14 14 In the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the Dispenser of Mercy. 14 14 Published by : Tel +97126265151 [email protected] Printing & Binding: Printing Group [email protected] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ISBN: 978-9948-36-806-9 First edition 1441 H. - 2020 ©All rights reserved to Al Hosn Research & Studies Centre No part of this book maybe reproduced or transmitted including printing, publishing, photocopying, or storing by any electronic or mechanical means without written permission from the publisher. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- the chapter of al-Kahf the chapter of al-Kahf 5 the chapter of al-Kahf In the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the Dispenser of Mercy ¹ ¸¶ µ ´ ³ ² ± ° ¯ ® ¬ « Praise be to God, who sent down the Scripture to His servant and made it unerringly straight [1] (The Quran, al-Kahf: 1) Allah concludes chapter 17 (the chapter of al-Isra’) with praise, and starts chapter 18 (the chapter of al-Kahf)(1) again with praise. The phrase ‘all praise is due to Allah’ (al-hamdu-lillah) has always been the motto which the Messenger of Allah peace and blessings be upon him would utter among the best of utterances: Exalted is Allah (subhan Allah) and all praise is due to Allah (al-hamdu-lillah). Also, chapter 17 commences with ‘Exalted is Allah’ (subhan Allah), while Chapter 18 commences with ‘all praise is due to Allah’. Exalted is Allah (subhan Allah) is an expression exalting Him above anything that does not suit His Majesty including having a partner that shares Himself or His actions or His attributes. It is also an expression of glorifying the Divine Essence which later bestowed many blessings; so we say: all praise is (1) The chapter of Al-Kahf is chapter 18 in the arrangement of the Noble Quran. It contains 110 verses, and falls in part 15 and 16 of the Book. According to all commentators it was revealed in Mecca. Al-Qurtubi, however, says that a group has said that the beginning of the chapter was revealed in Medina until the word ‘barren’ (guruza), but the former opinion is the correct one. The merits of the chapter of Al-Kahf have been mentioned in numerous prophetic sayings (Hadiths) including one narrated by Muslim (809) on the authority of Abu Ad-Dardaa’ in the book ‘Salat Al-Musafireen’: Whoever memorizes ten verses from the beginning of the chapter of Al-Kahf is safeguarded from the Anti-Christ. An-Nawawy comments in his exegesis of Muslim, “and in another narration, ‘from the end of the chapter of Al-Kahf’ it has been said that the reason for that is the wonders mentioned in its beginning and end which anyone who meditates upon would be safeguarded from the trial of the Anti-Christ. 7 EL SHA'RAWY REFLECTIONS / vol- 14 due to Allah (alhamdu-lillah). Thus, ‘Exalted is Allah’ (subhan Allah) is an expression for exaltation and ‘all praise is due to Allah’ (alhamdu-lillah) is an expression of gratitude for blessings. The Arabic word al-hamd in its general meaning comprises the notions of lauding (thanaa’), gratitude (shukr) and commendation (madh). Although these words are similar in meaning, each of them has its own connotation. While they are all expressions of lauding, gratitude (shukr) is shown by someone who has received a personal favour or gift like when someone does you a favour and you show them gratitude and thank them for it. The word praise (al-hamd), however, is not just a personal gratitude, but also a more general gratitude for blessings given to you as well as to others. Hence, the domain of praise (al-hamd) is wider than that of gratitude (shukr). As for commendation (al-madh), you could commend a beautiful design just because you like it without previously having received anything from it or its designer. Now when Allah says (al-hamdu-lillah) with the definite article (al) which indicates exclusiveness, it means absolute, total praise (al-hamd) is due only to Allah. This praise incorporates all praises, even the praise you give to a person who benefits or helps you out –originally it is praise to Allah who enabled this person to be good to you. In this manner, if you trace back the praise given to any person anytime, you will find that it goes back to the Original Benefactor Glorified and Exalted is He. The phrase (al-hamdu-lillah) is the expression by which Allah taught us to praise Him. Otherwise, if He had left us to individually choose how to praise and thank Him, without determining the expression, then people would have differed greatly in their praise, each according to their abilities of expression. We would then find the eloquent person more elegant in