Our tafseer lessons with Shaykh Ash-Shinqeeti began this semester with Surah Al-Kahf. In explaining the story of the companions of the cave, the Shaykh took time to note the bravery and confidence with which the youth of the cave stood for their faith in times of political oppression. What also stood out, in addition to their bravery, was the clarity and focus of their message: "Our Lord is the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth. Never will we invoke besides Him any deity." As Islam and Secularism continue their encounter, many issues come up that need explaining and contextualizing (but not apologizing!); women's rights, hijab, gender roles, homosexuality, polygyny, jihad, the list goes on. Shaykh Ash-Shanqeeti frequently mentions that we are in dire need of centers and institutions in the West that respond to the doubts brought up surrounding these issues.
In addition, however, we must be careful when tackling the hot-button issues to not dilute nor distract from the principle message of Islam. That message is held in the statement of those youth of the cave; there is but one Creator, and none has the right to be worshiped but Him.
Allah's aid and assistance is generous beyond our imagination. But it does have two conditions, as Shaykh Ash-Shanqeeti reminded us; steadfastness in the religion and effort. Asking for Allah's help without these two things is like getting into a car with the plan to drive to New York but instead taking the road to Los Angeles. How on earth do you plan to get to the right destination?
Sūrah 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: Mūsa and Khiḍr. 4. Empowerment: Ẓul-Qarnayn. Kamil Ahmad
“Mention when the youths retreated to the cave and said: Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and prepare for us from our affair right guidance.” [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.” — Imām al-Qurṭubī [d. 671 AH / 1273 CE] Kamil Ahmad
Successful projects are opened with du'aa (supplication). إِذۡ أَوَى ٱلۡفِتۡيَةُ إِلَى ٱلۡكَهۡفِ فَقَالُواْ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحۡمَةً۬ وَهَيِّئۡ لَنَا مِنۡ أَمۡرِنَا رَشَدً۬ا “The young men sought refuge in the cave, and said, ‘Our Lord, grant us Your mercy, and find us a way out of our ordeal.’" (Qur’an 18:10) Always irrigate your heart with copious amounts of du'aa. You do not know which of the calls to Allah will be the one to make you blossom and bloom. Gems From The Quran Telegram: goo.gl/ZclAR9 Instagram: goo.gl/OaiQD7 Facebook: goo.gl/jJ90YS
“And you would have seen the sun, when it rose, inclining away from their cave towards the right, and, when it set, leaving them behind on the left…” (Qur’an 18:17) وَتَرَى ٱلشَّمۡسَ إِذَا طَلَعَت تَّزَٲوَرُ عَن كَهۡفِهِمۡ ذَاتَ ٱلۡيَمِينِ وَإِذَا غَرَبَت تَّقۡرِضُہُمۡ ذَاتَ ٱلشِّمَالِ Allah commanded the sun, an entity more than a million times greater than the size of the earth to change its course for the sake of a group of believing youth. Therefore never be overcome by your burdens in this small earth when Allah is with you. Gems From The Quran Telegram: goo.gl/ZclAR9 Instagram: goo.gl/OaiQD7 Facebook: goo.gl/jJ90YS
Comparing ones large amount of followers and wealth with that of others causes tyrannical arrogance: “And he had fruit, so he said to his companion while he was conversing with him, ‘I am greater than you in wealth and mightier in (numbers of) men.’ And he entered his garden while in a state (of pride and disbelief) unjust to himself.” [Al-Kahf 18:34-35]
In the very first ayah of Surah Al-Kahf, Allah said what we translate to mean "All praise is due to Allah who has sent down upon His Servant the Book and has not made therein any deviance."
Shaykh Ash-Shanqeeti stopped here and recalled the story of Jacob's sons when they tried to fool their father into believing that Joseph had been eaten by a wolf. To do this they brought him Joseph's shirt, which they were clever enough to stain with blood but overlooked tearing the shirt before presenting it. As the Shaykh said, look at how bad people are at fabricating things! How can a wolf eat a person so as to not leave a morsel yet his shirt is intact? And so imagine if someone were to try to fabricate something like the Quran, with over 600 pages and stories spanning different centuries and lands. There would have to be contradictions, there would have to be gaps. There would have to be at least the occasional grammatical error, as there are in the manuscripts of great literature even after countless painstaking revisions by its author and his confidants.
