[Al-Quran 50:6-8] Have they not looked at the heaven above them - how We structured it and adorned it and how it has no rifts? And the earth - We spread it out and cast therein firmly set mountains and made grow therein [something] of every beautiful kind, Giving insight and a reminder for every servant who turns [to Allah].

Friday, August 1, 2014

Pattern in Surah Al-Kahf (The Cave) [Quran Chapter 18]

Surah Al-Kahf has a total of 110 verses. Verse 1 contains the statement: Praise be to Allah, Who hath sent to His Servant the Book, and hath allowed therein no Crookedness [Translator: Yusuf Ali]. Following this powerful statement of accuracy are some amazing, mind-boggling stories, containing lessons for trials in faith, wealth, knowledge and power!  

This Surah is titled Al-Kahf meaning The Cave, and the first of the four stories related in this surah is about the people of the cave, who took refuge in the cave when they fled religious persecution (verses 9-26). The second story is about the two flourishing gardens whose owner was an ingrate. The question posed is that what if the water sinks in the ground and cannot be found (verses 32-43). In the third story about Moses’ travel (verses 60-82), the fish strangely disappears near a rock, and the poor fisherman’s boat is saved from being confiscated by making a hole in the boat. In the last story (verses 83-98), Dhu-ul-Qarnayn, visits three places: the first visit is to the Arctic Ocean in autumn (verse 86), and second to Antarctica, where there is a hole in the ozone in spring (verse 90), and the last in which he seals an opening in between the mountains to keep the mischief-makers from coming out.  

It is interesting that this Surah contains four unique stories, each with subterranean references. In the first story, the people are rescued from religious persecution by being made to sleep in a cave; in the second story about the two flourishing gardens, with water flowing between the two, the question posed is what if the water disappears underground; in the third, the fish escapes miraculously by a rock; and in the last, the opening between the mountain-sides is sealed to contain the mischief-mongers within. 

Observing the pattern of verses ending with one, the following pattern emerges: 

Verse
Mention
God... 
1
Allah allowed no crookedness in the Book God sent the Book to His Servant 
11
cave: subterranean sleep God sealed their hearing in the cave, so they slept unaware 
21
promise of Allah is true  God delivers 
31
subterranean rivers God will provide
41
water disappearing underground God can take away
51
misguiders not made to witness or taken as helpers God doesn’t accept misguiders and doesn’t allow them to see 
61
rock: subterranean disappearance of fish  God can make a way in spite of apparent impossibility 
71
made a hole in the boat God saves from loss through an apparent loss  
81
Lord may give better in exchange God might replace with something better
91
We completely knew / had full knowledge God encompasses everything in His Knowledge 
101
unbelievers under a veil or cover from My reminder God will not guide the unbelievers 



The surah ends with the following statement [Verse 110]: Say: I am only a mortal like you. My Lord inspireth in me that your Allah is only One Allah. And whoever hopeth for the meeting with his Lord, let him do righteous work, and make none sharer of the worship due unto his Lord. [Translator: Pickthall] 


2 comments:

  1. Well done on your wonderful blog. Really enjoying it and will share where I can. So vital, this type of work you're doing. Light attracts darkness but never mind (I read some hijacked comments!). Keep up the good work.
    Ayesha Powell

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