Surah al-Kahf is a surah that many Muslims recite every Friday, as there are a number of authentic hadiths that indicate the virtue of doing so. However, unfortunately not many of us reflect over the meanings of this great surah.

The following is a collection of reflections on Surah al-Kahf which I have been posting on social media every Friday over a span of several years. I have decided to gather them all in one place here for easy access. They have been rearranged in the order that the verses appear in the Surah.

• Surah al-Kahf teaches us that holding on firmly to the Qur’an (both by recitation and action) protects one from all kinds of fitnah. It’s no wonder that the one who recites it on Fridays will be protected from the greatest fitnah to afflict man: the Dajjal.

• Surah al-Kahf addresses a variety of fitan:

1) Fitnah of religion (companions of the cave)
2) Fitnah of wealth (owner of the two gardens)
3) Fitnah of knowledge (Musa and Khidr)
4) Fitnah of authority (Dhul-Qarnayn)

• Surah al-Kahf comprises of four stories that can be looked at as four different stages that the Ummah can go through:

1. Weakness: The youth who retreated to the cave.
2. Dialogue: The two companions of the garden.
3. Reform: Musa and Khidr.
4. Empowerment: Dhul-Qarnayn.

• You may think that living in a cave restricts your freedom and space, but the reality is that a cave is more spacious than open air if you worship Allah in it, while open air is less spacious than a cave if you’re unable to worship Allah therein.

• Never allow your daʿwah and advising others to be affected by people turning away from you and not accepting you:

{ فَلَعَلَّكَ بَاخِعٌ نَّفْسَكَ عَلَىٰ آثَارِهِمْ إِن لَّمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِهَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَسَفًا }
“Then perhaps you [O Muhammad] will grieve yourself to death over their denial, if they [continue to] disbelieve in this message.” [Al-Kahf 18:6]

• Surah al-Kahf protects the one who recites it from various kinds of fitnahs:

{ إِذْ أَوَى الْفِتْيَةُ إِلَى الْكَهْفِ فَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا }
“When the youths retreated to the cave and said, ‘Our Lord, grant us mercy from Yourself and facilitate for us our affair in the right way.’” [Al-Kahf 18:10]

These young men were tried with a fitnah, but they persevered with patience and asked Allah to rectify their affairs, and so Allah rectified for them their affairs and protected them.

• { إِذْ أَوَى الْفِتْيَةُ إِلَى الْكَهْفِ فَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا }
“When the youths retreated to the cave and said, ‘Our Lord, grant us mercy from Yourself and facilitate for us our affair in the right way.’” [Al-Kahf 18:10]

“This verse is explicit in terms of fleeing with one’s religion and migrating away from one’s family, children, relatives, friends, homeland and wealth out of fear of fitnah and what a person may face of trials. The Prophet ﷺ left fleeing with his religion, as well as his companions. They abandoned their homeland and left their land, homes, families, children, relatives and brothers in hope of saving their religion and being safe from the fitnah of the disbelievers.”

— Imam al-Qurtubi [d. 671 AH / 1273 CE]

• If you want Allah to increase you in guidance, then strengthen your Iman in Him:

{ نَّحْنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ نَبَأَهُم بِالْحَقِّ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ فِتْيَةٌ آمَنُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ وَزِدْنَاهُمْ هُدًى }
“It is We who relate to you their story in truth. Indeed, they were youths who believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance.” [Al-Kahf 18:13]

• Openly declaring yourself free from kufr is among the means that assure Allah’s help in keeping you firm upon the truth:

{ وَرَبَطْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ إِذْ قَامُوا فَقَالُوا رَبُّنَا رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ لَنْ نَدْعُوَ مِنْ دُونِهِ إِلَٰهًا }
“And We made their hearts firm when they stood up and said, ‘Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. Never will we call upon any deity besides Him.’” [Al-Kahf 18:14]

