Note: The following transcript was generated using AI and may contain inaccuracies.
Benefit from that age when you're a youth. Benefit from that time. They knew that their people were not worshipping the one who deserves to be worshipped.
So what did they do? They chose to take the stance that was right, which is to believe that Allah is the one who deserves to be worshipped. Ponder here.
Allah said, "You call on Me, and I will accept it." The requirement, what is needed from you for Allah to accept your dua, is for you to make it. Allah does not tell us these stories in the Quran so that we are amazed by them and say, "Wow, this is a beautiful story," and then leave.
The reason is for us to take lessons from it. Insha'Allah ta'ala, in today's Friday session, insha'Allah ta'ala, I want to go through the story of Ashabul Kahfi, insha'Allah ta'ala, and extract some benefits from it, bi-idhnillah al-kareem—the story of the people of the cave.
The stories in the Quran are the greatest of stories. Allah ta'ala tells us in Surah Yusuf, Subhanahu wa ta'ala, "Muhammad, we are going to tell you the best of stories—that which we reveal unto you in this Quran." Even though you were heedless of some of these things that we're going to tell you, some of which you did not know. In Surah Al-Kahf, Allah says, "We will tell you their story in truth." And in Surah Ali Imran, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says, "These stories are true stories." There is no story like the stories in the Quran.
So, insha'Allah ta'ala, Ashabul Kahfi. Allah mentions their story, and a lot of us recite Surah Al-Kahfi on Friday. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says in the Quran, "Then We sent them so that We may know which of the two parties is better for what they have spent. We will tell you their story in truth. They are young men who have believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance. And We bound their hearts when they stood up and said, 'Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. We will not call upon a god other than Him.'"
We said then, "These are people who have taken gods other than Him. If they do not come to them with a clear authority, then who is more unjust than he who invents a lie against Allah? And when you have withdrawn from them and they worship none but Allah, then go to the cave; your Lord will raise you up from His mercy, and He will prepare for you a companion for your affair."
Until Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says,
وَلَبِثُوا فِي كَهْفِهِمْ ثَلَاثَ مِئَةٍ سِنِينَ وَازْدَادُوا تِسْعًا
قُلِ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثُوا
لَهُ غَيْبُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ
أَبْصِرْ بِهِ وَأَسْمِعْ
مَا لَهُمْ مِن دُونِهِ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ وَلَا يُشْرِكُ فِي حُكْمِهِ أَحَدًا
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, in those passages, tells us the story of the people of the cave and Ashabul Kahfi. My brothers and sisters, Ashabul Kahfi is one of the symbols of Iman. Their story is a مظهر من مظاهر الإيمان, as Ibnul Qayyim says in his كتاب دائع الفوائد; it is a symbol, a sign of what true Iman does to a people, how it shapes them, and what kind of people it makes them become. They realized that their people were in a state of disbelief; they knew that their people were not worshipping the one who deserves to be worshipped, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
So what did they do? They chose to take the stance that was right, which is to believe that Allah is the one who deserves to be worshipped, subhanahu wa ta'ala, and they came with qualities that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala praised them for. They cut away from these people, who were disbelievers, and they went towards a cave. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala mentions it. He says, subhanahu wa ta'ala,
اِذْ أَوَى الْفِتْيَةُ إِلَى الْكَهْفِ فَقَالُوا: "رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا."
Allah mentions in this verse that they went away from their people and went towards a cave, and they supplicated to their Lord, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, and they said, "رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً" (Bring us mercy from You) and "وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا" (and put our affairs in the right direction; give us guidance; show us what is right from what is wrong). Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala accepted their dua, but what is very profound is that they did not even know the way in which Allah would accept their dua. When Allah accepts a dua, He might do so in a way that you did not expect.
So what did Allah do to them, subhanahu wa ta'ala? That dua that they made was accepted by Allah by telling us that He did,
فَضَرَبْنَا عَلَى آذَانِهِمْ فِي الْكَهْفِ سِنِينَ عَدَدًا.
They were made by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to actually go to sleep for a very long time in that cave; that was not something that had come to their mind or that they were thinking.
That verse alone shows us, first, the power of dua and that it is truly a weapon of the believer and that we should use dua to our advantage by calling upon Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala for help.
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ دُعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala said, "Supplicate to Me, and I will accept your dua." Ponder here.
