these Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward." (33:35)
"Your Lord has commanded that you worship none but Him, and do good to parents. If one or both of them reach old age with you, do not say 'Fie' to them, nor chide them, but speak to them a generous word . . . and say, My Lord, have mercy on them as they brought me up when I was little." (17:23-24).
"The Holy Prophet said, It is one of the greatest sins that a man should curse his parents. Someone said, How can a man curse his own parents? He said, If a man abuses the father of another, that person will abuse his parents (in return)." (Report in Bukhari.)
"Do good to the near relatives." (4:36)
"Give to the near relative his due, and also to the needy and to the traveller (in need of help). (17:26).
"Do not kill your children for fear of poverty - We (Allah) provide for them and for you." (17:31)
"A man came to the Holy Prophet and said, `You kiss children but we do not kiss them'. The Holy Prophet said, `Do I have any control over you if Allah has taken away mercy from your heart'." (Report in Bukhari.)
"Maintain the orphans out of their property and clothe them and give them a good education. Test them when they reach the age of majority, and if you find them to be mature, hand over their property to them." (4:5-6)
"I and the man who brings up an orphan will be in paradise like this," said the Holy Prophet, putting together his forefinger and middle finger. (Report in Bukhari.)
"Righteous is he who . . . gives away wealth out of love for Him to the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask and to set slaves free." (2:177)
"What will make you understand what the uphill road (to success) is? (It is) to free a slave, or feed at a time of hunger an orphan who is a relative or the poor man lying in the dust." (90:11-16)
"Have you seen him who goes against religion? That is the one who is rough to the orphan and does not urge the feeding of the needy." (107:1-3)
"(The true believers are those) in whose wealth there is a known right for the beggar and the destitute." (70:24-25)
"The person who manages things for the widow and the poor is like the one who strives hard in the way of Allah." (Holy Prophet in Bukhari.)
"Be good to . . . the neighbour belonging to your people and the alien neighbour." (4:36)
"He is not a believer who fills his stomach while his neighbour is hungry." (Holy Prophet in Hadith.)
"The angel Gabriel continued to enjoin upon me good treatment of the neighbour, so much so that I thought he would make him heir to one's property." (Holy Prophet in Bukhari.)
"They (your wives) are a garment for you, and you are a garment for them." (2:187)
"Of His (Allah's) signs is that He created spouses for you from yourselves so that you might find quiet of mind in them, and He put between you love and compassion." (30:21)
"The best of you are those who are kindest to their wives." (Holy Prophet in Tirmizi.)A man related:
"I asked Aishah (Holy Prophet's wife): What did the Prophet do when in his house? She said, `He served his wife', meaning that he did work for his wife." (Report in Bukhari.)
"(The true believers) are those who are keepers of their trusts and covenants." (23:8)"Trusts" include the duties and the other things with which an employee is entrusted by his employer; "covenants" include the contract by which both the employer and the employee are bound.
"Allah says: There are three persons whose opponents I shall be on the Day of Judgment . . . (the third is) the person who employs a servant and receives fully the labour due from him, but does not pay his wages." (Holy Prophet in Bukhari.)Ans, a companion of the Holy Prophet, related:
"I served the Holy Prophet for ten years, and he never said to me, `Fie', nor did he ever say `Why have you done this', or `Why have you not done that'." (Report in Bukhari.)
"There is no animal in the earth, nor a bird flying on its two wings, but they are communities like yourselves (O people)." (6:38)Someone asked the Holy Prophet, "Is there a reward for us (from Allah) for doing good to beasts?" He replied:
"In every animal having a liver fresh with life there is a reward." (Holy Prophet in Mishkat.)
"Be careful of your duty to Allah in the matter of dumb animals; ride them while they are in a fit condition, and eat them while they are in a fit condition." (Holy Prophet in Abu Dawud.)
"Whoever tills a field, and birds and beasts eat from it, it is an act of charity." (Holy Prophet in Musnad of Ahmad.)
