The Prophet Muhammad (saas) Highlighted This Sura
Many Prophetic hadiths connect Surat al-Kahf with the End Times. Some of these are given below:
Related by An-Nawwas ibn Sam'an:
He who among you will survive to see him (the dajjal) should recite over him the opening verses of Surah al-Kahf. (Muslim)
Related by Abu Umamah al-Bahili:
Whoever enters his [the dajjal's] hell, let him seek refuge with Allah and recite the opening verse of Surat al-Kahf, and it will become cool and peaceful for him, as the fire became cool and peaceful for the Prophet Abraham (as). (Ibn Kathir)
Signs and Secrets About The End Times
One reason why the Prophet (saas) recommends that believers read Surat al-Kahf is that it contains very important signs about the End Times, such as those that are required to defend and fight against the dajjal and the irreligious movements that bring so much evil to humanity, and which he wants to spread around the world. It also contains many lessons for Muslims. Our Prophet's (saas) recommendation to memorize and to read this surah attentively is a clear indication of this. As we will see throughout this chapter, the experiences of the Companions of the Cave (Ashab al-Kahf), who lived in an unbelieving society, the lessons that the Prophet Moses (as) learned from Khidr (as), and the rule over the world that Dhu'l-Qarnayn (as) established in order to disseminate the moral values of Islam, are matters upon which believers need to reflect.
The Extraordinary Situation of The People of The Cave
You would have supposed them to be awake whereas in fact they were asleep. We moved them to the right and to the left, and, at the entrance, their dog stretced out its paws. If you had looked down and seen them, you would have turned from them and run and have been filled with terror at the sight of them. (Surat al-Kahf: 18)
Do you consider that the Companions of the Cave and Ar-Raqim were one of the most remarkable of Our signs? When the young men took refuge in the cave and said: 'Our Lord, give us mercy directly from You and open the way for us to right guidance in our situation.' (Surat al-Kahf: 9-10)
In these verses Allah refers to this group's extraordinary situation. As the narrative unfolds, we see that their experiences are of an unusual and metaphysical nature. Their entire life is full of miraculous developments. Their situation is subject to our Prophet's (saas) hadiths, which make the connection between them and the End Times. This indicates that people living in the End Times may have supernatural experiences.
In the tenth verse Allah tells us that those young people sought refuge in the cave from the existing oppressive system, which did not allow them to express their views, tell the truth, and call to His religion. Thus, they distanced themselves from their society.
However, this should not be understood as an idle period away from society, for they took refuge there while asking for Allah's grace and help. They also sought to improve and develop themselves. Muslims of the End Times living under oppressive regimes will conceal themselves and hope for Allah to increase His grace upon them, and also to make their lives and intellectual struggle against anti-religious movements easier.
Their Secrecy Continued for Some Time
So We sealed their ears with sleep in the cave for a number of years. Then We woke them up again so that We might see which of the two groups would better calculate the time they had stayed there. (Surat al-Kahf: 11-12)
The reason for this state of sleep was their surrender to destiny and peace, because Allah, Who created the universe out of nothing, arranges everything for the benefit of Muslims. In our own time, some Muslims have adopted a similar spiritual detachment. This way, they remain uncorrupted by the materialist ideologies that seek to distance people from their faith, and also are untouched by the violence to which these ideologies lead. Thus, they can continue to live according to the Qur'an without being affected by the surrounding moral degeneration and cruelty. TheCompanions of the Cave remained hidden for some time, and Allah roused them at a time of His choosing.
They Proclaimed Allah's Religion to Their People
Our people have taken deities apart from Him. Why do they not produce a clear authority concerning them? Who could do greater wrong than someone who invents a lie against Allah? (Surat al-Kahf: 15)
As stated in this verse, the Companions of the Cave called their idolatrous people to faith, invited them to Allah's religion, advised them to stop associating others with Allah, and demanded that they bring forth the evidence upon which they based their denial. When they could not do this, they exposed their idolatrous people as liars and slanderers.
Today, Muslims also demand proof from those who take so-called idols besides Allah. In the End Times, there exists an idolatrous belief that idolizes matter and chance (surely Allah is beyond that): Darwinism.
Darwinism claims that the universe has no purpose, was formed by random occurrences, and that only the fittest members of nature survive. This anti-religious system is based on conflict and violence. In reality, these claims of random occurrences being responsible for everything are no more than acts of slander by the Darwinists against Allah, Who is All-Powerful and has created everything that exists.