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ دُعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ. Allah said, "You call on Me, and I will accept it." The requirement—that is, what is needed from you for Allah to accept your dua—is for you to make it; you need to come with that part, and Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala will accept it.
In another verse, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says,
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُم ادعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ.
In that same verse, Allah tells us, subhanahu wa ta'ala, that those who are arrogant, who do not make dua, who do not supplicate, who do not call upon their Lord, سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ—they will enter the Hellfire in humiliation. In another recitation, وَقَالَ رَبُّكُم ادعُونِي is recited as وَقَالَ رَبُّكُم ادعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ; the meaning still stands the same.
وَلِذَلِكَ، عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ used to say, "I don't carry the burden, and I don't ask myself whether the dua will be accepted or not. The burden I carry, as stated by عُمَرَ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ, is to make the dua, because I know once the dua is made, the response comes with it."
So these, the people of the cave—what did they do? They called upon Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, and He accepted their dua. But let's look at some of the characteristics of Ibadur Rahman for Allah to accept their dua. What kind of people were they? What kind of sifat and characteristics did they come with, so that we can come with it? Allah does not tell us these stories in the Quran so that we are amazed by them and say, "Wow, this is a beautiful story," and then leave. The reason is for us to take lessons from it (دروس وعِبر) and to act upon it.
The first characteristic Allah told us that they have is shown when He says:
نَحْنُ نَقُصُ عَلَيْكَ نَبَأَهُمْ بِالْحَقِّ إِنَّهُمْ فِتْيَةٌ آمَنُوا بِرَبِّ فِتْيَةٌ.
Number one, they were young—they were youth, not old. Ibn Kathir said a very profound statement. Look what he said, rahimahullah, on the commentary of this verse: He said, فَذَكَرَ تَعَالَىٰ أَنَّهُمْ فِتْيَةٌ—Allah mentioned that they are youth. Allah specifically mentioned that, and everything Allah mentions has a reason behind it, wisdom behind it, and purpose behind it. Allah does not mention something without a reason. Ibn Kathir said, فَذَكَرَ تَعَالَىٰ أَنَّهُمْ فِتْيَةٌ—Allah mentioned that they are youth, وَهُمُ الشَّبَابُ وَهُمْ أَقْبَلُ لِلْحَقِّ وَأَهْدَىٰ لِلسَّبِيلِ بِنَ الشُّيُوخِ. The youth are the ones who accept the truth the quickest—they are the ones who surrender to the truth quicker than the elder ones, the senior people. They've made up their minds; they've already decided on the path they are going to take, وَنْغَمَسُوا فِي دِينِ البَاطِلِ—they have indulged in false religions, those who are senior in age. وَلِهَذَا كَانَ أَكْثَرُ الْمُسْتَجِيبِينَ. Based on that, the majority of the people who accepted the message of the Messenger ﷺ were youth—شَبَابٌ—while the elders of Quraysh, الْمَشَايِخُ مِنْ قُرَيْشِ, mostly remained upon their religion and did not submit; إِلَّا الْقَلِيلُ, except for a few among the elders because they had already made up their minds. Look what he then says: وَهَاكَذَا أَخْبَرَ تَعَالَىٰ عَنْ أَصْحَابِ الْكَهْفِ, and Allah is also telling us the same thing about أَصْحَابُ الْكَهْفِ—they were young, شَبَابًا.
And if you look at the Prophet's message, صلى الله عليه وسلم, he directed it at the youth. He spoke to them multiple times. He said in a famous hadith that you all know, سَبْعَةٌ يُظِلُّهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي ظِلِّهِ يَوْمَ لَا ظِلَّ إِلَّا ظِلُّهُمْ—"Seven, Allah will give them shade on the day when there is no shade except His." Seven groups of people—among them is, وَشَابٌ نَشَأَ عَلَىٰ طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ—a youth who grew up in obedience to Allah. He is one of the seven who will be given shade on the day when we most need shade. Is that it? No.