• If you want a description of the few that Allah has chosen to guide, thus making their hearts firm upon His religion, look no further than the youth who fled to the cave:

{ وَرَبَطْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ إِذْ قَامُوا فَقَالُوا رَبُّنَا رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ لَن نَّدْعُوَ مِن دُونِهِ إِلَٰهًا ۖ لَّقَدْ قُلْنَا إِذًا شَطَطًا }
“And We made their hearts firm when they stood up and said, ‘Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. Never will we call upon any deity besides Him. We would then have certainly spoken an excessive transgression.’” [Al-Kahf 18:14]

• Don’t refrain from carrying out what Allah has commanded you with, or from speaking the truth, or from standing up against falsehood… out of fear of harassment, imprisonment, embarrassment, poverty, etc. Take a lesson from the youth who were convinced that Allah would have mercy on them and make easy their affairs:

{ وَإِذِ اعْتَزَلْتُمُوهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ فَأْوُوا إِلَى الْكَهْفِ يَنشُرْ لَكُمْ رَبُّكُم مِّن رَّحْمَتِهِ وَيُهَيِّئْ لَكُم مِّنْ أَمْرِكُم مِّرْفَقًا }
“[The youths said to one another], ‘And when you have withdrawn from them and that which they worship besides Allah, retreat to the cave; your Lord will open a way for you from His Mercy and will make easy for you your affair.” [Al-Kahf 18:16]

• This verse proves that when a believer isolates himself from his disbelieving people and their false gods, he receives Allah’s mercy and kindness:

{ وَإِذِ اعْتَزَلْتُمُوهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ فَأْوُوا إِلَى الْكَهْفِ يَنشُرْ لَكُمْ رَبُّكُم مِّن رَّحْمَتِهِ وَيُهَيِّئْ لَكُم مِّنْ أَمْرِكُم مِّرْفَقًا }
“[The youths said to one another]: And when you have withdrawn from them and that which they worship other than Allah, retreat to the cave. Your Lord will spread out for you of His mercy and will prepare for you facility from your affair.” [Al-Kahf 18:16]

• When the youth realized the danger of the fitnah they were facing, they fled with their Īmān and didn’t say, “We aren’t afraid of anything, nor do we care what our people do.” The lesson we learn from this is that no one should approach a fitnah thinking that they will be able to handle it and be safe of its danger.

{ وَإِذِ اعْتَزَلْتُمُوهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ فَأْوُوا إِلَى الْكَهْفِ يَنشُرْ لَكُمْ رَبُّكُم مِّن رَّحْمَتِهِ وَيُهَيِّئْ لَكُم مِّنْ أَمْرِكُم مِّرْفَقًا }
“[The youths said to one another]: And when you have withdrawn from them and that which they worship besides Allah, retreat to the cave. Your Lord will spread out for you of His mercy and will prepare facility for you from your affair.” [Al-Kahf 18:16]

• Preserve your duty to Allah and He will preserve you:

Allah tells us of the youth who retreated to the cave and slept there for hundreds of years:

{ وَتَحْسَبُهُمْ أَيْقَاظًا وَهُمْ رُقُودٌ ۚ وَنُقَلِّبُهُمْ ذَاتَ الْيَمِينِ وَذَاتَ الشِّمَالِ }
“And you would have thought they were awake, though they were asleep. We turned them over, to the right and left.” [Al-Kahf 18:18]

Ibn ʿAbbas (radiyallahu ʿanhu) said, “If they had not been turned over, the earth would have consumed them.”

Lesson: Those who preserve the commandments of Allah, Allah preserves them and takes care of them. And whoever Allah preserves, He makes everything to be at their service; whether it be living or non-living beings.

• When you accompany good people, their good rubs off onto you. Ibn Kathir says regarding the dog that accompanied the youth to the cave:

“The blessing they enjoyed extended to their dog, so the sleep that overtook them overtook him too. This is the benefit of accompanying good people, and so this dog attained fame and stature.”