"Allah commands you to make over trusts (or positions of trust and authority) to those worthy of them." (4:58)Some other principles are as follows:
"Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority from among you; then if you quarrel about anything (with your authorities) refer it to Allah and the Messenger" (4:59), i.e. settle the disagreement by means of the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophet's example.
"Obedience (of authority) is due only in good matters", i.e., orders to do wrong must not be obeyed. (Holy Prophet in Bukhari.)The first head of state of the Muslims after the Holy Prophet, the famous Hazrat Abu Bakr, said in a speech after his election:
"Help me if I am in the right. Correct me if I am in the wrong. Obey me as long as I obey Allah and His Messenger; in case I disobey Allah and His Messenger, I have no right to obedience from you."
"The most excellent jihad is to speak the truth in the face of an unjust ruler." (Holy Prophet in Mishkat.)
"Hold fast by the covenant of Allah all together and be not disunited. And remember Allah's favour to you when you were enemies, then He united your hearts, so by His favour you became brethren." (3:103)
"The believers are brethren, so make peace between your brethren . . . Do not find fault with your own people, nor call one another by (bad) nicknames." (49:10-12)
"Help one another in good and righteous works, and do not help one another in sin and aggression." (5:2)
"Do not hate one another and do not be jealous of one another and do not boycott one another, and be servants of Allah, as brothers; and it is not lawful for a Muslim to sever his relations with his brother for more than three days." (Holy Prophet in Bukhari.)
"You will see the believers in their having mercy for one another, and in their love for one another, and in their kindness towards one another, like the human body: when one limb is ailing, the whole body feels it, one part calling out the other with sleeplessness and fever." (Holy Prophet in Bukhari.)
"None of you has faith until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself." (Holy Prophet in Bukhari.)
"Bear patiently what they (abusers) say." (20:130)
"Disregard their annoying talk." (33:48)
"When you hear Allah's messages disbelieved in and mocked at, sit not with them until they enter into some other talk." (4:140)
"And if you invite them to guidance, they hear not; and you see them looking towards you, yet they see not. Take to forgiveness and enjoin good and turn away from the ignorant." (7:198-199)
"The Messenger of Allah and his Companions used to forgive the idolaters and the followers of the book (Jews and Christians), as Allah had commanded them, and they used to show patience on hearing hurtful words." (Report in Bukhari.)
"Repel evil with what is best, when lo! he between whom and you there is enmity will be like a warm friend." (41:34)
"Many of the people of the book wish that they could turn you back into disbelievers after you have believed, out of envy from themselves. . .. But pardon and forgive." (2:109)
"And you will always find treachery in them, except a few of them. So pardon them and forgive. Surely Allah loves those who do good to others." (5:13)
"Allah does not forbid you concerning those people who do not fight you because of your religion, nor expel you from your homes, that you show them kindness and deal with them justly.. . . Allah forbids you only concerning those people who fight you for your religion, and drive you from your homes and help others to expel you, that you make friends of them." (60: 8,9)
"Whatever good they (people of other religions) do, they will not be denied it (by Allah), and Allah knows who the righteous are." (3:115)
"O you who believe, be upright for Allah, bearers of witness with justice; and do not let the hatred of a people incite you not to act with justice. Be just; that is nearer to observance of duty." (5:8)
"Call (others) to the way of your Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and argue with them in the best manner." (16:125)
"Argue not with the people of the Book (Jews, Christians, and other people having scriptures) except by the best (means), save those of them who act unjustly. But say: We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you, and our God and your God is One, and to Him we submit." (29:46)A companion of the Holy Prophet relates:
"A funeral procession passed by the Holy Prophet, and he stood up for it. People said to him: It was the funeral of a Jew. He said: Was it not a human life?" (Report in Bukhari.)