In another narration, the Prophet mentioned, صلى الله عليه وسلم, "اغْتَنِمْ خَمْسًا قَبْلَ خَمْسٍ"—"Benefit from five before five comes to you." And in that, the Prophet mentioned, "وَشَبَابَكَ قَبْلَ حَرَمِكَ"—"Benefit from that age when you are a youth before you age; benefit from that time." Actually, what's very profound is this hadith. It always amazed me when I heard this hadith. The Prophet mentioned in the hadith narrated by Imam al-Tirmidhi in his Jamia, from the hadith of Abī Barza al-Aslamīn, that the Prophet said, "لا تَزُولُ قَدَمَاءُ عَبْدٍ يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ"—"A slave's foot will not move on the Day of Judgment." You will not be allowed to move right or left, forward or backward. You will remain still in that position until you are asked four questions—حَتَّى يُسْأَلَ عَنْ أَرْبَعٍ—four questions. You will be confronted, and you must have an answer for them. What's very profound in the four questions is that one of the questions is, "عَنْ عُمْرِهِ فِي مَا أَفْنَى"—"How have you spent your life?" You'll be asked about your entire life—and in that same hadith, it says, "وَعَنْ شَبَابِهِ فِي مَا أَبْلَى"—"And how you spent your youth." I always used to ask myself, why is Allah or the Prophet mentioning in this hadith that the lifespan of a person will be asked, and then again, the youth, مَرْحَلَةُ الشَّبَابِي, will be asked? Why is that not part of the overall time? The reason you are asked about this مَرْحَلَةُ الشَّبَابِي is because of its importance.
Actually, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, in his Kitab al-'Aqīdah al-Wasitiyah, authenticated this hadith where the Prophet ﷺ said, "إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَيَعْجَبُ بِشَابٍ لَيْسَ لَهُ صَبُوَةٌ"—"Indeed, Allah is fascinated by a youth who does not have deficiencies." A youth who does not have the deficiencies that youths typically have—such as being tempted by women, wasting money, or time. He is very focused, very determined, and driven; he knows what he wants and upholds the morals a Muslim should uphold. When that comes from a youth, Allah is fascinated. The reason Ibn Taymiyyah mentioned it in al-'Aqīdah al-Wasitiyah is to affirm from the hadith, صِفَةُ العَجَب—the characteristics of fascination. The Prophet gave a lot of importance to the youth ﷺ; he used to address them by that title. He would say, "يَا مَعْشَرَ الشَّبَابِ، مَنْ اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْكُمْ الْبَاءَةَ فَلْيَتَزَوَّجْ"—"O group of youth, whoever among you is able to marry, then let him marry," and "وَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ"—"and whoever is not able," "فَعَلَيْهِ بِالصَّوْمِ"—"should fast." For if you cannot get married, fasting will castrate your desires. In the end, the fact that the Prophet kept addressing the youth shows you the importance of youth.
The second characteristic that Ashabul Kahfi have is, فِتْيَةٌ آمَنُوا—they believed; they believed in Allah, سبحانه وتعالى. And, brothers and sisters, حسن البصري summarized this statement of Iman by saying, "لَيْسَ الإِيمَانُ بِالتَّحَلِّي وَلَا بِالتَّمَنِّي، وَلَكِنَّهُ مَا وَقَرَ فِي الْقَلْبِ وَصَدَقَةُ الْعَمَلِ." Hassan al-Basri said, "Iman is not a mere claim; it is not just saying 'I am a Mu'min.' Iman is what settles in the heart—it is what is deep in your heart—and then it is manifested in your actions. It cannot be that you have strong Iman in your heart and it does not appear on your limbs." Scholars from أهل السنة والجماعة—many prominent scholars of عقيدة, hadith, and fiqh mention it. For example, أبو قاسم هبت الله ألّا لكئيّ, and أبو بطّة العكبُر رحمه الله, and قِوَامُ السُّنَّةِ in his Kitab al-Hujjah, in Bayan al-Mahajja, mention it. A large number of scholars mention the concept of التَّلَزُّمُ بَيْنَ الظَّاهِرِ وَالْبَاطِنِ—that there is a relationship between what is inside your heart and what is manifested on your limbs. It is not possible for a person's heart to have strong Iman while their outward actions show nothing; it cannot be absent from your limbs. Of course, it is possible to have little Iman in your heart that does not manifest strongly, but if your Iman is complete in your heart, it cannot be absent from your limbs. So, Iman is not just a claim, brothers—it is something that we must show in our actions.