But no, we find no contradictions, no gaps, not even a single grammatical error. All praise is due to Allah who has sent down upon His Servant the Book and has not made therein any deviance.
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] Kamil Ahmad
When we reached the ayah, "And keep yourself patient with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance." (18:28), Shaykh Ash-Shanqeeti lamented how impatient we are with other believers, especially the poor and downtrodden among us. We avert our eyes from seeing the poor, we switch seats on the bus as if just sitting next to a poor person would invalidate our wudhu. We'll even pay extra fees for a flight to sit in first class and not have to mix with certain kinds of people. On the societal level, issues of zoning and gentrification ensure that many of us will never have to realize the day-to-day struggle that impoverished people face. In these times, advised the Shaykh, we need to actively seek out the poor, accompany them, be patient with them, try to aid them, and purify ourselves in the process. Tom the Taalib-Seeker of Knowledge
The righteous companion is the one who when you accompany him you become attached to the Ākhirah: { وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ وَلَا تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَلَا تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُ عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُهُ فُرُطًا } “And patiently stick with those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, seeking His pleasure. Do not let your eyes look beyond them, desiring the luxuries of this worldly life. And do not obey those whose hearts We have made heedless of Our remembrance, who follow their desires and whose state is ever in neglect.” [Al-Kahf 18:28] Kamil Ahmad
Shaykh Ash-Shanqeeti reminds us that everything in this life has a price; if you want knowledge, the price is nights without rest, distance from the comforts of life, and abundant reading; if you want to be pious, the price is utterly avoiding disobedience to Allah and strictly observing that which Allah has commanded. How many of us desire to be something but aren't willing to pay the price to obtain it? As the Shaykh said, it's analogous to a man who wants to go on Umrah and thus gets in his car yet just sits inside it without driving anywhere. How can he be surprised when he doesn't reach where he had wanted to go?
One of the most complete and beneficial qualities one can possess in this world is knowledge with piety. One of the most dangerous and destructive qualities one can possess is knowledge without piety. Tom the Taalib-Seeker of Knowledge
One advantage of the poor over the wealthy is that on the Day of Judgment the poor will have an easier reckoning with Allah. As one increases in wealth and ability, one increases in responsibility and accountability. Hence, the ultimate weakness is not the lack of means, but the love of this world and despising death. Tom the Taalib-Seeker of Knowledge
Test your heart: How often do you recall and remind others of your own actions with which you are pleased? How many sentences escape your lips beginning with that all-important pronoun, "I"? If you discover yourself saying these things often, your heart has an illness. In truth, what we do is little. To illustrate this point, Shaykh Ash-Shanqeeti told us that the salaf used to praise Allah every time they drew water from the well. And us, in our arrogance, believe that it is we who make the water run by opening the tap! Tom the Taalib-Seeker of Knowledge
Shaykh Ash-Shanqeeti told us that there is nothing more harmful to a person's intellect than bad friends. Take stock of yourself and those around you. Tom the Taalib-Seeker of Knowledge
The person who doesn't act by the dictates of the Quran is like a person who sits on top of a vast treasure yet does so naked, hungry, thirsty, and sickly. Someone comes up to him and asks, "Why don't you take some of your treasure and buy some clothes, some food, and some medicine?" And he merely refuses, preferring to keep his treasure locked up in idle storage. Tom the Taalib-Seeker of Knowledge
Shaykh Ash-Shanqeeti often states that first and foremost, the one who wants to understand this great religion of ours must begin by mastering the Arabic language. And, he laments, one of the great tragedies of our time is the plethora of students who are weak in this respect. Tom the Taalib-Seeker of Knowledge
Engaging in Thikr a lot helps one form sound opinions. He who engages in little Thikr hardly forms correct opinions, and even if he does, those opinions are void of blessing: وَلَا تُطِعۡ مَنۡ أَغۡفَلۡنَا قَلۡبَهُ ۥ عَن ذِكۡرِنَا وَٱتَّبَعَ هَوَٮٰهُ "and do not obey whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire." (Al Kahf: 28) #SheikhTarefeGems Gems From The Quran Telegram: goo.gl/ZclAR9 Instagram: goo.gl/OaiQD7 Facebook: goo.gl/jJ90YS
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]
Kamil Ahmad
Beware of using Allah’s blessings upon you as a means to putting down others: { وَأُحِيطَ بِثَمَرِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ يُقَلِّبُ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَىٰ مَا أَنفَقَ فِيهَا وَهِيَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا وَيَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي لَمْ أُشْرِكْ بِرَبِّي أَحَدًا } “And his fruits were encompassed by ruin, so he began to turn his hands about in dismay over what he had spent on it, while it had collapsed upon its trellises, and said: Oh, I wish I had never associated anyone with my Lord.” [Al-Kahf 18:42] “He was encompassed by this punishment not just because of his disbelief, because Allah may make many disbelievers enjoy themselves throughout their lives, giving them respite and gradually leading them to destruction. But this punishment encompassed him as a recompense for his tyranny and making his riches and wealth as a means to despise the poor believer.” — Ibn ʿĀshūr [d. 1393 AH / 1973 CE] Kamil Ahmad
“The record of their deeds will be laid open and you will see the guilty, fearful of what they contain” (Quran 18:49) وَوُضِعَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبُ فَتَرَى ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ مُشۡفِقِينَ مِمَّا فِيهِ Work on authoring your book full of good deeds, so you do not fear reading it the day it is handed to you. Gems From The Quran Telegram: goo.gl/ZclAR9 Instagram: goo.gl/OaiQD7 Facebook: goo.gl/jJ90YS
When we reached the ayah, "And We have certainly diversified in this Qur'an for the people from every [kind of] example; but man has ever been, most of anything, [prone to] dispute." (18:54), Shaykh Ash-Shanqeeti mentioned the authentic hadith recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhari: Ali bin Abi Talib said, "One night Allah's Apostle came to me and Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet and asked, "Won't you pray (at night)?" I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Our souls are in the hands of Allah and if He wants us to get up He will make us get up." When I said that, he left us without saying anything and I heard that he was hitting his thigh and saying, "But man is more quarrelsome than anything." (18.54)
The Shaykh then explained how although this ayah was revealed concerning those who rejected belief, the fact that the Prophet recited it in this context proves that the circumstances of revelation (asbaab an-nuzool) does not restrict its application to other situations. Rather, whoever behaves in a manner resembling that found in the circumstances of the revelation comes under the ruling of the ayah.
In discussing the story of Musa and Khadr found in Surah Kahf, Shaykh Ash-Shanqeeti took time to dispel many superstitions and myths surrounding them and the extreme beliefs some people have adopted as a result of these myths.
First off, who was Khadr? Is he still alive like some say? The Shaykh said that the strongest opinion is that Khadr was a prophet, due to the fact that he performed actions that aren't permissible except for prophets. Furthermore, he is dead, and the proof of this is the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad in which he prophesied that 100 years after his death not a single person who was alive at that time would still be living. Some have said that the story of Musa and Khadr proves that knowledge is of two types: apparent knowledge and hidden or secret knowledge. Historically, individuals or groups who have wanted to circumvent Allah's laws have attempted to leverage this distinction by saying that the secret knowledge is reserved for such elite and purified souls that, once obtaining it, they are no longer required to follow Allah's apparent laws. Some even claimed that the Prophet visited them in dreams and informed them of this special distinction or commanded them to do something apparently contrary to Allah's laws. To this the Shaykh responded by saying that even if we were to accept the distinction between apparent knowledge and hidden knowledge, clearly both of these types of knowledge are revelation and Allah gives revelation only to the Prophets and Messengers. Secondly, the Shaykh said that it should make no difference to us even if we were to see a man walking on water, if such a person doesn't follow the Law that Allah revealed he is a liar and should be treated as such. Thirdly, the Shaykh detailed some of the tragedies that befell the most illustrious personalities of our nation; Omar was killed leading fajr prayer, Uthman was killed while fasting and reciting the Quran, Aisha left her quarters and was in the midst of a dangerous battle. In none of these situations did the Prophet come in a dream to inform or guide any of them. And what but vanity would delude lesser persons into thinking that they have this distinction over those famous and beloved companions? Tom the Taalib-Seeker of Knowledge
Change your “I’ll read later • I’ll memorise later • I’ll revise later,”
to
“I’ll eat later • I’ll sleep later • I’ll chill later”
and for the love of Allāh, get your work done.