• Some scholars have gathered from this verse that sometimes it is recommended to conceal certain things and not reveal them:

{ فَابْعَثُوا أَحَدَكُم بِوَرِقِكُمْ هَٰذِهِ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ فَلْيَنظُرْ أَيُّهَا أَزْكَىٰ طَعَامًا فَلْيَأْتِكُم بِرِزْقٍ مِّنْهُ وَلْيَتَلَطَّفْ وَلَا يُشْعِرَنَّ بِكُمْ أَحَدًا }
“So send one of you with these silver coins of yours to the city, and let him find which food is the purest, and then bring you provisions from it. Let him be exceptionally cautious, and let no one be aware of you.” [Al-Kahf 18:19]

• The youth linked “not being successful” to returning to the religion of their people, and not to being stoned, because if they were killed for Allah’s Cause, they would attain martyrdom, and that is the greatest success in this life and the next:

{ إِنَّهُمْ إِن يَظْهَرُوا عَلَيْكُمْ يَرْجُمُوكُمْ أَوْ يُعِيدُوكُمْ فِي مِلَّتِهِمْ وَلَن تُفْلِحُوا إِذًا أَبَدًا }
“For if they come to know of you, they will stone you, or return you to their religion, and in that case you will never be successful.” [Al-Kahf 18:20]

• Ibn Kathir says commenting on this verse:

{ وَاذْكُر رَّبَّكَ إِذَا نَسِيتَ }
“And remember your Lord when you forget.” [Al-Kahf 18:24]

“Allah directs the one who forgets something of his words to remember Allah because forgetfulness originates from Shaytan, and the remembrance of Allah wards away Shaytan. So if Shaytan goes away, forgetfulness goes away. Thus, remembrance of Allah is a means of remembering [what you have forgotten].”

• If Allah was able to awaken the sleepers in the cave after some three hundred years, then He’s also able to awaken this Ummah regardless of how long it has been asleep.

{ وَلَبِثُوا فِي كَهْفِهِمْ ثَلَاثَ مِائَةٍ سِنِينَ وَازْدَادُوا تِسْعًا }
“They had remained in their cave for three hundred years, adding nine.” [Al-Kahf 18:25]

• Among the greatest means that help in remaining steadfast and avoiding a spiritual burnout is attaching yourself to the Qur’an. Allah related to us the story of the youth who retreated to the cave which contains lessons of steadfastness, then right after the story He said:

{ وَاتْلُ مَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ مِن كِتَابِ رَبِّكَ لَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِهِ وَلَن تَجِدَ مِن دُونِهِ مُلْتَحَدًا }
“Recite what has been revealed to you from the Book of your Lord. None can change His Words, nor can you find any refuge besides Him.” [Al-Kahf 18:27]

• Allah has made for every Muslim a symbolic cave that he can resort to for protection from trials and tribulations. Whoever resorts to this cave resorts to a strong place of refuge:

{ وَلَن تَجِدَ مِن دُونِهِ مُلْتَحَدًا }
“And never will you find a refuge in other than Him.” [Al-Kahf 18:27]

• One of the main themes of Surah al-Kahf is righteous companionship:

{ وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ ۖ وَلَا تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۖ }
“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.” [Al-Kahf 18:28]

The righteous companion is he who when you accompany, you become attached to the ākhirah.

• { وَلَا تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُ عَن ذِكْرِنَا }
“And do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance” [Al-Kahf 18:28]

Notice how Allah here refers to the heart and not the tongue. You may find someone who frequently says his adhkar (with his tongue) while the effect of that is missing in his manners and dealings with others. Why? Because he only remembers Allah with his tongue and not his heart.