When Allah says in the context of أَصْحَابُ الْكَهْفِ, "إِنَّهُمْ فِتْيَةٌ آمَنُوا," it does not merely mean that it is in their hearts; it means that they acted upon it—they lived by Iman, and it shaped who they were. And, of course, we are going to see that, Insha'Allah Ta'ala, and this, my brothers and sisters, is the concept of Iman: when it enters your heart, it shapes everything around you; everything falls in line. The Mu'min becomes, as they say, tunnel-visioned—he knows why he is here, where he is heading, and what he wants. Allah made it clear in the Quran. For example, there is a battle, Insha'Allah Ta'ala, that we are going to see in the Seerah. Allah speaks about that battle—I have mentioned it a few times—but again, the reminder benefits the believer. This battle is called Ghazwatul Khandaq; it is also called Ghazwatul Ahzab. The reason it is called Ghazwatul Khandaq is that the Prophet ﷺ had to build a trench. But it is also called Ghazwatul Ahzab because many different factions came together to fight the Prophet ﷺ—there were many groups: Hizb, Ghatafanan, Banu Quraizan, Banu Nadheeran, Banu Qaynuqaan, Quraysh—all came together once and for all to try to destroy the Prophet ﷺ.
Look at the way Allah speaks about that battle, and I want you to consider the people and their state at that moment. They were two groups, not a third. Allah says, "يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ جَاءَتْكُمْ جُنُودٌ فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ رِيحًا وَجُنُودًا لَمْ تَرَوْهَا وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرًا." And, "إِذْ جَاءُوكُمْ مِنْ فَوْقِكُمْ وَمِنْ أَسْفَلَ مِنْكُمْ." And, "إِذْ زَاغَتِ الْأَبْصَارُ"—your eyes went up—and, "وَإِذْ زَاغَتِ الْأَبْصَارُ وَبَلَغَتِ الْقُلُوبُ الْحَنَاجِرَ." The hearts reached the throat. There is no battle; Allah described it like this, "وَتَظُنُّونَ بِاللَّهِ الظُّنُونَ." Then Allah says, "هُنَالِكَ بِالتُّلِيَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَزِلُوا الْزِلُو وَزُلْزِلُوا زِلْزَأْلٍ شَدِيدًا." Allah said, "I tested them," and it shook the believers. Hunger, cold, the fire—they ignited. They were in their city—the entire city of Medina was besieged; their women were behind them. The Jews of Medina had already broken the contract, and they were behind them with their women and children. It was a moment of test.
For whom was this test? For the Prophet and his companions. Allah tells us there are two groups of people. Ponder here: the first group is those who are hypocrites who do not have the characteristics of Iman. Allah says, "وَإِذْ يَقُولُ الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَالَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَرَضٌ." The phrase "فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَرَضٌ" is mentioned by scholars throughout the Quran referring to the hypocrites, except in Sūrat al-Ḥizb, "وَفَلَا تَخْضَعْنَا بِالْقَوْلِ فَيَطْرِبُ الَّذِي فِي قَلْبِهِ مَرَضٌ وَقُلْنَا قَوْلًا مَعْرُوفًا"—this is not necessarily referring to the hypocrites; it can also refer to Muslims whose hearts are afflicted with sickness. Other than that, it refers to the hypocrites. So, this verse refers to the hypocrites: "وَإِذْ يَقُولُ الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَالَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَرَضٌ مَا وَعَدَنَا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ إِلَّا غُنُورًا." Now, the test has come. They were tested, and the response they gave was: they accused Allah and His Messenger. They said, "Allah and His Messenger deceived us." It was Allah and His Messenger who put us through this trial in the first place—we did not even have this problem initially. Their criticism and statements were directed at Allah and His Messenger.
What about the believers? They responded in the opposite way to what the Munāfiqīn said. In the same situation, the believers said, "وَلَمَّا رَأَى الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الْأَحْزَابَ قَالُوا، 'هَذَا مَا وَعَدَنَا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، وَصَدَقَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، وَمَا زَادَهُمْ إِلَّا إِيمَانًا وَتَسْلِيمًا.'" They saw the same circumstances, yet their response was different because of their Iman.
