The Travels and Travails of Dhul-Qarnain

بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

Every Friday, many Muslims around the world read this Surah.

It would be great if we take time to reflect over and connect the Qur’anic stories to our real life situations.

This article is an amazing read on one of the finest Qur’anic stories that is an inspiration of all times. Please do take time to read this….inShaaAllah.

Surah al Kahf presents Two Types of Hearts

بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

In Surah al Kahf, Allah subhanahu wa Ta’aala mentions two groups of people with two contrasting attitudes emerging from two types of hearts. Subhanallaah. 

Medical References at the Shadows of Surah al Kahf

‘The Medical Miracles of the Qur’an’ is a resourceful book authored by Dr. Sharif Kaf al Ghazal, and published by The Islamic Foundation, Leicester.

I am sharing a beautiful description about sleep, hearing and related points. The author discusses about the medical aspects from the story of the Ashaab al Kahf, the Sleepers of the Cave, from the amazing Surah al Kahf.  

Read, enjoy and glorify Allah for revealing the glorious Qur’an for the welfare of mankind. 

What is al Baaqiyaat-us-Salihaat ?

When someone you are deeply attached to departs, you feel sad, lonely, and dejected. 

When Ramadhaan leaves us, we feel abandoned. 

When you have to wind up your Umrah/Hajj journey and you know that this is your last sight of Ka’bah, your spiritual heart bleeds.

The absence of permanence in different facets of our life is the common factor for all our heartbreaks.

The ocean called Surah al Kahf

Dear brothers and sisters, Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah.

I have organised all posts on Surah al Kahf, published in this blog till date, in one page here so that it is convenient for my blog readers, alhamdulillaah to explore on different aspects of this beautiful Surah that is often recited by the global Muslim Ummah especially on Fridays.

Surah al Kahf: A Weekly Reminder to Hang On with the Community

 

While reading Surah al Kahf – ‘Cave’ for ‘Kahf’ – last Friday I experienced a flashback.

One of the greatest statements of Umar ibn al Khattab struck my mind:

لَا إِسْلَامَ إِلَّا بِجَمَاعَةٍ ، وَلَا جَمَاعَةَ إِلَّا بِإِمَارَةٍ ، وَلَا إِمَارَةَ إِلَّا بِطَاعَةٍ

“No Islam without Community, No Community without Leadership, No leadership without Obedience.”

Those who consciously stay in this Cave do not stray. Alhamdulillaah. Yes! Our temporary visit to this Cave every Friday equips us with the staying power for the rest of our life!

Finding Refuge in the Cave

Sharing this beautiful write-up which brings out the wisdom behind reciting Surah al Kahf, every Friday.

WHILE WE WERE baking our signature chocolate chip cookies one morning, my daughter asked me a simple question: “Mommy? Why do you have to read “Sûrat Al-Kahf” every Friday?

How to Be a Productive Muslim?

“How To Be A Productive Muslim: Treasures of Wisdom From the Story of Prophet Moosa and Khidr”. I found this post to be beneficial, so sharing here. 

The caring Prophet, and a community so unmoved!

Every Friday, for more than one thousand four hundred years, it has been the practice of thousands of Muslims the world over to recite the Surah al Kahf.

This Surah, like other suwar of the Qur’an, has in its fold an ocean depth of meanings that gives Muslims a purpose to live, a sense of direction.

Today I would like to highlight an important aspect about the personality of the glorious Prophet, Muhammad sal-lal-laahu-alaihi-wa-sallam, which this amazing Surah brings into limelight.

This aspect of our Prophet’s personality is often ignored by most of the Muslims in the world. Those who talk a lot about the fiqhi or jurisprudential  aspects of religious matters seldom get time even to ponder over this aspect of the Messenger of Allah.

Hardly we find Muslims in the world today observing this sunnah. 

Even if we adopt one percent of what our Benefactor use to feel, we would be doing a great service to our own selves in our day to day life. And those who have dedicated their life – such fortunate ones are unfortunately less in the world – to care and share the treasure of Islam to humanity, are really worthy of being called true followers of Prophet Muhammad sal-lal-laahu-alaihi-wa-sallam. May Allah make us one among those fortunate few. Aameen.

Well, what is that thing that was in the person of the Prophet which is badly lacking in most of us? 

Surah al Kahf is an Action-packed Surah!