• Becoming too attached to the dunya leads to a weakness in one’s conviction and certainty of the Hereafter:

{ وَدَخَلَ جَنَّتَهُ وَهُوَ ظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِ قَالَ مَا أَظُنُّ أَن تَبِيدَ هَٰذِهِ أَبَدًا * وَمَا أَظُنُّ السَّاعَةَ قَائِمَةً }
“And he entered his garden, while wronging his soul, saying: I don’t think this will ever perish, nor do I think the Hour will ever come.” [Al-Kahf 18:35-36]

• Materialistic deception often plays a major role in the denial of Allah’s existence and life after death:

{ وَدَخَلَ جَنَّتَهُ وَهُوَ ظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِ قَالَ مَا أَظُنُّ أَن تَبِيدَ هَٰذِهِ أَبَدًا * وَمَا أَظُنُّ السَّاعَةَ قَائِمَةً }
“And he entered his garden, while wronging his soul, saying: I don’t think this will ever perish, nor do I think the Hour will ever come.” [Al-Kahf 18:35-36]

• Every time you sense within you arrogance and feel yourself above others, remember:

{ قَالَ لَهُ صَاحِبُهُ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُ أَكَفَرْتَ بِالَّذِي خَلَقَكَ مِن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ سَوَّاكَ رَجُلًا }
“His companion said to him while conversing with him: Have you disbelieved in He who created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop, and then formed you into a man?” [Al-Kahf 18:37]

• The real blessing is the blessing of Islam and Iman, as it remains with you even after you leave this world. As for the blessings of the dunya, then they’re bound to eventually finish. This is what the believing companion of the garden realized:

{ إِن تَرَنِ أَنَا أَقَلَّ مِنكَ مَالًا وَوَلَدًا * فَعَسَىٰ رَبِّي أَن يُؤْتِيَنِ خَيْرًا مِّن جَنَّتِكَ }
“Although you see me less than you in wealth and children, It may be that my Lord will give me [something] better than your garden.” [Al-Kahf 18:39-40]

• The problem with many of us today is that we are attached to individuals and nations in hope for victory, forgetting that there is no real victor or savior besides Allah:

{ وَلَمْ تَكُن لَّهُ فِئَةٌ يَنصُرُونَهُ مِن دُونِ اللهِ وَمَا كَانَ مُنتَصِرًا }
“And he had no company to help him against Allah, nor could he even help himself.” [Al-Kahf 18:43]

• Allah compared the life of this world to water because water moves and doesn’t remain stagnant in one state. Likewise is the life of this world that moves on and doesn’t remain in one state:

{ وَاضْرِبْ لَهُمْ مَثَلَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا كَمَاءٍ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ }
“And present to them the example of the life of this world: like rain which We send down from the sky…” [Al-Kahf 18:45]

• Allah described the reward of the next life as ever-lasting after describing wealth and children as adornment of the worldly life to indicate that: although we may love wealth and children, they will not last forever, while on the other hand there is something that will last forever: the ever-lasting reward for good deeds:

{ الْمَالُ وَالْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَاباً وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلاً }
“Wealth and children are but adornment of the worldly life. But the good righteous deeds that last are better with your Lord in reward and better in respect of hope.” [Al-Kahf 18:46]

• Allah refers to wealth and children in the Qur’an as a fitnah, and here He refers to them as a mere adornment:

{ الْمَالُ وَالْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا }
“Wealth and children are but adornment of the worldly life.” [Al-Kahf 18:46]

What makes children in particular a fitnah? The most common example is that they distract one from the worship of Allah, such as busying them from Ṣalāh, or at least concentration in it.