Another example is the people of Fir'aun—the magicians of Fir'aun. When Musa, عليه السلام, came, they spoke to Fir'aun and said, "أَإِنَّ لَنَا لَأَجْرًا إِن كُنَّا نَحْنُ الْغَالِبِينَ?" If we were to remove Musa, annihilate him, and crush him, would we get something? Would you do something for us? Fir'aun said, "Of course I will; I will raise you up so that you are part of my closest circle." They were happy. When they threw their sticks and whatever they had, whose name were they throwing it at? They said, "بِعِزَّةِ فِرْعَوْنِ"—"with the power and strength of Fir'aun." That was what they were like at the beginning when they saw what they saw. Then Musa became fearful—Allah says, "فَأُوجِسَ فِي نَفْسِهِ خِيْفًا." Musa, slightly afraid, saw that what he could see was scary. Allah commanded him, "Throw the stick." Musa threw the stick, and with Allah's permission, it became a big snake that devoured everything. Now, what happened to the magicians? They did a complete turnaround—a 180° shift. The magicians, from where they were, did a complete turnaround and said, "قَالُوا، 'أَمَنَّا بِرَبِّ هَارُونَ وَمُوسَىٰ.'" They said, "We believe." Who do we believe? "أَمَنَّا بِرَبِّ هَارُونَ وَمُوسَىٰ." Now, they became Mu'min—they surrendered to Allah, and they tasted the sweetness of Iman.
Firaun tried to scare them and said, "لَأُقَطِّ عَنْ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ مِنْ خِلَافٍ وَلَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ فِي جُذُوعِ النَّخْلِ وَلَتَعْلَمُونَ أَيُّنَا أَشَدُّ عَذَابًا وَأَبْقَىٰ."
I'm gonna make an example of you guys: I'm gonna cut your hands off, I'm gonna hang you on the trees, I'm gonna make an example of you, I promise.
What did they say? What do you want, Firaun? Where is that coming from? Where is that response coming from? It's coming from where? Iman—they've tasted the sweetness of Iman. And so this is what they say to Firaun:
قَالُوا لَنُؤْثِرَكَ عَلَىٰ مَا جَاءَنَا
(We are not going to choose you over what has come to us.)
That which Musa has just brought to us is Iman, Wallahi; we are not going to choose you over it. And before, who were they choosing? Firaun.
So my brothers and sisters, this issue of Iman is what we really need to work on. If we really work on it, Iman will bring so much for us, my brothers and sisters. It is actually Iman that unites us. When Allah says that the people are brothers, what did He use?
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ
If we strengthen our Iman, we will become brothers. The Prophet did not use the word Muslim; he used the word مؤمن. The believer to another believer is like a building which supports one another. Who is divided? The people who lack Iman.
وَلَا تَكُونُوا مِنَ المُشْرِكِينَ، مِنَ الَّذِينَ فَرَّقُوا دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُوا شِيَعًا
A مُشْرِك is the opposite of a مؤمن; he is the one from whom division comes.
وَلَا تَكُونُوا مِنَ المُشْرِكِينَ، مِنَ الَّذِينَ فَارَقُوا دِينَهُمْ
(Another recitation: "مِنَ الَّذِينَ فَارَقُوا دِينَهُمْ")—who left their religion and walked away from it. We are all together brothers.
So the first characteristic that we need to come with, my brothers and sisters, is that we have to have Iman.
The third characteristic Allah mentioned for أصحاب الكهف is that they were guided:
إِنَّهُمْ فِتْيَةٌ آمَنُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ وَزِيدْنَاهُمْ هُدًى
They had Iman; Allah increased them in guidance, سبحانه وتعالى. These individuals are profound—أصحاب الكهف. Allah is mentioning them; He named an entire surah after them, سبحانه وتعالى. Anyone whom Allah guides—Wallahi, there is no one to misguide you. If Allah puts you on the right path, then
مَنْ يَهْدِي اللهُ فَهُوَ المُهْتَدِي، وَمَنْ يُضِلْ فَلَنْ تَجِدَ لَهُ وَلِيًّا مُرْشِدًا
If Allah misguides you, then there is no one to help you. Brothers, that's why the Prophet, صلى الله عليه وسلم, in every khutbah would say,
مَنْ يَهْدِيهِ اللهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ، وَمَنْ يُضِلْ فَلَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ هَادِيًا
and he would say,
وَزِيدْنَاهُمْ هُدًى
But, brothers, for Allah to give you guidance—to increase you in guidance, to show you things as they are—what is required from you? And those who seek guidance,
الَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْا
show appreciation for guidance. Allah says,
وَالَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْا زَادَهُمْ هُدًى، وَآتَاهُمْ تَقْوَاهُمْ
He increased their guidance and gave them taqwa.