It’s half way through the year, if not now then when?! 😩
Take a leaf from Mūsā's Book:
{Moses said to his servant, ‘I will not rest until I reach the place where the two seas meet, even if it takes me years!’} (18:60)
Abeer Sadary, Quran Reflections Blog
In the story of Mūsa and his servant Yūshaʿ when they set out in search of Khiḍr, Yūshaʿ 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 Mūsa 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 Shayṭān. And the fish made its way into the sea miraculously.’ Mūsa responded, ‘That is exactly what we were looking for!’ So they returned, retracing their footsteps.” [Al-Kahf 18:60-64] Although Yūshaʿ 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 Khiḍr 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. Kamil Ahmad
When Musa (AS) and the boy took to the sea on a boat, they missed the location they were looking for. The boy said, “Indeed, I forgot [there] the fish. And none made me forget it except Satan.” Now, Musa didn’t scold the boy but instead, he focused on the issue at hand. This slip-up was exactly what they needed because it led to what they were seeking. Then Allah says, “They returned, following their footprints.” [al-Kahf: 63-64] Never forget... when Shaytan makes you forget, or he makes you slip up, or he tempts you and you fall into sin, you can always turn back and return. Follow your footprints back out of that road - that wrong turn you took. Stay humble and realize that it was a mistake and you perhaps misjudged, and that’s ok. So long as you remember that there is a way out and a way back from every wrong, you’ll always find a safe shore and you’ll find what you’ve been seeking insha’Allah.
Many historians have speculated on the identity of "Dhul-Qarnayn," the mighty ruler mentioned in Surah Al-Kahf. Some have said Alexander of Macedonia, others have said Cyrus of Persia. First and foremost, we must remember that if the identity of Dhul-Qarnayn was important for our salvation and our spirit then Allah would have informed us about it, as He has completed and perfected the revelation of our religion. We must not fall into the mistake of the believing nations before us in fruitlessly speculating upon unimportant matters and trivial details.
That being said, it's alarming to see lay and educated Muslims alike alleging that Dhul-Qarnayn was really Alexander or Cyrus, both of whom were known idolaters. To the contrary, Shaykh Ash-Shanqeeti told us that since Allah speaks to Dhul-Qarnayn directly, ("We said 'O Dhal-Qarnayn!'..."), this is proof that he was indeed a Prophet of Allah. In addition, Ibn Katheer mentions in his exegesis the statement of Mujahid:, "The kings who ruled the eastern and western parts of the world are four, two believers and two disbelievers. As for the two believing kings, they were Sulayman bin Dawud and Dhul-Qarnayn. As for the two disbelieving kings, they were Nimrod and Nebuchadnezzar.''
وَكاَنَ اَبُوهـُماَصٰلِحاً “And their father was righteous” (Al-Kahf 82)
Abdullaah ibn Mas’uud (may Allaah be pleased with him), used to pray at night and would see his small child sleeping then he would say, “this is for your bright future” and whilst crying would recite:
وَكاَنَ اَبُوهـُماَصٰلِحاً “And their father was righteous” (Al-Kahf 82)
Ibn Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “They were protected by the righteousness of their father.” Saeed Ibnul Musayb said: “I pray, then when i remember my child, I increase in my prayers”
(Tafseer Al-Baghawee Vol-5 Pg 196)
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 (Ẓul 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]
There is nothing more dangerous to a person than to be convinced that he is right while he is really astray. The internet, social media, and our supposedly unlimited access to information have infected our hearts with this type of arrogance. Compare, however, this phenomenon with the attitude of Umar bin Al-Khattaab, who--despite having every indication of nobility and a good end--implored Hudhaifah to inform him if he himself was one of the hypocrites. Imagine; companion of the Prophet, promised paradise, ruler of the Muslims, conqueror of Persia, Iraq, and Syria, yet he still had the humility and the sincerity to ask: "am I a hypocrite?"
Ending a speech or piece of writing in a similar manner with which it began is a universally recognized mark of eloquence. Shaykh Ash-Shanqeeti took time to demonstrate how Allah used this circular structure in Surah Al-Kahf; the warning of hell, the glad tidings of paradise, the miraculous nature of the Quran, and the vain false-piety of taking other than Allah as a protector and object of worship are all found in both the opening and closing verses. The surah, of course, closes with one of the most sublime and succinct testimonies to the Islamic Creed; it comprises the mortality of Prophets, the singularity of Allah, and the reality that hope and success are dependent upon both good works and worshiping Allah alone: "Say, "I am only a man like you, to whom has been revealed that your god is one God. So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord - let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone." (18:110) Tom the Taalib-Seeker of Knowledge