Dear brothers and sisters, Assalamu Alaikum.wa.Rahmatullah.

Whenever I Enter this Cave, I Come Out with Treasure. Subhanallah.

Surah al Kahf consists of many Verbs of Movement, Striving and Endeavor – أفعال الحركة والسعى

This Surah for sure calls for harakah on the part of Muslims.

Life must be dynamic, not static.

Active, not passive. Energetic, not lethargic.

This Surah starts by giving glad tidings to the Believers Who Do Righteous Deeds that they will have a good reward وَيُبَشِّرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ الصَّالِحَاتِ and ends with the Command: Do Righteous deeds فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا 

Aspects of Dawah in Surah al Kahf

Surah al Kahf is an encyclopedia in itself! Subhanallaah!

As we read and understand the Surah, we come across four different aspects of Dawah.

Dawah is to call people to Islam, to advise people about what is Right and what is wrong, to remind those who have forgotten their duties and to stand up against injustice and oppression. 

Lessons from Surah al Kahf

Dear brothers and sisters, Assalamu Alaikum.

As Friday and Surah al Kahf are intimately connected, I am presenting a simple but meaningful presentation on this lesson-rich Surah.

May Allah bless the one who made this presentation. 

Why Ya’juuj and Ma’juuj are Still a Mystery?

The story of Ya’juuj and Ma’juuj (Gog and Magog) in Surah al Kahf is not only interesting but it also has many lessons for us.

Many Muslims read Surah al Kahf on Fridays, and blessed are those who try to understand and ponder over its teachings.

I came across an interesting Question and Answer on Gog and Magog, and would like to re-post here for the benefit of all readers. 

Through Surah al Kahf and Throughout our life!

Reading Surah al Kahf every Friday is always rewarding, refreshing, rejuvenating, reinforcing.

Instilling, inspiring, involving, incorporating.

Every week the regular reader is reminded that everything in this world happens with the knowledge and permission of Allah. Without the Will of Allah, nothing happens!

Muslims are enjoined to say MaaShaaAllah and InShaaAllah in their day to day life. When making a plan, say Inshaa’Allah. If Allah wills, it will happen. Upon witnessing something pleasant or unpleasant, say MaaShaa’Allah. What Allah willed, has happened/What Allah wills, will happen! 

‘What sort of book is this?!!’

Friday and Surah al Kahf is synonymous with the reciters of the Qur’an.

What makes some of us to take a pause when we come across this ayah in Surah al Kahf?

The Qur’anic words are so effective that they take the readers on a virtual tour giving them the experience of visualizing the scene depicted as if it were to happen in front of one’s very eyes! 

Exploring ‘Rahmah” in Surah al Kahf, Part 2

Dear brothers and sisters, Assalamu Alaikum.

There is so much to learn from Surah al Kahf.

In Part 1 our focus was on the word Rahmah as such being used in Surah al Kahf.

Let us now try to explore some more aspects of Rahmah, Inshaa’Allah…

“Rahmah” in Surah al Kahf

Last Friday,  I was reading Surah al Kahf as usual. While reading a thought came to my mind about Rahmah – grace, compassion and mercy. As i was proceeding, i got slow in recitation because my mind was wonder struck at the word ‘Rahmah’ being frequently used in this Surah. Then i paused for a while and thought may be this is yet another miracle of this Surah. A thought came to my mind that Rahmah could even be the theme of this Surah.

Beauty in Surah al Kahf

Today I was reading some interesting notes on Surah al Kahf from different books and web pages, and I found this insight about this Surah and wanted to share with you all. Subhanallah! Our Ummah has got talents and the pooling of resources is perhaps one of the most challenging of tasks the community is facing today! Read on…

Friday and Reciting Surah al Kahf

This is just a reminder on the importance of reciting Surah al Kahf on a Friday.

Moses and Al-Khidr: Model of Resolution

Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem.

One of the stylistic tools used by the Glorious Qur’an to convey its message is narratives (qasas), which can be found in the Qur’an in different forms and for different purposes. The Qur’an relates the stories of the previous nations, stories of the prophets, descriptions of certain events, etc. All in all, the objective is clear: It is a teaching, glad tidings for believers, a reminder, and a warner. So in all the stories of the Qur’an, there is a lesson for people to derive, not just a narration or a mere tale-telling, as Allah says: