Many muslims tend to read Surah Al-Kahf every Friday. Some of the benefits it’s said to have are, (taken from the source mentioned below)…
1) Secure Against Dajjal Fitna
A person who recites the last ten verses of Surah every Friday will be protected from the fitna of Dajjal when Dajjal comes out.
2) Shining Light
The one who reads Surah Kahf on Friday, ALLAH will shower a light (NOOR) on their faces that will last until the next two Fridays.
3) Forgiven Sins
Those who recite this Surah on every Friday, ALLAH will forgive all of his/her sins.
4) Protection from Poverty
Whoever reads Surah Kahf on Friday, ALLAH will bless his/her house and protect him/her from poverty.
(* Source: https://hamariweb.com/islam/info/benefits-of-reading-surah-kahf-on-friday/ )
The reward is in the words themselves
In my update titled “What does the Quran tell me?“, I wrote the following words…
”Words are simply read as part of a religious routine“. I feel to some extent the same is true for many people when reading Surah al Kahf every Friday, expecting the rewards… “will be protected”… “Allah will shower a light”… “Those who recite this Surah on every Friday, ALLAH will forgive all of his/her sins” …. “Whoever reads Surah Kahf on Friday, ALLAH will bless his house and protect him/her from poverty”. The focus is put on the need to read the Surah in order to receive the reward.
In that sense, the act of reading becomes a little like as if a small child was saying.. “I ate the vegetables today, can I have the ice cream pleassse”.
Doing it will give you all these things? People may not consider it more deeply than that… it becomes a weekly routine with an expected reward, but… the reward is not in the reading by itself… it is in understanding the words that are being read.
سورة الكهف ٥٤
وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَا فِي هَـٰذَا الْقُرْآنِ لِلنَّاسِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٍ ۚ وَكَانَ الْإِنسَانُ أَكْثَرَ شَيْءٍ جَدَلًا
Surah Al-Kahf 18:54
We have explained in detail in this Qur’an, for the benefit of mankind, every kind of similitude: but man is, in most things, contentious.
The true benefit
So let us take a closer look…
”Whoever reads Surah Kahf on Friday ALLAH will bless his house and protect him/her from poverty.”
سورة الكهف ٤٤-٤٢
وَأُحِيطَ بِثَمَرِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ يُقَلِّبُ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَىٰ مَا أَنفَقَ فِيهَا وَهِيَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا وَيَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي لَمْ أُشْرِكْ بِرَبِّي أَحَدًا
وَلَمْ تَكُن لَّهُ فِئَةٌ يَنصُرُونَهُ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَمَا كَانَ مُنتَصِرًا
هُنَالِكَ الْوَلَايَةُ لِلَّهِ الْحَقِّ ۚ هُوَ خَيْرٌ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ عُقْبًا
Surah Al-Kahf 18:42-44
So his fruits (and enjoyment) were encompassed (with ruin), and he remained twisting and turning his hands over what he had spent on his property, which had (now) tumbled to pieces to its very foundations, and he could only say, “Woe is me! Would I had never ascribed partners to my Lord and Cherisher!”
Nor had he numbers to help him against Allah, nor was he able to deliver himself.
There, the (only) protection comes from Allah, the True One. He is the Best to reward, and the Best to give success.
What does this teach us? That faith and gratitude toward Him who provides for us, is in truth what will be our protection from poverty…
سورة الكهف ٣٠
ِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ إِنَّا لَا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ مَنْ أَحْسَنَ عَمَلًا
Surah Al-Kahf 18:30
As to those who believe and work righteousness, verily We shall not suffer to perish the reward of any who do a (single) righteous deed.
Faith.
”A person who recites the last ten verses of Surah every Friday will be protected from the fitna of Dajjal when Dajjal comes out.” What does the last 10 verses tell us? Basically, the last 10 verses can be summed up like this…
سورة الكهف ١٠٣-١٠٢
أَفَحَسِبَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَن يَتَّخِذُوا عِبَادِي مِن دُونِي أَوْلِيَاءَ ۚ إِنَّا أَعْتَدْنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكَافِرِينَ نُزُلًا
قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُم بِالْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَالًا
Surah Al-Kahf 102-103
Do the Unbelievers think that they can take My servants as protectors besides Me? Verily We have prepared Hell for the Unbelievers for (their) entertainment.
Say: “Shall we tell you of those who lose most in respect of their deeds?-
It explains and shows us…
سورة الكهف ١١٠ ,١٠٧
ِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتُ الْفِرْدَوْسِ نُزُلًا
قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَا إِلَـٰهُكُمْ إِلَـٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ ۖ فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا
Surah Al-Kahf 107, 110
As to those who believe and work righteous deeds, they have, for their entertainment, the Gardens of Paradise,
Say: “I am but a man like yourselves, (but) the inspiration has come to me, that your Allah is one Allah: whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and, in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner.
So what are the last 10 verses telling us? To put our hearts and faith wholeheartedly in Allah. In other words, the protection from the fitna of Dajjal is in seeking the support of Allah. As is also hinted in other places in the Quran…
سورة الأعراف ٢٠١
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا إِذَا مَسَّهُمْ طَائِفٌ مِّنَ الشَّيْطَانِ تَذَكَّرُوا فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْصِرُونَ
سورة النحل ٩٩-٩٨
فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ الْقُرْآنَ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ
إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَهُ سُلْطَانٌ عَلَى الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ
Surah Al-A’raaf 7:201
Those who fear Allah, when a thought of evil from Satan assaults them, bring Allah to remembrance, when lo! they see (aright)!
Surah An-Nahl 16:98-99
When thou dost read the Qur’an, seek Allah’s protection from Satan the rejected one.
No authority has he over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord.
People become blinded by the act of reading the Surah in order to receive the benefits. The act by itself is not necessarily what will give these blessings but the words themselves teaches us what will.
Repeating it every week has indeed an important purpose. The remembrance received by repeating it every week is what makes it stick to our hearts… “The one who reads Surah Kahf on Friday, ALLAH will shower a light (NOOR) on their faces that will last till the next two Fridays.” At the end of the day, His wisdom brings the light for us to follow.
ورة البقرة ٢٦٩
يُؤتِي الْحِكْمَةَ مَن يَشَاء وَمَن يُؤْتَ الْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِيَ خَيْرًا كَثِيراً وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلاَّ أُوْلُواْ الأَلْبَابِ
Surah Al-Baqara 2:269
He granteth wisdom to whom He pleaseth; and he to whom wisdom is granted receiveth indeed a benefit overflowing; but none will grasp the Message but men of understanding.
Understanding the words
Understanding the words is by itself a reward that gives you the needed advantage. Following these words is actually what will give you the rewards. Not just reading them.
People may also be under the influence that reading it as a repetition every Friday is a show of obedience and striving, and that this by itself will grant them all these rewards. Thinking like this amounts to nothing more than empty behaviour if it contains no more than the act of repetition. Of course, striving and obedience is a part of our experience, but… what do all these words teach us? The repetition works mainly as a favour to you rather than a favour to Him. A reminder of the light He has given to you.
I hope this input has been a good and interesting read and that it has given something to consider. We are approaching the end of Ramadan, the days have somehow flown so quickly, haven’t they? I hope things have been going well for all of you.
The best of times to you all inshallah.
Peace, happiness, and stay faithful.
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