"Mankind is a single nation." (2:213)
"O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into races and families so that you may know each other. The most honoured of you in Allah's sight are those who best keep their duty." (49:13)
"We (Allah) have not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a mercy to the nations." (21:107)
"Speak good words to all people." (2:83)
"Allah commands you that . . . when you judge between people (i.e., of any race, religion, family, class, etc.), you judge with justice." (4:58)
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After its brief opening, Surat Al-Kahf (The Cave, Surah 18) speaks
about the people of the cave, depicting the effect faith has on
believers: giving them reassurance and inner peace. Hence, they prefer
it to all material riches and pleasures. When they find it hard to live
as believers within their community, they seek refuge in a cave where
they receive God’s care and protection and enjoy His grace. There are countless reports that speak about the sleepers in the cave, and just as many versions of their story. However, we have no use for any of these; we will confine ourselves to what the Qur’an tells us about them as it is the only source that provides true information. There may be other reports that have found their way into books of commentary on the Qur’an, but we will disregard all these as they lack proof of authenticity. In this we rely on good counsel, because the surah contains an order prohibiting argument concerning the people of the cave and reference to any source other than the Qur’an in trying to establish the truth about them. It is reported that the reason for the revelation of this story and that of Dhul-Qarnayn, related later in the surah, is that the Jews persuaded the people of Makkah to put to the Prophet questions concerning them, and also concerning the spirit. It is also said that the people of Makkah themselves asked the Jews to prepare some questions for them to test whether Muhammad was a true Prophet. This may be partially or totally true, especially since the account giving the history of Dhul- Qarnayn begins with, {They will ask you about Dhul-Qarnayn. Say: I will give you an account of him.’} (Al-Kahf 18: 83) But no reference is made to any question about the people of the cave. We leave this point aside and proceed to discuss the story as it is related, since it is clearly relevant to the main theme of the surah. The structure of the story begins with a short summary before its narration in detail. It is shown in a series of scenes with some gaps left in between. Nevertheless, all omissions are clearly understood. The story begins as follows:
{Do
you think that the people of the cave and the inscription were a wonder
among Our signs? When those youths took refuge in the cave, they said:
‘Our Lord! Bestow on us Your grace, and provide for us right guidance in
our affair.’ So We drew a veil over their ears in the cave, for a
number of years, and then We awakened them so that We might mark out
which of the two parties managed to calculate the time they had remained
in that state.} (Al-Kahf 18: 9-12)
This sums up the whole story showing its main lines and features. We
learn from it that the people of the cave were youths, whose number is
not mentioned, and that they went to the cave to isolate themselves from
their community because they believed in God. We also learn that they
were made to sleep in the cave for a number of years, which is not
stated here, before they were aroused from their long slumber.We are told of two groups arguing about them, so they were awakened to make clear which of the two groups calculated their stay in the cave better. We are clearly told that, strange as their history is, it is not particularly marvelous among the miracles and signs given by God. Indeed there are numerous things that are much more marvelous and miraculous in the universe than the story of the cave people. Those youths are referred to in the surah as {the people of the cave and the inscription}. A cave is a natural chamber in a mountain or under rocky ground, while the inscription refers, most probably, to the record of their names which was, perhaps, the one hung at the entrance of the cave, where they were eventually found. After this summary which heightens our interest in the story, the surah begins by stating that the account about to be given is the whole truth concerning their affair:
{We
shall relate to you their story in all truth. They were young men who
believed in their Lord, so We increased them in guidance.
We
put courage in their hearts, so that they stood up and said: ‘Our Lord
is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. Never shall we call upon any
deity other than Him. If we did, we should indeed have uttered an
enormity!
These
people of ours have taken for worship deities other than Him, without
being able to show any convincing proof of their beliefs. Who does more
wrong than he who invents a lie about God?
