Surah Kahf is the 18th Surah of the Holy Quran and was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) in the third stage of Prophethood in Makkah. In this Surah, Allah shares with us the important message that people achieve salvation by following His commandments and believing in Him without a doubt.
You must have heard that reciting Surah Kahf on Friday or during Friday prayers has immense benefits. So, in today’s article, we’ll highlight the benefits of reciting this Surah and how it can help fight evil forces and draw us closer to Allah.
The Four Lessons in Surah Kahf
Surah Al-Kahf contains four important stories, each with a unique lesson for humanity. These lessons are:
1. The Lesson of Unwavering Faith – Allah Is the Epicenter of Faith
The story of the people of the Cave, Ashaab al-Kahf, details the help and miracle of Allah for those who remain steadfast in difficult times. The Quran tells the story of a few young men (the number is best known to Allah) who were forced to seek refuge in a cave from a tyrannical ruler who was persecuting them for believing in Allah.
The Ashaab went to sleep; and woke up 300 years later, in a time when the ruler was a believer. Thus, Allah showed how he protects those who have unwavering faith in Him. It gives us an example to remain steadfast in our faith despite hardships.
2. The Lesson of Wealth – All Wealth Belongs to Allah
The second story is about a man with two beautiful and bountiful gardens. Allah blessed the man with wealth, good health, and good progeny; however, the man became arrogant about these worldly possessions.
He forgot to thank Allah for his mercy and became boastful of his material wealth. Thus, Allah destroyed his Garden to teach humanity that wealth and good health comes from Allah; all worldly possession are transient; they will not last long and only do so at the will of Allah.
Therefore, we must always practice humility, be thankful to Allah, and continue to seek His forgiveness and mercy in good and bad times.
3. The Lesson of Wisdom – All Knowledge Belongs to Allah
The third story is that of Hazrat Musa and Al-Khidr; Allah commands Musa to go on a journey with Al-Khidr to show Hazrat Musa that Allah bestows Knowledge to whomever he sees fit; no one on earth knows everything except Allah.
This story teaches us that even the Prophets of Allah only have the knowledge that Allah has given them and that we should not be boastful of the Knowledge Allah gives us. If some of us are more knowledgeable, keen-sighted, intelligent, and brighter than others, it is not our greatness. In fact, it is Allah who blessed us with this gift. Therefore, believe Allah to be the source of all knowledge and remain humble.
4. The Lesson of Power – All Power Belongs to Allah
The fourth and final tale is of Hazrat Dhul-Qarnayn, the righteous king.
Allah gave immense power to King Dhul-Qarnayn and commanded him to do as he will. The Quran mentions three of the king’s journeys, and in the last one, he comes across a people living between two mountains.
The people of the valley beseeched Dhul-Qarnayn to construct a wall between them and the tribe of Ya’juj and Ma’juj (Gog and Magog), who were creating mischief. Dhul-Qarnayn built a great wall to keep the tribes out and keep the people of the valley safe.
Even so, he did not attribute this good gesture to himself; he said, “it is mercy from Allah.” Teaching us that all power comes from Allah, and we should not be proud of the power he has given us. It is a lesson for the people in power not to become arrogant and use their power for good deeds.
The Greatest Virtue of Reciting Surah Kahf: Protection from Dajjal
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is reported to have said the following concerning reciting this blessed Surah:
مَنْ حَفِظَ عَشْرَ آيَاتٍ مِنْ أَوَّلِ سُورَةِ الْكَهْف عُصِمَ مِنْ الدَّجَّالِ
“Whoever memorizes ten verses from the beginning of Surat al-Kahf will be immune to the False Messiah (al-Masiha al-Dajjal)“ – Hisn al-Muslim 199
And in other narrations, the Prophet(s) said:
مِنْ آخِرِ الْكَهْفِ
“….from the last ten verses of Surat al-Kahf…” – Sunan Abi Dawud 4323 and Ṣaḥih Muslim 809a
This is perhaps the greatest and most unique attribute of reciting this, Surah. The one-eyed Dajjal will be a lying, false messiah who will lead people astray. Also known as ‘the messiah of misguidance’, he will tempt believers by performing miracles, such as bringing down rain, resurrecting the dead, reviving the earth to yield vegetation, etc.
Muslims who will memorize the first ten and last ten verses of the Surah are guaranteed protection from the fitna of False Messiah (al-Masiha al-Dajjal) and will remain oblivious to his false charms.
According to Islamic scholars, the Day of Resurrection is fast approaching, and it’s time to act on this hadith and encourage our fellow Muslims and children to do the same. When asked why the recitation of this Surah in particular promises protection from Dajjal, Imam Nawawi stated:
“The reason is that the beginning of Surat al-Kahf contains the miracles and signs of God’s greatness. So, the contemplating person will not be deceived by the slander of Dajjal”.
Other Benefits of Reciting Surah Al-Kahf on Friday
Other than protecting believers from the fitna of Dajjal, there are other benefits of reciting Surah Al-Kahf. There is an emphasis on reciting this Surah on Friday because of the significance of this day in Islam.
It is narrated by Abu Dawud that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said:
The best day that the sun has risen upon is Friday. On it, Adam was created; on it, he entered Paradise; and on it, he was expelled from it. And the Hour will not be established except on Friday. – Jami` at-Tirmidhi 488
Here are the benefits of reciting Surah al-Kahf on this blessed day:
1. Noor Between the Reciter and the Kaaba
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said:
“Whoever reads Surat al-Kahf on the night of Jumu’ah will have a light that will stretch between him and the Ancient House (the Kaaba).” Al-Darimi, 3407
2. Light Emitted between Two Fridays
It is narrated by Al-Hakim and Al-Bayhaqi that the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) said:
“Whoever reads the letter of Al-Kahf on Friday, it will be emitted light for him between two Jum’at.”
Ibn Hajar stated in Takhrij al-Adhkar that this is a Hasan Hadith and the most authentic reported concerning recitation of Surat al-Kahf.
In another hadith, Abū Sa’id reported that the Prophet of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“If anyone recites sūra al-Kahf (Qur’ān, 18) on Friday, the light will shine brightly for him till the next Friday.” Mishkat al-Masabih 2175
3. Forgiveness of Sins between two Fridays
It is narrated by Ibn Umar (RA):
“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: ‘Whoever reads Surat al-Kahf on the day of Jumu’ah, a light will shine for him from beneath his feet to the clouds of the sky, which will shine for him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will be forgiven (his sins) between the two Fridays”‘. – al-Sunan al-Kubrá 5856
Conclusion for Benefits of Reciting Surah Kahf on Friday
The Prophet (ﷺ) advised his followers to recite Surah Kahf on Friday, either during the day or on Friday night. According to the lunar calendar, the period of recitation is between the sunset on Thursday and the sunset on Friday.
Now that you know the immense benefits and virtues of reading Surah Kahf on Friday, follow this practice and guide others to do the same. May Allah keep us on the righteous path, protect us, and forgive our sins, Ameen!