The fourth characteristic of Ashabul Kahf was that they remained firm—ثَابِتُونَ عَلَىٰ دِينِهِم. They stayed firm; they did not shake when a little wind of questioning or doubt came. Look what Allah says:
وَرَبَطْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِم
(We strengthened their hearts.) And what did He say?
وَصَبَّرْنَاهُمْ
(We made them patient.)
Allah gave them resilience in facing opposition from their nation. Although they were few in number and going against the entire nation, Allah gave them patience. This is something Allah also granted the Sahabah in the Battle of Badr. As Muhammad Al-Amin Al-Shankitiyyu said, if we look at the ayah:
إِذْ يُغَشِيكُمُ النُّعَاسَ أَمَنَةً، وَيُنَزِّلُ عَلَيْكُم مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً لِيُطَهِّرَكُم بِهِ، وَيُذْهِبْ عَنكُم رِجْزَ الشَّيْطَانِ، وَلِيَرْبِطَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِكُمْ وَيُثَبِّتَ بِهِ الْأَقْدَامَ
we find that when the Sahabah came to the Battle of Badr, Allah made their hearts firm. Ashabul Kahf, when they left their place of residence and showed that they did not want to remain in a place where disobedience to Allah prevailed, received firm and patient hearts from Allah. It has to come from you—it has to come from your actions. You cannot sit back and expect everything to be done for you. Look at the mother of Musa: when Allah SWT instructed her to tie him to the edge of her building, she used to, every day, put him in a bucket, a basket. One day the rope loosened and Nabi Musa got away. Allah says,
وَأَصْبَحَ فُؤَادُ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰ فَارِغًا. إِن كَادَتْ لَتُبْدِي بِهِ
(And the heart of the mother of Musa became empty. Had she shown it, We would have tied her heart so that she would be among the believers.)
That feeling comes when you listen to Allah first. That is what, brothers and sisters, many people are looking for. They are not going to get it unless they surrender to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. And, my brothers, listen: every one of those three situations I just told you—
إِنَّهُمْ فِتْيَةٌ آمَنُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ، وَزِيدْنَاهُمْ هُدًى، وَرَبَطْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِم
—in Surah Al-Anfal, where Allah mentions the Battle of Badr, Allah made their hearts firm, as with the mother of Musa (عليه السلام). Though the outer circumstances were not pleasant, their hearts were calm. Remember, they are like a well-built boat in the middle of the ocean where tides come from all directions; as long as water does not get inside the ship, it will not sink—it will float.
The last characteristic that they had was that they ran to Allah,
سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ, فِرَارُهُمْ إِلَىٰ اللَّهِ تَعَالَىٰ.
They were in a land where disobedience to Allah prevailed, where shirk was practiced—the land of the disbelievers. They ran away for the sake of their religion.
وَإِذَا اعْتَزَلْتُمُوهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ فَأُوُوا إِلَىٰ الْكَهْفِ. يُنْشِرْ لَكُمْ رَبُّكُمْ مِن رَحْمَتِهِ، وَيُهَيِّئْ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُمْ مِنَ الْفِقَارِ
They went to the cave; they secluded themselves there, and that is when Allah, in a place where disobedience prevailed, revealed the true religion. It is upon a believer to rise up and leave such a place rather than remain in it.
What were the things that Allah did for them once they came with all those characteristics? I want to share some of the things I've written today just after reciting Surah Al-Kahf. By the way, there is a difference of opinion regarding reciting Surah Al-Kahf on Friday. If the hadith is sahih, my heart leans toward the idea that reciting it any day of the week is correct and the reward is still there. Restricting it to Friday is not only because Friday is connected to the reward; if you read it on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, you still get the reward. The ahadith that restrict it to Friday are not authentic, but the hadith that keep it general are authentic. Does that make sense? You can read it on Friday and get the reward; you can read it on Saturday and get the reward; you can read it on Thursday and get the reward—whichever day you want. Some people think it's specific to Friday because of the narrations. Yes, some scholars authenticated it, but I'm of the opinion that those narrations restricting it to Friday (every Friday night or daytime) are not authentic. However, if you consider the authenticity in general, it's fine, insha'Allah. The issue of sahih and dha'if is an ijtihadi issue; opinions differ, and no one should impose his view on others. So next Friday, you can still come to the class—no one's going to kick you out for holding that opinion, insha'Allah ta'ala.
