Note from the Translator: Ibn 'Ajiba's Tafsir of Verses 1-5 of Surat al Kahf

As salaamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

Surah Kahf has a special significance in the hearts of the believers. The Prophet ﷺ recommended that it be read on Fridays.

Its beginning verses are a protection from Dajjal. If you fear his evil, and you recite them, they will protect you from him. According to some opinions, this is the last ten verses. And some join between the two by saying it is the first ten and the last ten verses.

However, just as with any recommended practice, the benefit that one obtains is dependent on:

  1. Consistency

  2. Belief in it

  3. Level of certainty in one's faith.

The Prophet ﷺ said: "The most beloved of acts to Allah is that which is done consistently, even if it is small" (Bukhari). This means that the recommendation to recite on Friday is not to do so and then leave it, but rather to do so with diligence and consistency every Friday.

The Importance of Understanding

However, recitation is not enough to give us full faith in the matter or full certainty. For that, we need to understand and study the Surah.

What is the wisdom in its being made a protection against Dajjal? Why will one who reads it on Friday have a light that will shine forth for him until the following Friday?

By studying the explanation of this Surah and some of the practical lessons contained therein, we come to understand some of these subtle secrets.

May Allah increase us all in understanding! Ameen!

What to Keep in Mind Regarding the First Five Verses

It is our hope that our small offering and deficient service, in translating this Ibn 'Ajiba's text and making it available, will assist the believers in adhering to the recitation and study of this Surah, and gaining understanding that brings about full faith in the prescription and certainty in Allah's protection.

With that in mind, here are a few takeaways from the first five verses:

The Qur'an is the greatest blessing from Allah to His servants

Adhere to the Qur’an. Learn it. Contemplate it.

Seek to understand its injunctions, and strive to put them into practice.

And seek understanding of its subtle secrets.

The Prophet ﷺ, without doubt, is the loftiest and most exalted of all creation

Yet, Allah referred to the Prophet ﷺ as His 'abd (slave/servant). This is an indication of the honor that is service to Allah and to His creation.

There are many differing spiritual degrees and stations, but they are all stations are encompassed by servitude to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala). Servitude is the highest of all stations, and their place of return.

So, we must seek to be good servants of Allah in all circumstances, observing the behavior and states that He would have us observe, and avoiding the states that He would have us avoid. This is accomplished by placing what Allah wants of us above what we want.

As the Prophet ﷺ said, "If someone gives for the sake of Allah, withholds for the sake of Allah, loves for the sake of Allah and hates for the sake of Allah, His faith will be complete." In other words, be for Allah in all states.

Allah reprimands other groups for following their religions without critical examination

Not only does Allah reproach the Christians, Jews, and Polytheists for their ugly statements that disparage His Majesty. He also chastises them for their blind following without understanding.

This is an indication to us that we have to become certain in our religion, not depending solely on the knowledge of others. So, we should look for the logical and textual proofs for our beliefs, instead of just accepting it without thinking about it.

Then, instead of just accepting the conclusions of our intellects, we should move to have certain, experiential knowledge, through following one of the paths of purification of the soul and the heart's journeying towards the Divine Presence.

Leave Shaykhhood to its rightful owners

Finally, there are two people mentioned in the Indicative Lesson that Sidi Ibn 'Ajibah (may Allah have mercy on him) placed at the end of the section.

The first is the one who has been purified and drawn to the Divine Presence. The second is someone who has been given the task of calling people to the Divine Presence. The overwhelming majority of people who will be purified on the path fall into the first category and are not included in the second.

So, we should be careful when calling people to paths and speaking about metaphysical realities that we only think we understand, when we may not truly understand them. And, we should focus on purifying ourselves and opposing our nafs at every step.

Regarding calling people, it does not mean we abandon giving da'wah or directing to good. Rather, one should understand that da'wah is divided into two: general and specific.

General da'wah can be done by any and everyone. It is directing to good where we see it and helping people avoid evil. And it is contained in the words of the Prophet ﷺ, "Convey from me, even if it is only an ayah."

Specific da'wah is the permission to call people to the Divine Presence and is typically known as being a "Shaykh" of the path. Anyone who falsely claims this is on a very dangerous path.

So, we should leave Shaykhhood to its owners, and try to be good servants of Allah, which is the purpose of all the levels of Islam, Iman and Ihsan.

Wa salaam

Talut Dawood

Prior to publication, portions of the PDF versions of the IGI translation of Ibn ‘Ajiba’s tafsir of Surat al-Kahf is available to IGI Patreon members. New sections will be released regularly as they are completed.