They Distanced Themselves Utterly from The Surrounding Idolatrous Worldview
When you have separated yourselves from them and everything they worship except Allah, take refuge in the cave, and your Lord will unfold His mercy to you and open the way to the best for you in your situation. (Surat al-Kahf: 16)
Due to the unbelievers' oppression, the Companions of the Cave felt the need for total segregation. Thus, they severed all links with the unbelievers by seeking refuge in the cave. During this period, Allah's grace descended on them, and He made things easier for them in many respects. The most important aspect of His help and support was sparing them from the negative impact of the unbelievers.
They Hid Themselves
For if they find out about you, they will stone you or make you revert to their religion, and then you will never have success. (Surat al-Kahf: 20)
'They will stone you' describes a form of terror. This character trait is clearly recognizable today in people who are under the influence of irreligious ideologies. For example, terrorists who subscribe to communism are led by their hostility to the state to throw stones and attack its officials, as well as at the police forces. These attacks aim to weaken and demoralize them so that the communists can realize their anti-religious ideals and establish their rule by dragging the country into disorder and conflict.
Given this, it is vital for the people of the End Times to stay clear of the bloodstained ideologies that have brought nothing but evil to the world, not to side with those who corrupt others, and not to be influenced by the provocations of anti-religious ideologies or their agitations.
Only Allah and a Handful of People Knew their Number
They will say: 'There were three of them, their dog being the fourth.' They will say: 'There were five of them, their dog being the sixth,' guessing at the Unseen. And they will say: 'There were seven of them, their dog being the eighth.' Say: 'My Lord knows best their number. Those who know about them are very few.' So do not enter into any argument concerning them, except in relation to what is clearly known. And do not seek the opinion of any of them regarding them. (Surat al-Kahf: 22)
'Those who know about them are very few' indicates also that a few people could have the knowledge of the Unseen. For instance, one such person could be Hazrat Khidr (as). It is also possible that Hazrat Khidr's (as) disciples might have this knowledge, with Allah's will and revelation. Allah reveals in the Qur'an that He reveals some of the Unseen to His messengers.
The Journey of The Prophet Moses (as) and His Young Servant to The 'Meeting-Place of The Two Seas'
Remember when Moses said to his young servant: 'I will not give up until I reach the meeting-place of the two seas, even if I must press on for many years.' (Surat al-Kahf, 60)
Here, 'young' suggests that when doing something, one should seek the assistance of young people and work with them.
Young people should be motivated to use their energy, dynamism, strength, ambition, and excitement for right action for Allah's pleasure. Some of the verses speak of youth, and in the following verse Allah states that only some young people of his nation believed in the Prophet Moses (as):
No one believed in Moses, except (some) offspring (i.e., youths) among his people, out of fear that Pharaoh and the elders, would persecute them. Pharaoh was high and mighty in the land. He was one of the profligate. (Surah Yunus, 83)
The sixtieth verse of Surat al-Kahf refers to the meeting point toward which the Prophet Moses (as) is traveling. He knows that he will meet with someone, and he knows that this will take place at the 'meeting-place of the two seas.' This place could be any place on Earth that fits this description.
The Prophet Moses (as) Meets with The Blessed and Merciful Hazrat Khidr (as)
They found a servant of Ours whom We had granted mercy from Us and whom We had also given knowledge direct from Us. (Surat al-Kahf, 65)
Allah is most compassionate, graceful, and merciful toward His servants. The Prophet Moses (as) set out to meet Hazrat Khidr (as), someone to whom Allah has given mercy. Therefore, Allah's attributes of grace and mercy are reflected on him. He received a superior knowledge from Allah and is one of His distinguished servants.
Hazrat Dhu'l-Qarnayn (as)
They will ask you about Dhu'l-Qarnayn. Say: 'I will tell you something about him that is worthy of remembrance and mention.' (Surat al-Kahf, 83)
Throughout history, many scholars have interpreted the narrative of Hazrat Dhu'l-Qarnayn (as) in many ways. Allah says in the verse that it was revealed as a reminder to Muslims and is connected with the revelations of hidden meanings and reasons.
Hazrat Dhu'l-Qarnayn (as) Had Power and was Enlightened
We gave him power and authority on Earth, and granted him a way to everything. So he followed a way. (Surat al-Kahf, 84-85)
From these verses, we understand that Dhu'l-Qarnayn's (as) country is away from problems. In other words, his rule is solid, rational, and strong.
'We granted him a way to everything' suggests that he was given the ability to solve every problem, which means that he was a very intelligent, sagacious, and perceptive believer. With these Allah-given faculties, he solved all complex issues quickly and removed the obstacles.
Hazrat Dhu'l-Qarnayn (as) was Also a Spiritual Guide
He (Dhu'l-Qarnayn) said: 'As for those who do wrong, We will punish them. Then they will be returned to their Lord, and He will punish them with a dreadful punishment. But as for him who believes and acts rightly, he will receive the best of rewards, and we will issue a command, making things easy for him.' (Surat al-Kahf: 87-88)
When Hazrat Dhu'l-Qarnayn (as) spoke, he reminded his people of Allah and the hereafter. He spoke in a Muslim manner. From the expressions used in the verse, we understand that he was a Muslim leader who ruled a Muslim nation.