What are some of the things Allah gave Ashab ul Kahf once they came with those characteristics?
First, Allah protected, subhanahu wa ta'ala, their bodies. Ashab ul Kahf, as you all know, went into the cave and slept. But what was very profound was that their sleep was very long.
They were tossing and turning, and if you saw them, it was as if they were awake. These were things Allah gave them, subhanahu wa ta'ala. This is called karamat. As Muslims, should we believe that there are karamat? Of course. These are not prophets; Ashab ul Kahf are not prophets, but do they have karamat? They do. Can a Muslim—a mu'min—be given karamat? Yes, it is a haqeed. You have to believe that, but one must come with characteristics of Iman and taqwa. There is someone who does not pray and says, "I don't have to pray," and has nine wives, and then says, "I get karamat; I go to the Kaaba, I pray, and I come back." That person, we will say, is twisting the concept of karamat; he has no karamat. We know from various books that karamat are mentioned in the Seerah. Abu Bakr, for example, had some karamat—like when food miraculously increased in his house when guests came, similar to what happened for the Prophet when guests visited. This is one of the karamat.
Ashab ul Kahf had karamat. Allah said about them—from their karamat, the sun could not hurt their body. The burning sun, with its heat, Allah took the heat away so it would not harm them. The sun would come into the cave, but it would not directly affect their bodies, because while the human body requires a certain amount of sun, it would not burn their skin. Also, their skin did not wear out. If they were to lie in one particular spot, the earth would consume them, but they did not; they would turn over when they got tired. Moreover, they were not hungry before that. Allah says that if you were to see them, you would think they were awake—you would wonder, "How could that be?" Their eyes were open; they appeared as though they were awake, but in reality, they were sleeping. Allah says, "I was the one tossing them right and left." All of this is because of the characteristics they came with—those very characteristics that Allah is protecting them with, accepting their dua, subhanahu wa ta'ala, and because of their nobility and righteousness. Even the dog that was with them—Allah mentioned that as well. Scholars said that the significance of mentioning the dog is that he was with them, with noble people. When you are with good people, you deserve to be mentioned; you deserve to be recognized. Look at the significance of his position: Allah didn't just mention that they had a dog; He mentioned the position of the dog—his legs were stretched out. The dog was in the same situation as them. Being in the companionship of righteous people benefits you. Select your friends wisely. Who are the people you can trust? Can this person be my friend? Yes—select, choose; don't let just anyone into your life. Why? Because you are what your friend is. It is a representation of who you are. Why did you choose this person? Why do you like to be around this person? Something within you is attracted to that person, and the Prophet summarized it when he said,
"المرء على دين خليله."
A person is on the religion of his friend. So today, think about it—choose carefully; handpick the person you want to be your friend. Don't just let anybody into your life. Why, my brothers and sisters? Because, as the Prophet said, "مُدَنِّيٌّ، بالطبع."
We as humans copy each other. If you look at who you are today, you're an amalgamation of many different influences—things you’ve taken from your mom, your dad, your siblings, your neighbors, the people you play football with. All of that has shaped who you are. True or false?
When you choose a person, he is going to affect the way you think, the way you talk, the way you carry yourself, and the way you respond to things. I’m sure all of you here will admit to that. You’ve met people who have amazed you—you thought, "SubhanAllah, just being with them has touched my heart," or you were amazed at the way they carry themselves. That is why choosing your friends wisely, like أصحاب الكهف, is beneficial.
And regarding the mention of the dog—why did Allah mention it, subhanahu wa ta'ala? Also, one of the things Allah did for أصحاب الكهف was to make their appearance intimidating—the way they looked—so that nobody could try to harm them. That is why Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala mentions:
وَكَلْبُهُمْ بَاسِطٌ ذِرَاعَيْهِ بِالْوَصِيدِ.
If you saw them, لَوَلَّيْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِرَارًا—you would run away from them. It wasn’t that they were beautifully sleeping; it was to scare off anyone who might try to harm them.
Brothers, I took a benefit from Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali. He, رحمه الله, said a very profound statement: Allah is protecting them even though they are not protecting themselves. He is taking care of them even though they are not taking care of themselves. Why?
اِنَّهُمْ فِتْيَةٌ آمَنُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ وَزِيدَنَاهُمْ هُدًى.