• Success in managing the fitnah of wealth and children lies in extracting from them good deeds that last:

{ الْمَالُ وَالْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَاباً وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلاً }
“Wealth and children are [but] adornment of the worldly life. But the good deeds that last are better to your Lord for reward and better in respect of hope.” [Al-Kahf 18:46]

• Praising Allah with Subhana-Allah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illa-Allah, and Allahu akbar is far better than everything in this word, including our possession and children. But only those who believe in the realm of the unseen realize this. As for those who only believe in this physical material world, such deeds are worthless for them:

{ الْمَالُ وَالْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَالْبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًا }
“Wealth and children are the adornment of this worldly life, but the everlasting good deeds are far better with your Lord in reward and in hope.” [Al-Kahf 18:46]

• { وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ فَسَجَدُوا إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ كَانَ مِنَ الْجِنِّ فَفَسَقَ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِ }
“And when We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate to Adam,’ they prostrated except for Iblis. He was of the jinn and disobeyed the command of his Lord.” [Al-Kahf 18:50]

The disobedience of Iblis landed him into kufr (disbelief) because of his objection to the wisdom of Allah (why did Allah create someone better than me?). So beware of following Iblis in objecting to the legislations of Allah, choosing to obey of Allah’s commandments what you like and refusing to obey what you don’t like.

• Every theory concerning the origin of man and the universe that is not derived from revelation is mere speculation:

{ مَا أَشْهَدتُّهُمْ خَلْقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَلَا خَلْقَ أَنفُسِهِمْ }
“I did not make them witness to the creation of the heavens and the earth or to the creation of themselves.” [Al-Kahf 18:51]

• Those who have no sound argument to prove their falsehood, resort to re-packaging their arguments in a way to make it appealing to people, even if it includes lies, fabrications, misinterpretations, mockery, etc. The whole purpose is to try to bring down the clear unadulterated truth:

{ وَيُجَادِلُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِالْبَاطِلِ لِيُدْحِضُوا بِهِ الْحَقَّ ۖ وَاتَّخَذُوا آيَاتِي وَمَا أُنذِرُوا هُزُوًا }
“The disbelievers argue by using falsehood to [attempt to] invalidate the truth thereby, and have taken My verses and that of which they are warned in ridicule.” [Al-Kahf 18:56]

• What we see today in the media of attacks on Islam and attempts to steer people away from it, lying and fabricating, beautifying falsehood, while knowing deep down inside the falsity of their lies… is nothing new:

{ وَيُجَادِلُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِالْبَاطِلِ لِيُدْحِضُوا بِهِ الْحَقَّ ۖ وَاتَّخَذُوا آيَاتِي وَمَا أُنْذِرُوا هُزُوًا }
“But those who disbelieve, dispute by using false arguments, in order to refute the truth thereby. And they treat My verses and that with which they are warned, in ridicule.” [Al-Kahf 18:56]

• In the story of Musa and his servant Yushaʿ when they set out in search of Khidr, Yushaʿ was assigned to look after their fish that was accompanying them. But it so happened that the fish managed to escape into the sea:

{ وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِفَتَاهُ لَا أَبْرَحُ حَتَّىٰ أَبْلُغَ مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ أَوْ أَمْضِيَ حُقُبًا * فَلَمَّا بَلَغَا مَجْمَعَ بَيْنِهِمَا نَسِيَا حُوتَهُمَا فَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ سَرَبًا * فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَا قَالَ لِفَتَاهُ آتِنَا غَدَاءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِن سَفَرِنَا هَٰذَا نَصَبًا * قَالَ أَرَأَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّي نَسِيتُ الْحُوتَ وَمَا أَنسَانِيهُ إِلَّا الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُ ۚ وَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ عَجَبًا * قَالَ ذَٰلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبْغِ ۚ فَارْتَدَّا عَلَىٰ آثَارِهِمَا قَصَصًا }
“And remember when Musa said to his servant, ‘I will never give up until I reach the junction of the two seas, even if I travel for ages.’ But when they finally reached the point where the seas met, they forgot their fish, and it made its way into the sea, slipping away wondrously. When they had passed further, he said to his servant, ‘Bring us our meal! We have certainly been exhausted by today’s journey.’ He replied, ‘Do you remember when we rested by the rock? That is when I forgot the fish. None made me forget to mention this except Shaytan. And the fish made its way into the sea miraculously.’ Musa responded, ‘That is exactly what we were looking for!’ So they returned, retracing their footsteps.” [Al-Kahf 18:60-64]

Although Yushaʿ was disappointed at failing to accomplish his task of looking after the fish, it was at that very place where they lost it (the junction of the two seas) that they were supposed to find Khidr and thus fulfill the purpose of their journey.