Hazrat Dhu'l-Qarnayn (as) proceeded straight away to call the people he met to believe in Allah, devotion, the good deeds prescribed in the Qur'an, and to perform the prayers and acts of worship. He drew their attention, in order to encourage them, to the rewards that they are promised in this world and the next, and thus called them to faith.
Hazrat Dhu'l-Qarnayn (as) Helped People
They said: 'Dhu'l-Qarnayn! Yajuj and Majuj are causing corruption in the land. Can we, therefore, pay tribute to you in return for your constructing a barrier between us and them?' (Surat al-Kahf: 94)
For the corruption of Yajuj and Majuj, the people in trouble sought Hazrat Dhu'l-Qarnayn's (as) help and offered to pay him tribute in return. From this, we understand that Hazrat Dhu'l-Qarnayn (as) did not represent a single person; rather, he ruled a nation. Just like the Prophet Solomon (as), he ruled a nation and commanded an army.
It is indicated in this verse that he must have had teams of construction experts and civil engineers with him. From the people's request, we can deduce that Hazrat Dhu'l-Qarnayn (as) was interested in, and was knowledgeable about, construction and civil engineering. He might even have been renowned for his expertise in these fields. Accordingly, other nations requested his assistance. All of these factors demonstrate the size and power of his nation.
We can deduce from the narrative in Surat al-Kahf that Hazrat Dhu'l- Qarnayn (as) was a Muslim ruler controlling many lands in the world.
That Hazrat Dhu'l-Qarnayn (as) was well respected and effective in the East and the West could indicate that he was ruling a nation whose power was extensive. Therefore, he was a leader, aware of his responsibility to bring peace, justice, and security not only to his own nation, but also to every part of the world.
The narrative of Hazrat Dhu'l-Qarnayn (as) indicates that in the End Times, just as it was during his own time, the moral values of Islam will rule the world.
A Different Interpretation
Another possibility is that this narrative conveys events that will happen in the future.
In Allah's Presence, all time is one. Future, past, and present are experienced all at once. In some verses, the events of the Day of Judgment in hell and paradise are related as if they have already taken place. The following verses are an example of this:
The Trumpet is blown, and all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth swoon away, save him who Allah wills. Then it is blown a second time, and behold them standing waiting! And the earth shone with the light of her Lord, and the Book is set up, and the prophets and the witnesses are brought, and it is judged between them with truth, and they are not wronged. (Surat az-Zumar: 68-69)
By means of satellite technology, it is possi- ble to take detailed pictures of the Earth and especially intelli- gence satellites are capable of "watching" every country closely.
The events related in this verse are told as if they have already taken place, even though to us, they are future events yet to happen. Therefore it is possible that Hazrat Dhu'l-Qarnayn (as) narrative is from the future, related to us in the past tense.
The eighty-fourth verse reads: '... (We) granted him a way to everything.'This might indicate that Hazrat Dhu'l-Qarnayn (as) will rule the world in the future.
In today's world, a leader or a nation that has dominion over the world must have both communication technology and conventional power. As the leader cannot inspect all of them personally, we can assume that he will stay in a central capital city and control the other areas through satellites and other means of communication. As expressed in the ninety-fifth verse, "He said: 'The power my Lord has granted me is better than that,'' it is probable that Hazrat Dhu'l-Qarnayn (as) had an established power. If we look at the narrative from this perspective, we realize that each verse could be conveying a different message. For example, Hazrat Dhu'l-Qarnayn (as) went first to the West, then to the East, and then back again. These verses might be implying that he communicates with different areas by changing channels broadcasting from satellites. The verses speak constantly of 'finding.' Hazrat Dhu'l-Qarnayn (as) 'found' a people by the 'spring,' that he 'found' a people in the East, who did not understand. These acts of 'finding' happen by searching, and this could be a finding based on looking up satellite channels.
It is stated in the verses that the people of the East had no shelter from the sun. If we consider this information in the light of communication technology, there are two possible messages here. Hazrat Dhu'l-Qarnayn (as) could be watching or gathering intelligence via satellite from these areas (Allah knows the truth). Or they could be implying infrared technology, which is used in many different areas today. Infrared cameras are used in medicine, criminal pathology, meteorology, criminology, intelligence, industry, and other fields. Such cameras also can observe the human body in great detail.
If Hazrat Dhu'l-Qarnayn (as) was addressing a nation, he could do so via satellite and TV broadcasts. This would enable him to learn of the people's needs and complaints, regardless of where they lived, and then rule the areas under his control accordingly.