Hence,
now that you have withdrawn from them and all that they worship instead
of God, take refuge in the cave. God may well spread His grace over you
and make fitting arrangements for you in your affairs.’} (Al-Kahf 18: 13-16)
This
is the first scene. Those believing youths were increased in guidance
in order to be able to manage their affairs with their community. Along
with this increased guidance, {We put courage in their hearts,} to make them solid in their attitude, firm in their belief in the truth, proud of the faith they had chosen.Then we are informed that {they stood up,} which signifies a movement indicating resolve and firmness. {They stood up and said: ‘Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth.} (Al-Kahf 18:14) He is indeed the Creator, Lord and Sustainer of the whole universe. {Never shall we call upon any deity other than Him.} (Al-Kahf 18:14) For He is the One without partners of any sort. We make this pledge, because if we were to call upon anyone else, {we should indeed have uttered an enormity!} (Al-Kahf 18:14) We would have gone beyond all proper limits and be in total error. They now turn to the prevailing situation among their people and express their rejection of it. They are clear that what their people do has no foundation whatsoever:
{These
people of ours have taken for worship deities other than Him, without
being able to show any convincing proof of their beliefs.} (Al-Kahf 18:15)
Indeed
any faith should be founded on solid evidence of the truth. Only with
such evidence can it have its say to turn people’s hearts and minds to
its argument. Without such proof, it is utter fabrication. What is worse
is that such falsehood is asserted in relation to God Himself: {Who does more wrong than he who invents a lie about God?} (Al-Kahf 18:15)Up to this point the attitude of the youths appears to be clear, open and straightforward. They are resolute in their adoption of the faith, betraying no hesitation whatsoever. Indeed they are shown to be very strong physically and mentally, and strong in their faith and in their rejection of the way followed by their community. Here they are talking about two vastly different ways of life. There can be no meeting point between the two, and there can be no participation by these young believers in the life of their community. They had no choice but to flee in order to protect their faith. They are not prophets able to present to their community the true faith, calling on them to accept it. They are simply a group of young people who have been able to discern the right path out of a bleak, unbelieving environment. Should they have stood up in public to declare their faith, they might well not have been able to withstand the pressure on them to abandon it. Nor could they resort to pretense and avoidance, appearing to concur with their people while worshipping God in secret. Furthermore, it appears that, most probably, their secret was found out. Hence they had no option but to flee, seeking God’s protection and support. They preferred life in the cave to all the attractions that their society offered. As the young believers came to the conclusion that they had to leave their homes and families and live in a cave to protect their faith, they immediately put this decision into effect:
{Hence,
now that you have withdrawn from them and all that they worship instead
of God, take refuge in the cave. God may well spread His grace over you
and make fitting arrangements for you in your affairs.} (Al-Kahf 18:16)
The
surprise here is great indeed. These young believers who have abandoned
their people and families, forsaking all the pleasures of this life and
preferring instead to sleep rough in a small dark cave, begin to sense
God’s grace. They feel it coming, easy, comforting, abundant, limitless.
It is spread over them to change the quality of their life in the cave:
{God may well spread His grace over you.} (Al-Kahf 18:16)Thus, the cave becomes like a wide expanse, where God’s grace is bestowed in abundance to change their whole outlook on life and bring about comfort and contentment. The solid, rocky walls of the cave are made to overlook a wide horizon, and loneliness in the cave is totally dispelled, for God has spread His grace over their young hearts and He takes care of them, arranging something for their comfort. This is an aspect of what faith can do to a person. All appearances undergo a fundamental change. All that people may value and all their concepts with regard to life and happiness do not matter. When a human heart is full of faith, it sees a totally different world, where God’s grace imparts reassurance and genuine happiness. Hence whatever turn events may take will be accepted, because the total result is comforting and fitting for one’s life in this world and in the life to come: {God may well spread His grace over you and make fitting arrangements for you in your affairs.} (Al-Kahf 18:16) With these young people proceeding to the cave, the story moves on to the next scene. Now we see them settled in the cave, overtaken by sleep:
{You
might have seen the sun, on its rising, incline away from their cave on
the right, and, on its setting, turn away from them on the left, while
they lay in a space within.