They had Iman—they came with what was required of them. Allah said, "Don't worry; I'll take over. I'll take care of you." They were not coming with the means for Allah to protect them at that moment; He was taking care of them. And guess what, subhanahu wa ta'ala? Scholars mentioned that the time they spent in the cave was longer than the time they were out on the earth, meaning a small deed for them resulted in protection for a longer time. And that’s what’s required from us, brothers:
عَمَلٌ يَسِيرٌ لِأَجْرٍ كَثِيرٌ.
A small deed for a lot of reward—that's what we need. We don't have to move mountains. I mentioned before that Abu Bakr became a companion at the age of around 30, and he died at around 60—approximately 30 years of active life. Yet, he has been gone from this earth for 1400 years, reaping the fruits of those 30 years only.
After all the prophets, عَمَلٌ يَسِيرٌ—that's what the Quran means when it says:
يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ أَن يَتُوبَ عَلَيْكُمْ.
Allah wants to forgive you.
يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ أَن يُخَفِّفَ عَنكُمْ.
Allah wants to make it easy for you.
Allah wants to take you to Jannah.
Jannah can take us all, brothers.
So small deeds—how long did they stay in their cave?
وَلَبِثُوا فِي كَهْفِهِمْ ثَلَاثَ مِئَةٍ.
300 years—and some scholars mentioned it wasn’t even 100 years that they walked on this earth; they stayed
وَلَبِثُوا فِي كَهْفِهِمْ ثَلَاثَ مِئَةٍ سِنِينَ وَازْدَادُوا تِسْعًا—309 years.
They were sleeping. Allah is honoring them and protecting them, سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى. Some scholars mentioned that this protection is for us too:
لَهُ مُعَقِبَاتٌ مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ يَحْفَظُونَهُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ.
That’s exactly what the Prophet was teaching Abdullah ibn Abbas when he said to him:
يَا غُلَامِ، إِنِّي أُعَلِّمُكَ كَلِمَاتٍ، اِحْفَظِ اللَّهَ يَحْفَظْكَ.
("O young man, I am teaching you some words: Protect Allah, and He will protect you." )
Protect Allah's boundaries, uphold this religion, and be fearful of Allah. Guess what? يَحْفَظْكَ Allah will protect you.
You will know, in Surah Al-Kahf, when Nabila, Musa, and Khadir are walking together, they come to an orphan whose house is about to collapse:
جِدَارٌ يُرِيدُ أَن يَنْقَضَ، فَأَقَامَهُ.
It was a building that was about to collapse. Musa asked them, and Khadir, "Take us as guests." They refused. Musa got upset with that. Khadir—what did he do? He built their house for them, and he told them the reason was because they are orphans, and underneath is what treasure; he wanted to conceal it for them. The reason he did all of that was:
وَكَانَ أَبُوهُمَا صَالِحًا.
Their parents were righteous people. Allah sent two prophets to build their house for them because their parents were good. Saeed ibn al-Musayyib used to say, before he started his prayer—he is known as Sayyid al-Tabi'een—to his children, "I'm going to pray, I'm going to fast, and I'm going to do righteous deeds so that Allah can protect you because of the good that I do. My good deeds—Allah will protect you."
We all know the story of Abu Tiba al-Tabari. They said he reached 100 years of age—100 years. He was on a camel, and he jumped from the camel, and his students were shocked. They said to him, "Be gentle on yourself; you're 100 years of age—how are you going to jump from a camel?" And do you know what he said?
حَفِظْنَاهَا فِي الصِّغَرِ، فَحَفِظَهَا اللَّهُ فِي الْكِبَرِ.
("We protected our limbs when we were young, and Allah will protect them for us when we are old.")
Some of the Salafis saw a man who was begging, and he was begging the people. They said:
ضَيَّعَ اللَّهُ فِي الصِّغَرِ، فَإِذْ ضَيَّعَهُ اللَّهُ فِي الْكِبَرِ.
("Allah wasted him in his youth; so when Allah wasted him in his old age…")
He forsook Allah when he was young, and now Allah has forsaken him. If we forsake Allah’s religion, Allah will forsake us, سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى, and we will taste the bitterness of suffering and hardship.
I will stop here, insha'Allah. Anything I've said that is wrong or incorrect is from me and Shaytan. Allah and His Messenger are both free from it.
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، أَشْهَدُ أَن لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ، أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ، وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ.
