In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Friday is Eid for the Muslims and we celebrate it by performing various actions that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam has taught us. One of the highlights of Friday for Muslims is to read Surah Kahf, the 18th chapter of the Qur'an.
Perhaps many of us read Surah Kahf on Friday because we want the protection that some hadiths mention:
"One who recites Surah al-Kahf on the day of Jumu'ah will remain protected from every fitnah. And if Dajjal appears, he will stay safe against the trying challenges released by him as well."
And it appears in some narratives that a person who recites Surah al-Kahf on the day of Jumu'ah will have light from his feet up to the sky. This light will serve him well on the day of Qiyaamah, and every sin committed by him between the past and the present Jumu'ah will be forgiven.
So perhaps we are motivated to read Surah Kahf on Friday because we want our sins forgiven and want that light on that difficult Day.
Whatever the thing that brought you to read Surah Kahf, you are moving in the path towards the Divine.
Whether we act upon the Sunnah knowing the benefit or not, we should strive to do what we know. This religion is all about obedience to the Almighty. And through obedience to Him, we enjoy the closeness to our Lord.
It maybe difficult to read more than a few pages at first, or to keep it up every Friday, but you must force yourself to do it. The first stage in the path towards Allah is to force yourself and bring yourself to do those actions which you know that Allah wants you to do.
The practical injunctions is a large part of this religion. Religion is meant to lead to a transformation in a human being whereby he is no longer chained to what other people are chained to of lusts, desires, laziness, or what people think. He has a much higher purpose and reflected in this person. He become a person of God.
Islam is a great blessing for those who understand it. Islam is not here to burden you but to provide you a wholesome and happy life. But it takes knowledge for a person to realize this. Surah Kahf reminds you to seek knowledge even if it means you have to travel to an unknown place in a far away land (from the story of Musa and Khidr, peace be upon them).
Once you get your two feet standing in the middle of the religion, you will find that this religion is easy and each routine becomes easier and easier and you will do more and more. Reading Qur'an becomes enjoyable and a thing you look forward to everyday. But you cannot be lazy.
Narrated by Abu Hurayra (radhiaAllahu 'anhu): Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said,
In a hadith Qudsi, Allah Almighty said,
I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshiper of mine. and the most beloved things with which my slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him;[Bukhari]
And my slave keeps on coming closer to me through performing Nawafil (Prayer or Doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) until I love him, so I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks;
And if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks my protection, I will protect him; and I do not hesitate to do anything as I hesitate to take the soul of the believer, for he hates death, and I hate to disappoint him.
Umar ibn al-Khattab (radhiaAllahu 'anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam, said:
There are people from the servants of Allah who are neither Prophets nor martyrs; the Prophets and martyrs will envy them on the Day of Resurrection, for their rank from Allah, the Most High.” They (the people) asked: “Tell us, Messenger of Allah, who are they?” He replied: “They are people who love one another for the spirit of Allah (i.e. the Qur'an), without having any mutual kinship and giving property to one. I swear by Allah, their faces will glow and they will be (sitting) in (pulpits of) light. They will have no fear (on the Day) when the people will have fear, and they will not grieve when the people will grieve.” He then recited the following Qur'anic verse [10:62]: “Behold! Verily for the friends of Allah there is no fear, nor shall they grieve.[Abu Dawud]
The friend of Allah does not only enjoy the benefit after he dies. Rather he enjoys tranquility and happiness that everybody all over the world is looking for, but no one finds it except the true slave of Allah.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, gives us things to do. Through these actions, among them reading Surah Kahf every Friday, transformation takes place. Such a person if he asks Allah for something, Allah will give it to him. Why? Because Allah loves him.
So strive to continue this Friday tradition from the Sunnah of His beloved Messenger sallallahu alayhi wasallam, until you die. Don't let shaytan whisper to you otherwise. Don't let Shaytan take you away from your opportunity to be loved by Allah.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ إِنَّا لَا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ مَنْ أَحْسَنَ عَمَلًا ﴿٣٠﴾ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ جَنَّـٰتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهِمُ ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ يُحَلَّوْنَ فِيهَا مِنْ أَسَاوِرَ مِن ذَهَبٍ وَيَلْبَسُونَ ثِيَابًا خُضْرًا مِّن سُندُسٍ وَإِسْتَبْرَقٍ مُّتَّكِـِٔينَ فِيهَا عَلَى ٱلْأَرَآئِكِ ۚ نِعْمَ ٱلثَّوَابُ وَحَسُنَتْ مُرْتَفَقًا ﴿٣١[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:30-31]
Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds - indeed, We will not allow to be lost the reward of any who did well in deeds. (30) Those will have gardens of perpetual residence; beneath them rivers will flow. They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and will wear green garments of fine silk and brocade, reclining therein on adorned couches. Excellent is the reward, and good is the resting place. (31)
May Allah enable us to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam and grant us tranquility and happiness in this life and the next. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
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