That
was one of God’s signs. He whom God guides is indeed rightly guided,
but for him whom He lets go astray you can never find any protector who
would point out the right way.
You would have thought that they were awake, when they were
certainly asleep. And We turned them over repeatedly, now to the right,
now to the left; and their dog lay at the cave’s entrance, with its
forepaws outstretched.
Had
you come upon them, you would have certainly turned away from them in
flight, and would surely have been filled with terror of them.} (Al-Kahf 18:17-18)
This
is a remarkable scene. Not only do we see how the young men looked and
what they were doing, we have a picture full of life, with the sun
rising, but deliberately moving away from their cave. The word used
here, ‘inclining away’, imparts a sense of deliberate
action taken for a particular purpose. Again when it is time for the sun
to move in the other direction before it sets, it turns away to the
left so that their cave remains unseen. All the while, they lay in a
space within.Before completing its description of the scene, the surah makes a familiar Qur’anic comment which draws people’s attentions to a particular aspect of faith that is relevant at that particular point: “That was one of God’s signs.” (Al-Kahf 18:17) It was indeed a great sign, something highly remarkable. They were put in a cave where they could not see the sun, nor its rays. It gave them neither light nor warmth. They remained in their position, alive but motionless.
{He whom
God guides is indeed rightly guided, but for him whom He lets go astray
you can never find any protector who would point out the right way.} (Al-Kahf 18:17)
There is a certain divine law that determines which people may
receive God’s guidance and which are left in error. When a person looks
at God’s signs and accepts what they indicate, that person finds God’s
guidance in accordance with His law. Hence, he is ‘indeed rightly guided.’ (Verse
17) But whoever turns his back on these signs and refuses to understand
the message they impart is bound, according to God’s law, to go astray.
Hence he is left in error and will have none to guide him.The surah goes on to show the young people asleep in their cave. They are turned from one side to another in their very long slumber. Anyone looking at them would think them awake when they were fast asleep. Their dog remains at the entrance to the cave, stretching his forepaws like dogs normally do when they rest. He takes the position normally taken by a guard dog. The whole scene would fill any onlooker with terror so as to put them to flight. He would find people looking as though they were awake but in reality were asleep, unable to wake or move. This was all God’s arrangement, protecting them, until the time He chose for their awakening. Suddenly things change totally:
{Such being their state, We awakened them; and they began to question one another.
One of them asked: ‘How long have you remained thus?’
They answered: ‘We have remained thus a day, or part of a day.’
They
said ‘Your Lord knows best how long you have remained thus. Let, then,
one of you go with these silver coins to the town, and let him find out
what food is purest there, and bring you some of it. But let him behave
with great care and by no means make anyone aware of you. For, indeed,
if they should come to know of you, they might stone you to death or
force you back to their faith, in which case you would never attain to
any good!} (Al-Kahf 18:19-20)
The element of surprise is always used in Qur'anic stories in order
to enhance the effect. Here the scene portrays the youths as they wake
up after their long slumber. They do not realize how long they have been
asleep. They rub their eyes and begin to ask one another about what
have happened.One turns to the others asking how long they have been asleep for, just like anyone rising after having slept for many hours. He must have felt that this time his sleep has been unduly long. The answer he has received from his friends is indefinite: {We have remained thus a day, or part of a day.} (Al-Kahf 18:19) But then they realize that to determine the length of their sleep is of no consequence. They leave that point aside, just like a believer should do in any matter of no specific importance. They turn to something more practical. They are hungry and have some money. Their discussion takes a different turn:
{They said:
‘Your Lord knows best how long you have remained thus. Let, then, one of
you go with these silver coins to the town, and let him find out what
food is purest there, and bring you some of it.’} (Al-Kahf 18:19)
The most natural reaction in the circumstances! One is to go to the city to bring back the best food available for them.They are however in an unusual position, and they have to be extra careful. They must not allow their people to find them out or discover their hiding place. For that would bring certain disaster. The people in authority in the city would stone them to death for their apostasy. These young men worship God alone, associating no partners with Him, while their people are pagans. Hence they are sure to kill them or at least to torture them until they renounce their belief in God and turn back to the faith of their community. These are the only options their people would consider. Hence the young believers re-emphasize their advice to their friend who was going to the city to bring the food:
{But