Lesson: There could be a lot of good in what you may see as a disaster in your life. You may not know it, but Allah knows.

• When Musa’s companion forgot about the fish, he wasn’t too happy because his task was to keep an eye on it. However, that was the very sign that they would meet Khidr:

{ قَالَ ذَٰلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبْغِ ۚ فَارْتَدَّا عَلَىٰ آثَارِهِمَا قَصَصًا }
“[Musa] said, ‘That is what we were seeking!’ So they went back retracing their footsteps.” [Al-Kahf 18:64]

Lesson: There may be something you severely dislike, but in that is a greater good; for you do not know, whereas Allah knows.

• Musa sought out to meet Khidr because Allah praised his knowledge, teaching us to only seek such knowledge that is praiseworthy and beneficial for us in this life and the next, the most important of which is knowledge of the religion which Allah praised and commanded His Prophet ﷺ to seek an increase of.

• Scholars mention that everything Musa denounced of Khidr’s actions, something similar happened in his own life:
1) Drowning the ship was similar to his mother throwing him in the sea.
2) Killing the boy was similar to him killing the Coptic man.
3) Raising the wall was similar to him helping the two women with the water without taking a wage.

• One of the lessons we learn from the story of Musa and Khidr is that Allah has a wisdom in everything that He decrees, including evil and suffering. So just like the wisdom behind Khidr’s actions was concealed from Musa, likewise the wisdom behind Allah’s actions are at times concealed from us. So we should never object to the decree of Allah and be certain that there is a greater good in it that we may never come to know.

• There are three things that most people fail to have patience over:

1. Obstacles in the way of continuing a project that you once started with much enthusiasm.
2. Losing a loved one that you were once attached to.
3. Waiting for your sustenance.

All three carry within them mercy from Allah if we were to look beyond what they seem like. They are represented in the three incidents with Musa and Khidr:

1. Sinking the ship.
2. Killing the boy.
3. Preserving the treasure of the orphans.

{ رَحْمَةً مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَمَا فَعَلْتُهُ عَنْ أَمْرِي ذَلِكَ تَأْوِيلُ مَا لَمْ تَسْطِع عَّلَيْهِ صَبْراً }
“…as a mercy from your Lord. And I did it not of my own accord. That is the interpretation of that about which you could not have patience.” [Al-Kahf 18:82]

• Allah rewards the righteous by taking care of their children after they die:

{ وَأَمَّا الْجِدَارُ فَكَانَ لِغُلَامَيْنِ يَتِيمَيْنِ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ وَكَانَ تَحْتَهُ كَنْزٌ لَهُمَا وَكَانَ أَبُوهُمَا صَالِحًا فَأَرَادَ رَبُّكَ أَنْ يَبْلُغَا أَشُدَّهُمَا وَيَسْتَخْرِجَا كَنْزَهُمَا رَحْمَةً مِنْ رَبِّكَ }

“And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and there was beneath it a treasure belonging to them, and their father was a righteous man. So your Lord intended that they reach maturity and extract their treasure, as a mercy from your Lord.” [Al-Kahf 18:82]

• An upright and righteous father acts as a protection for his children after his death:

{ وَأَمَّا الْجِدَارُ فَكَانَ لِغُلَامَيْنِ يَتِيمَيْنِ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ وَكَانَ تَحْتَهُ كَنزٌ لَّهُمَا وَكَانَ أَبُوهُمَا صَالِحًا فَأَرَادَ رَبُّكَ أَن يَبْلُغَا أَشُدَّهُمَا وَيَسْتَخْرِجَا كَنزَهُمَا رَحْمَةً مِّن رَّبِّكَ }
“And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and under the wall was a treasure that belonged to them, and their father had been a righteous man. So your Lord willed that these children should come of age and retrieve their treasure, as a mercy from your Lord.” [Al-Kahf 18:82]