expression than the one who stammers, and the illiterate. Allah simplified it and made us all equal in how we thank Him. Everyone says (al-hamdu- lillah), the eloquent, the person who stammers and the illiterate. Therefore, The Prophet peace and blessings be upon him said as he praised and lauded Allah: Exalted are you, we are incapable of enumerating the laud you are due, You are as You have lauded Yourself. For if we tried to 8 the chapter of al-Kahf enumerate the laud You are due, we would not be able to, because no one knows the extent of lauding due unto You except You, and no one else could enumerate it. All we can do is to say what You have taught us in praising you: (al-hamdu-lillah). Thus, making all people equal in praising Allah is a blessing in itself, and deserves praise. So, we say: All praise be to Allah for teaching us to say (al-hamdu-lillah). And knowing to praise Him for teaching us how to praise Him is also a blessing! All praise be to Allah for teaching us to praise Him with (al-hamdu-lillah). And so, if you tried to trace the praise due to Allah, you would find it to be an endless chain of praise, upon praise, upon praise, upon praise etc. Thus, Allah remains forever the One Being praised (Mahmoud), and the slave remains in infinite praise. Allah Glorified is He commences five chapters (suras) of the Quran with ‘All praise is due to Allah’ (al-hamdu-lillah): ‘All praise is due to Allah alone, the Lord of all the worlds’ (al-Fatiha: 2), ‘All praise is due to Allah, who has created the heavens and the earth, and made the darkness and the light; yet those who disbelieve set up equals with their Lord’ (al-An‘am: 1), ‘All praise is due to Allah who has revealed the Book to His slave and has not placed therein any crookedness’ (al-Kahf: 1) ‘All praise is due to Allah, to whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth; and to Him is due (all) praise in the Hereafter …’ (Saba’: 1), ‘All praise is due to Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, who made the angels messengers with wings …’ (Fatir: 1). However, both praises in each chapter have their own aspect. The first praise is due because Allah is the Lord of all the worlds (rabb al-‘alamin) with the Arabic word (rabb) Lord meaning the Creator and the One in charge of sustainment and upbringing (at-tarbiya). He created from nothingness, and provided from nothingness and assumed responsibility for bringing up his slaves. He is a Lord to all the worlds and we are obliged to praise Him for being the Lord (ar-rabb) of the worlds and for providing for them with His grace. The second praise is due to Him who created the heavens and the earth, and established darkness and light. These are signs and blessings that are accurately created to sustain life and preserve all species by enabling reproduction. 9 EL SHA'RAWY REFLECTIONS / vol- 14 Darkness and light are also among the great blessings of Allah, and they are not opposites, but complement one another. There is a function for darkness, just as light has its function. Darkness is for tranquillity and resting, and light is for effort and activity. It is not possible to endeavour in effort and to be diligent in work unless there is time to rest and calm down, thereby renewing one’s energy. Hence the pairing of darkness and light is for harmonious balance, since life is not sustainable in continual darkness, just as it is not sustainable in continual light. The third chapter (sura) commencing with (al-hamdu-lillah) is the one we are currently examining. Allah makes it clear that He does not only sustain and bring up human beings materially, but that there is a superior kind of upbringing and sustainment, that of the spirit and of values. He mentions here a true aspect of the creation of mankind, that man was not created for a material reason, but for a loftier mission: to know moral values, the Lord and religion, and to strive for another life other than this material one. Thus, Allah Glorified is He says: ‘All praise is due to Allah who has revealed the Book to His slave…’ (al-Kahf: 1). The praise here is for the revelation of the Holy Book which comprises all moral values. We have previously said that Allah, Exalted is He, gracefully set the models of a correct and righteous life even before He created it. Allah Glorified is He says: ‘The Most Merciful; Taught the Quran; Created humanity; [And] taught them to communicate.’ (ar-Rahman: 1-4) So, the teaching of the Quran came before the creation of mankind; Allah established a well-ordered pattern for life before He created His slaves based on His comprehensive knowledge of their nature and what is suitable for them.