let him behave with great care and by no means make anyone aware of
you. For, indeed, if they should come to know of you, they might stone
you to death or force you back to their faith, in which case you would
never attain to any good!} (Al-Kahf 18: 19-20)
Indeed
no one who turns back to unbelief in God and associates partners with
Him could ever attain any good result. How could it be possible when he
has incurred the greatest loss through disbelieving in God’s oneness?We are given here a panoramic view of the whole scene. The youths are apprehensive, unaware of how much time have lapsed or how many years they have remained in their cave. Indeed generations have passed by, and the city from which they have departed have gone through great changes. The tyrants they fear have been removed from power. Yet the story of the young people who had fled in order to maintain their faith had been reported from one generation to another, with people differing as to their faith and what they believed in, as well as the exact timing of their escape. The awaking sleepers were totally unaware of all these events. The surah however allows the curtain to fall over this scene only to raise it again showing a totally different picture, with a time lapse between the two. We understand that the present population of the city believe in God. They are so thrilled to discover the young believers through the one who is sent to fetch food. The people in the city somehow ascertain that he is one of the young men who have fled from the tyranny of the unbelievers a long time ago. We need to stretch our imaginations somewhat to realize the magnitude of the young men’s surprise as they hear from their friend what have happened during their sleep. He assures them that the city has experienced a great change since their departure. There is now nothing in the new society that they could not accept. Indeed all that they have once known in that city is now totally different. They themselves have belonged to a generation that have long since gone. To the present people in the city, they are a marvel. Hence they would not be treated like ordinary human beings. They are totally unrelated to the present generation. Their relatives, friends, ties, concerns, feelings, habits and traditions have either been severed or undergone radical change. They are no more than a living memory, not real people. Therefore, God has spared them all that could result from their joining this new generation and thus caused them to die. All this is left to our imagination. The surah portrays the final scene, when they are allowed to die. The people are standing outside the cave, disputing among themselves about their faith, and how to preserve their memory for future generations. It moves directly to outline the moral of this remarkable story:
{In
this way have We drawn people’s attention to their case, so that they
might know that God’s promise is true and that there can be no doubt as
to the Last Hour. The people disputed among themselves as to what
happened to them. Some of them said: ‘Erect a building (in their
memory.) God knows their case best.’ Those whose opinion prevailed in
the end said: ‘Indeed, we must surely raise a house of worship (in their
memory.)’} (Al-Kahf 18: 21)
The lesson here is
clear. The end those young people has met shows a real, tangible example
of how resurrection takes place. The people in the city have felt the
full impact of resurrection and realized, as they could never have done
otherwise, that God’s promise in respect of resurrection after death
will come true and that the Last Hour is certain to come. This is all
seen in the awakening of those sleepers from their long sojourn in the
cave.Some people suggest that they should commemorate them: {Erect a building (in their memory.)} (Al-Kahf 18: 21) The building thus erected would not determine their faith, as the people who have discovered them do not know what faith exactly the sleepers have followed: {God knows their case best.} (Al-Kahf 18: 21) It is He alone who knows their faith. But the people who enjoy authority in the city decide differently. {Those whose opinion prevailed in the end said: ‘Indeed, we must surely raise a house of worship (in their memory.)’} (Al-Kahf 18: 21) That is the way followed by Jews and Christians who used to erect temples over the graves of their saints and divines. Some Muslims today imitate their action in clear defiance of the Prophet’s teachings. In condemning this practice, the Prophet once said: “May God curse the Jews and the Christians for they erected temples at the graves of their prophets and saints.” (Related by Ibn Kathir in his commentary on the Qur'an and by Al-Bukhari) Again the scene is brought to a close and another is shown with people in debate about the sleepers in the cave. This is only natural as people normally relate reports and news, adding something here and omitting something there. They may invent some details here or there, one generation after another. Thus a simple story is told in different ways as time passes. Hence, dispute about the number of youth in the cave continued for a long time:
{Some
will say, ‘They were three, the fourth of them being their dog,’ while
others will say, ‘Five, with their dog being the sixth of them,’ idly
guessing at the unknown. Yet others will say, ‘They were seven, the
eighth of them being their dog.’ Say: My Lord knows best how many they
were. None hut a few have any real knowledge of them.
