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The People of the Cave

As the Ummah of our Prophet Muhammad (SAW), we have been blessed with what no other nation has ever been blessed with; we have been granted guidance that never could have been gained except from Almighty Allah Himself; we have been provided with the final revelation from Allah that will be protected like previous revelations never were before; we have been blessed with the Holy Quran. In the modern day, however, the value of the Quran is not realized and appreciated often times since some people believe it was directed towards those living in the past and not for the current Ummah, causing other sources to be used for guidance instead. While the Quran was revealed several generations ago, it still remains to be our true source of guidance today, containing practical advice, repeatedly in the form of real stories instructing us on how our lives should be carried out in this Dunya so that we can successfully reach our final destination Jannah in the Akhirah. One of the many stories of the Quran, the story of the Ashabul Kahf, or People of the Cave, demonstrates how by having support provided by good companions with similar beliefs and by placing trust in Allah with dua, Allahs help and mercy will descend no matter what trials one is put through. The group of young men known as the Ashabul Kahf were put through a trial of faith so great that most youth today would never have imagined experiencing, but successfully made the right choices with the help of their strong faith in Allah and friendship with likeminded individuals, and only made the difficult decision of breaking off from community because it was necessary. Living in a community where no one was given a choice by his or her king as to whom they could worship, the young men collaboratively defied that ruling because they all had the same belief that Allah is the true God, and in turn built up the courage to publicly proclaim their faith despite knowing the consequence death. In conjunction, they were able to come to a

conclusion to seclude themselves from the community and seek refuge in a cave, only because they were in a situation of life or death, and fleeing to a cave was the only solution to the extraordinary situation. This story emphasizes the importance of good friendship with people who believe in Allah and follow Islam. Because this was present in the Ashabul Kahf, they were able to provide support and encouragement to each other, giving them the ability to come to one decision and tell each other, Now that we have withdrawn from them and denounced those deities whom they worship besides Allah, let us take refuge in some cave; our Rabb will extend to us His mercy and facilitate us in disposing our affairs. [18:16] As a supplement to the example in the story, good friendship is also highlighted in the well-known hadith narrated by Abu Musa (RA) that Rasulullah (SAW) said: The example of a good companion and a bad companion is like that of the seller of musk and the one who blows the blacksmiths bellows. So as for the seller of musk then either he will grant you some, or you buy some from him, or at least you enjoy a pleasant smell from him. As for the one who blows the blacksmiths bellows then either he will burn your clothes or you will get an offensive smell from him. (Bukhari & Muslim) With exemplary friends all on the same path, one will be able to make the right choices, even if it is not what is socially acceptable, instead of conforming to social norms and losing ones identity as a Muslim. Today, unfortunately, some people have the wrong belief that the only way to hold on to Islam is by completely separating themselves from the surrounding community. They seclude themselves from others without any legitimate reason, drawing incorrect conclusions from examples like above. How is it possible to enjoin in good and forbid evil when no social interactions take place between people? Actively engaging in community along with the

friendship of people with similar beliefs and faith in Islam is the most crucial component to spread the goodness of Islam through dawah, and to strengthen ones own faith. The strength of the faith and companionship of Ashabul Kahf was definitely beneficial in that time of trial, but the most critical aid these young men received was from Almighty Allah, due to their sincere trust and dua made to Him. In fact, the first thing done by the Ashabul Kahf was dua; as soon as they took refuge in the cave, they made dua to Allah and said: Our Rabb! Have mercy on us from Yourself and guide us out of our ordeal. [18:10] As a result, Allah answered their prayers and put them in a deep sleep so that they could wake up some few hundred years later to find themselves in peace. But even before that, Allah was the One who put courage in their hearts when they stood up and declared: Our Rabb is the Rabb of the heavens and the earth, we shall never call upon any other deity except Him, for if we do, we shall be saying something improper. [18:14] Because of their firm faith in Allah, He guided them rightly, gave them the necessary courage, and miraculously saved them from death in an inconceivable way. The people of the cave serve as a role model to the generation of today, showing us the power of dua. No matter what help or guidance we may need, Allah is always there listening to our prayers. But we must realize that in order for Him to answer our prayers, we must make them in the first place. As Al-Aleem (The All-Knowing), Allah alone knows what we need, what we do not need, what is best for us, and what is not; as Ar-Razzaq (The Provider), Allah alone can help us in ways that no other human being or manmade object can, all happening just by sincere dua. When sincere dua is made, along with firm trust in Allah, Allah will send down His mercy and help us endure any trials in ways unimaginable to us, just like he did to the Ashabul Kahf.

Allah filled the Quran with an abundance of wisdom from the past, in the manner that is most appealing to human beings stories. One of the several stories, the story of the Ashabul Kahf, proves the importance of having righteous, supporting companions, as well as the importance of placing sincere trust in Allah and turning to Him for help with dua. This story reignites the spark in every Muslim to believe in Allah alone and His abilities to guide us and keep us on the straight path in all situations, and to always anticipate His help, because He is the One who has control over everything.

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