Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Alhamdulillah

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Eid Mubarak and Jumu'ah Mubarak to you and your families.

Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala begins Surah Al-Kahf with Alhamdulillah.

ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عِوَجَا ۜ ﴿١

[All] praise is [due] to Allah, who has sent down upon His Servant the Book and has not made therein any deviance. (1) [Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:1]

Hamd is from ha ح meem م daal د. Hamd is to mention the good attribute of a person, such an attribute that is the at the level of perfection. Hamd is based on mahabbah (love) and ta’dheem (greatness). It is not a fake praise, i.e. not done to please the person or with no significance, fake praise is known as madh in Arabic. Hamd implies admiration, love and magnifying the praise of Mahmud (one who is praised). Hamd is sincere, true praise, the Mahmud deserves it.

Why is hamd for Him? Because He is: <<الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ الْكِتَابَ>> , the One who sent down upon His servant the Book. Notice that Allah Ta’ala doesn’t call the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) His Messenger, or His Prophet, or a warner, but He calls him: slave. Therefore, the most honorable name that one can be called is Abdullah or Amatullah, slave of Allah.

At the core of our Iman, the first implication of believing in Allah, is that we take all credit for everything (all goodness, all beauty, all appreciative things, all wonders, every smiles, etc) back to Allah. Even when you thank your parents or teacher, you never absent minded about the fact that it goes back to Allah. This is at the root of Alhamdulillah.

The one who is most deserving of thanks and praise from people is Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, because of the great favors and blessings that He has bestowed upon His slaves in both spiritual and worldly terms. Allah has commanded us to give thanks to Him for those blessings, and not to deny them. He says,

فَٱذْكُرُ‌ونِىٓ أَذْكُرْ‌كُمْ وَٱشْكُرُ‌وا۟ لِى وَلَا تَكْفُرُ‌ونِ ﴿١٥٢

So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not deny Me. (152)

[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:152]

The celebration of Eid is a celebration of faith, and gratitude for the gifts of guidance and all good that Allah has blessed us with. When believers enter Paradise, they’ll proclaim,

 وَقَالُوا۟ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى هَدَىٰنَا لِهَٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِنَهْتَدِىَ لَوْلَآ أَنْ هَدَىٰنَا ٱللَّهُ ۖ لَقَدْ جَآءَتْ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِٱلْحَقِّ ۖ وَنُودُوٓا۟ أَن تِلْكُمُ ٱلْجَنَّةُ أُورِثْتُمُوهَا بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ‎﴿٤٣﴾‏

"Praise to Allah, who has guided us to this; and we would never have been guided if Allah had not guided us. Certainly the messengers of our Lord had come with the truth." And they will be called, "This is Paradise, which you have been made to inherit for what you used to do." [Quran, al-A'raf 7:43]

These are Days of rejoicing with family, friends, and community. Make the most of these days. And glorify Allah with the Praise of People of Paradise: الحمد لله Alhamdulillah (All praise is Allah's)

May Allah accept all our good deeds, forgive all our sins, and grant us the highest Paradise. Aameen.

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