Hence,
do not enter into argument about them, except on a matter that is
clear, nor ask anyone of these people to enlighten you about them.’} (Al-Kahf 18: 22)
All such disputes about their number are useless. It is all the same
whether they are three, five, seven or even more. Their case is left to
God who knows all their details. They are also known to the few who
realize the facts about the whole event, or who know its true report.
There is no need, then, to go into any argument about their number, as
the moral of their story may be drawn regardless.The Qur’an directs the Prophet not to engage in any dispute over the issue and not to question any party over their case. This is consistent with the Islamic approach which spares the human mind of all useless debate. A Muslim should not pursue anything that he cannot establish through true knowledge. This event, which took place a very long time ago, belongs to God’s knowledge which is perfect. Hence, let us leave it there. Submission to God's Will In connection with the prohibition of dispute about unknown events of the past, an order is given not to pre-judge the future or its events. It is impossible for man to know what may happen in the future. Hence, he should not give any definite judgment of it:
{Never
say about anything, ‘I shall do this tomorrow,’ without adding, ‘if God
so wills. ’ Should you forget, then call your Lord to mind and say, ‘I
pray that my Lord will guide me even closer than this to what is right.’} (Al-Kahf 18:23-24)
Every
action a human being does or omits to do, indeed every breath a human
being takes, is subject to God’s will. The curtains hiding the future
are stretched in full so as to hide everything beyond the present
moment. Our eyes cannot discern what is behind that curtain, and our
minds are finite, no matter how advanced our knowledge may be. Hence a
human being must never say that he is definitely doing something
tomorrow unless he attaches his intention to God’s will. This is because
tomorrow belongs to the realm that lies beyond the reach of human
perception. As such, it is known only to God. Hence, we do not make any
assertion about it.This does not mean that man should be fatalistic, giving no thought to the future and making no plans for it. He should not live for the present moment, cutting himself off from his past and future. No, this is not what the directive implies. Rather, what is implied is that every human being must make an allowance for what God may will in his case. He may intend to do whatever he wants, always seeking God’s help, feeling that His will is in full control of everything. It may well be however that God may decide something different to what he intends. Should God help him to put into effect what he intends, then all well and good. But if God’s will moves in a different direction, he should not despair or be sad. All matters belong to God at the beginning and at the end. What this means in practice is that every person should think and plan as they wish, but they must always remember to rely on God’s help and guidance. They should realize that they only have the faculties of thinking and deliberation God has given them. This should not lead to laziness or disinterestedness. On the contrary, it should give us more strength, confidence, reassurance, and resolve. Should events reveal that God’s will has moved in a direction different to what we have planned, we should accept this with contentedness and reassurance. We submit to God’s will, because it is beyond our knowledge until God makes it known. This is the method Islam instils into the minds of its followers. Hence a Muslim does not feel alone when he plans or thinks of the future. Neither does he show any conceit or arrogance when he succeeds, nor is he overtaken by depression and despair when he fails. In all situations, he remembers God, feeling stronger for relying on Him, expressing gratitude to Him for his success, pleased with whatever God’s will may determine. {Should you forget, then call your Lord to mind.