• Punishment in this life, no matter how severe, is nothing compared to the punishment of the hereafter:

{ قَالَ أَمَّا مَن ظَلَمَ فَسَوْفَ نُعَذِّبُهُ ثُمَّ يُرَدُّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِ فَيُعَذِّبُهُ عَذَابًا نُّكْرًا }
“He (Dhul-Qarnayn) said: As for one who does wrong, we will punish him. Then he will be returned to his Lord Who will punish him with a terrible punishment.” [Al-Kahf 18:87]

• It could be that living in restricted geographical areas causes people to comprehend less, as opposed to living in open areas where communication with the outside world is frequent:

{ حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ بَيْنَ السَّدَّيْنِ وَجَدَ مِنْ دُونِهِمَا قَوْمًا لا يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ قَوْلا }
“Until, when he (Dhul-Qarnayn) reached a pass between two mountains, he found beside them a people who could hardly understand a word.” [Al-Kahf 18:93]

• Being optimistic about the future of our Ummah:

There’s a subtle resemblance between our Ummah today and the people who built the dam under the instructions of Dhul-Qarnayn. The Muslim world today is considered less advanced and less developed than other countries, and the people who built the dam were described as “a people who could hardly understand a word.” [Al-Kahf 18:93]

And yet, by Allah’s bounty and then the help of Dhul-Qarnayn, these people were able to ward off their enemy, prevent them from transgressing against them, and build one of the greatest dams known in history.

• No matter how strong you may become physically, you’re still weak alone and require help from others. Dhul-Qarnayn was known to be one of the most powerful men in history, yet he still asked for help from others:

{ فَأَعِينُونِي بِقُوَّةٍ أَجْعَلْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ رَدْمًا }
“But assist me with strength, and I will build a barrier between you and them.” [Al-Kahf 18:95]

• Among the qualities of wise leadership is to employ the manpower and skills of people for their own benefit, just like Dhul-Qarnayn employed the manpower of a people to protect them from the harm of Ya’juj and Ma’juj:

{ قَالَ مَا مَكَّنِّي فِيهِ رَبِّي خَيْرٌ فَأَعِينُونِي بِقُوَّةٍ أَجْعَلْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ رَدْمًا }
“He said: What my Lord has provided for me is far better. But assist me with power, and I will build a barrier between you and them.” [Al-Kahf 18:95]

• There is no value for deeds that do not conform with Allah’s pleasure and acceptance:

{ قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِالْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَالًا * الَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا }
“Say: Shall we inform you of who will lose the most deeds? They are those whose efforts are in vain in this worldly life, while they think they are doing good!” [Al-Kahf 18:103-104]

• Most people measure the value of people and nations by how they may appear outwardly in this life, but Allah’s scale of measuring is different:

{ أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَلِقَائِهِ فَحَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فَلَا نُقِيمُ لَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَزْنًا }
“They are those who disbelieve in the verses of their Lord and in their meeting Him, so their deeds have become worthless; and on the Day of Resurrection, We shall not give them any weight.” [Al-Kahf 18:105]

• How can you hope for Allah’s reward in the hereafter without working hard for it in this world? Whenever you want to achieve something in life, don’t you work hard for it? Then why expect something different with the reward of the hereafter?

{ فَمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُوا لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا }
“So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness.” [Al-Kahf 18:110]

• Just as Allah began Sūrah al-Kahf by referring to our Prophet ﷺ as a servant (proving his human nature) and honoring him with revelation, Allah concluded the Sūrah with the same to emphasize the importance of these points:

{ قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ }
“Say, ‘I am only a man like you, to whom has been revealed…’” [Al-Kahf 18:110]