The Yajuj and Majuj corruption could be a classic act of terror or anarchy or even be committed by means of broadcasting. For example, they could be disrupting other broadcasts in order to broadcast their corrupt ideas. Hazrat Dhu'l-Qarnayn (as) could have prevented this broadcast and thus the corruption. For instance, he could have used the copper and iron mentioned in the verse to create an electromagnetic field and disrupt the radio and TV broadcasts. Transformers, which are made by winding copper wire around an iron core, are one of the sources of electromagnetic fields. A powerful electromagnetic field can disrupt radio and TV broadcasts.
By means of infrared technology, all kinds of criminal tools can be detected easily and crimes committed in the dark can be seen in detail as the pic- tures show. Important advancements have also been made in the diagnosis of illnesses.
Another possibility is that a huge communal satellite dish is implied. The reason for it being so big could have been to overcome Yajuj and Majuj's global disruptive system. The surfaces of these dishes are usually made of the cheaper and lighter aluminum, which is not the ideal material for performance. Copper is a much better conductor, and might have been preferred for this reason. However, covering such a huge dish with copper sheets is not rational. On the other hand, copper-plating the dish with molten copper would give it the smoothest surface and deliver the highest possible performance.
The wall or barrier created by the competing broadcasts or by creating a magnetic field could be termed an 'invisible barrier.' Some scholars read the word saddayn in the ninety-third verse as suddayn, and sadd in the following verse as sudd. In the first case, the meaning would be a 'visible barrier'; in the second, it means an 'invisible barrier' (Allah knows the truth).
'They were, therefore, unable to climb over it, nor were they able to make a breach in it,' as stated in the ninety-seventh verse, might be referring to this, because Yajuj and Majuj attempt to overcome or breach the transmitter's broadcast. Significantly, the current expression used for pirate stations that broadcast by interfering with another broadcast is 'breaching transmission.'
Considering the expression 'scarcely able to understand speech' in this light might mean that this satellite broadcast is sometimes not understood by some people. When the broadcast is disrupted, the people cannot understand; but when the normal broadcast is restored, they begin to understand (Allah knows the truth).
The expression 'a muddy spring' in the eighty-sixth verse is also significant, because seeing the sunset on the TV screen is just like the sun setting in a spring. The colors on the screen change as the sun sets in the distance over the sea, and this appears grayer on the screen. Thus, for someone viewing this, it will appear as if setting in a muddy spring. The aynin hami'ah expression, made up of 'ayn (spring) and hami'ah (muddy) could be implying this unclear view.
Also, his contact with the East and the West could indicate that he is in touch with the various parts of the globe. While the sun rises over one part, it sets on the other.
The Numerical Values (Abjad) in Some of TVhe Verses in Surat al-Kahf Point to Times Very Close to Our Own Day
We fortified their hearts... (Surat al-Kahf: 14)
1400 AH (Anno Hegirae, the Islamic calendar) or
1979 AD (Anno Domini, the Gregorian calendar)
He said: 'The power my Lord has granted me is better than that...' (Surat al-Kahf: 95)
1409 AH, or 1988 AD (Without shaddah)
We gave him power and authority on Earth... (Surat al-Kahf: 84)
1440 AH, or 2019 AD (With shaddah)
A sign pointing at the beginning of the Islamic 1400s and the end of the twentieth and the beginning of the twenty-first Christian century is the number 1980, which is obtained by multiplying Surat al-Kahf's number of verses with its numerical order in the Qur'an.
Sura 18: Surat al-Kahf (contains 110 verses) 18 x 110 = 1980.
Bediuzzaman Said Nursi also often indicated that this time was the beginning of the End Times. He says, for example:
Thus, unfair people who do not know this truth say: 'Why did the Companions of the Prophet (saas) with their vigilant hearts and keen sight, who had been taught all the details of the hereafter, suppose a fact that would occur in the future of the world one thousand four hundred years later to be close to their century, as though their ideas had deviated a thousand years from the truth?'9
Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, by saying '1400 years after' the Companions of the Prophet (saas), indicated the years around 1980 as the end times. Here it is important to note that he said 1400, not 1373, 1378, and not 1398. In other words, Islamic 1400s.
Surat al-Kahf contains very good news for the Muslims. This news, as our Prophet (saas) revealed, is the approaching blessed period of the End Times. If Surat al-Kahf is viewed from this perspective, it is pointing at the different phases of Islam in the End Times, beginning and development, culminating in the rule of Islamic moral values with the arrival of the Prophet Jesus (as).
Footnotes
9. Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, Risale-i Nur Collection, The Words, 'The Twenty-fourth Word: Third Branch'