} (Al-Kahf 18: 24) This is what a Muslim should do when he forgets to relate his intentions to God’s will. He should remember God and renew his reliance on Him. He should also hope to remain always conscious of God, turning to Him in all situations and all future actions, always saying: {I pray that my Lord will guide me even closer than this to what is right.} (Al-Kahf 18: 24) This short prayer indicates that it is not so easy to always turn to God in all affairs. Hence the prayer to try always to maintain it and improve on one’s situation. The Duration of Their Sleep With all that has been said and told, we have still not been informed of the duration of the sleepers’ stay in their cave. Now we are told for certain:
{So they stayed in their cave three hundred years, and [some] add nine years more. Say:
‘God
knows best how long they remained there. His alone is the knowledge of
the secrets of the heavens and earth. How well does He see and hear!’} (Al-Kahf 18:25-26)
This
is the truth of the length of their stay in the cave, given to us by
the One who knows all secrets in the heavens and the earth. Well indeed
He sees and hears. Perfect is His knowledge. His statement puts an end
to the matter, leaving no room for dispute.A final comment is added about the whole story in which we see faith in God’s oneness clearly apparent in all its details: {No guardian have they apart from Him; nor does He allot to anyone a share in His rule.} (Al-Kahf 18: 26) A further comment is added in the form of a directive to the Prophet to recite what God has revealed to him, as it represents the final word, and the truth that admits no falsehood whatsoever. He should seek refuge with Him, for no one can provide any shelter other than He. When the young men of the cave sought His protection, He spread His grace over them and provided them with His guidance:
{Recite
whatever has been revealed to you of your Lords book. There is nothing
that could alter His words. You shall find no refuge other than with
Him.} (Al-Kahf 18: 27)
This ends the story of the people
of the cave. It is preceded and intermingled with directives. Indeed
stories are given in the Qur’an to add emphasis to such directives. The
Qur’an maintains perfect harmony between its directives and the way they
are presented in the context of the story. |
We shall now summarize the most common different types of prayer which a Muslim will get exposed to in his day to day life:
- The Obligatory Prayers (Al Faraidh). These are the Five Daily Prayers as follows:
- The Fajr (Dawn) Prayer.
- The Dhuhr (Noon) Prayer.
- The A'sr (Afternoon) Prayer.
- The Maghrib (Sunset) Prayer.
- The Isha (Evening) Prayer.
- The necessary (Wajib) Friday congregational prayer.
- Other confirmed Traditional Prayers. Thus:
- The Prayers of the Two Feasts (the Idul Fitr and Idul Adha).
- The Prayer for seeking bounty of rain from Allah.
- The Prayer during the Eclipse of the Sun and Moon.
- The twelve (12) definite voluntary prayers performed before and/or after the obligatory prayers.
- The Witr (Odd Number) Prayer.
- The Tarawih (Month of fasting supererogatory) prayers.
- The prayer for seeking Allah's guidance.
- The Funeral Prayer.
In
understanding why we pray, there are several factors that need to be
understood first, before coming to the essence of prayer itself. The
first is understanding and believing that there is a Hereafter, a life
after death, one more permanent and Just by the Grace of Allah.As
societies worldwide flourish and Islam stands to be the fastest growing
religion of the world, we sometimes see a disturbing deviation within
the Muslim Ummah. Forget society, forget those who are converting and
reverting, forget those who are just introducing themselves to Islam.
I’m talking about us: those born and raised into Muslim families and
taught the values of Islam and the teachings of the Prophets and Imams
(peace be upon them). For everything that we have been taught and
nurtured with, we find ourselves constantly doubting the actions we
perform and the teachings we follow. But Islam stands to be a religion
of logic, from the time of Muhammad, and it will remain so till the
mountains crumble, the Earth flattens, and the final trumpet is blown.