Al-Tafsīr Al-Kabīr (The Grand Exegesis)
The Review of Religions is honoured to present the first full English translation of Sūrah al-Kahf, chapter 18 of the Holy Qur’ān, from Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad’s (ra) magnum opus, Al-Tafsīr Al-Kabīr for our readers.
In this edition, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad (ra) mentions his own understanding of the relationship between this chapter and the preceding one.
© Shutterstock
The Connection Between the End of Sūrah al-Isrā’ and the Beginning Content of al-Kahf
This arrangement has been explained while keeping in view the relationship of this chapter with other chapters. As for the connection between the beginning of this chapter and the end of the previous chapter, this [connection] is also apparent. At the end of al-Isrā’, it was stated:
وَقُلِ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِي لَمۡ يَتَّخِذۡ وَلَدٗا وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُۥ شَرِيكٞ فِي ٱلۡمُلۡكِ وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُۥ وَلِيّٞ مِّنَ ٱلذُّلِّ ۖ وَكَبِّرۡهُ تَكۡبِيرَۢا
[‘And say, “All praise belongs to Allah, Who has not taken unto Himself a son, and Who has no partner in His Kingdom, nor has He any helper to save Him from humiliation.” And proclaim His greatness with all magnificence.’]
And at the beginning of this chapter, it states that among the purposes for which We have revealed the Qur’ān to the Holy Prophet Muḥammad (sa), one is also:
وَيُنذِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُواْ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَدٗا
[‘And that it may warn those who say, “Allah has taken unto Himself a son.”’]
Thus, Allah concluded the previous chapter by mentioning that He has no son, and He begins this chapter with the mention that the Holy Prophet Muḥammad (sa) foretells the destruction of the people who attribute a son to God. Similarly, at the end of the previous chapter, it was stated that the knowledgeable are those who worship God Almighty and have faith in His promises. At the beginning of al-Kahf, it is explained that those who attribute a son to God Almighty cannot be called people of knowledge. In other words, the previous chapter defined knowledge, while this chapter defines ignorance.
The third connection between the concluding portion of Sūrah al-Isrā’ and the opening section of Sūrah al-Kahf is as follows: At the end of Sūrah al-Isrā’, it is stated that لَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُۥ شَرِيكٞ فِي ٱلۡمُلۡكِ meaning Allah the Almighty has no associate in His sovereignty. And at the beginning of Sūrah al-Kahf, it is declared that, لِّيُنذِرَ بَأْسًا شَدِيدًا مِّن لَّدُنْهُ i.e., the Holy Qur’ān has been bestowed upon the Holy Prophet Muḥammad (sa) so that he may warn people of the punishment that comes from God Almighty. In other words, those who pride themselves on their worldly dominions and imagine that, in view of their material resources, there is none who can challenge or destroy them, should be informed that destruction can come through means that are beyond anyone’s imagination.
Therefore, do not be complacent about the punishment of God, Who is the True Sovereign of this world.
The fourth connection between the two chapters is found in the concluding portions [of the former] and opening portions [of the latter]. The final words of Sūrah Isrā’ were: ‘And proclaim God Almighty’s greatness with all magnificence.’ And in the opening verses of this chapter, after mentioning those who attribute a son to Allah, He states:
كَبُرَتْ كَلِمَةً تَخْرُجُ مِنْ أَفْوَٰهِهِمْ
‘It is a grievous word that issues from their mouths.’ That is to say, greatness [ultimately] belongs to Allah the Almighty, and they are unjustly attributing that right to His insignificant creation.
Evidence from the Aḥādīth Regarding this Chapter’s Connection to Christians
Now I present some aḥādīth that prove that the Holy Prophet (sa) also related this chapter to Christians and applied it to them. Imām Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal narrates from Abū al-Dardā’ (ra),
قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللَّه ﷺ :مَنْ حَفِظَ عَشْرَ آيَاتٍ مِنْ أَوَّلِ سُوْرَةِ الْكَهْفِ عُصِمَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الدَّجَّالِ
The Holy Prophet (sa) said, ‘Whoever memorises ten verses from the beginning of Sūrah al-Kahf will be protected from the trial of the Dajjāl [Antichrist].’
This ḥadīth clearly shows that this chapter is related to the trial of the Antichrist. And Aḥmad, Muslim, and al-Nasā’ī have narrated from Abū al-Dardā’ (ra):
قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: مَنْ
قَرَأَ عَشْرَ الْأَوَاخِرِ مِنْ سُوْرَةِ الْكَهْفِ عُصِمَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الدَّجَّالِ مَنَ
The Holy Prophet (sa) said, ‘Whoever memorises the last ten verses of Sūrah al-Kahf will be protected from the trial of the Dajjāl.
Sūrah al-Kahf Mentions the Christians
These aḥādīth clearly demonstrate that the Holy Prophet (sa) understood this chapter to be related to the trial of the Antichrist [Dajjāl]. However, the name of the Antichrist is not explicitly mentioned in this chapter.
In the opening verses, there is indeed reference to a people who will take someone as the son of God, which is the belief of the Christians. And in the final verses, there is mention of a people who will spend day and night in pursuit of worldly progress, and will become so engrossed in inventions and innovations that they will come to think that perhaps they will uncover the secret of the universe. But the further they progress in their discoveries, the more it will become apparent that behind every secret of nature, there lies another layer of mysteries, and no one can set limits to the works of Allah the Almighty. This is precisely the description of Christian nations.
Thus, when the first and last parts of the chapter mention Christian doctrine and the progress and advancements of Christians, and when the Holy Prophet (sa) said that whoever recites the first ten and last ten verses of Sūrah al-Kahf will be protected from the trial of the Antichrist, it can only mean that he has named the corrupted Christianity itself as the Antichrist. If this is not the right interpretation, then, God forbid, an objection would be raised against the Holy Prophet (sa) that he suggested entirely irrelevant verses to protect us against the trial of the Antichrist. But his status is far above such an act.
Summary of the Chapter
The summary of this chapter is that Allah the Almighty has revealed this book to rectify the errors of the previous scriptures and to warn those who attribute a son to God.
These people will achieve great progress and will develop a strong aversion to Islām, but their end shall not be similar to their beginning. In the beginning, these people were extremely weak and were subjected to severe hardships, but Allah the Almighty had mercy on them and saved them from calamities. He showed them the path of progress, but after achieving progress, they became entangled in shirk [associating partners with Allah], and instead of inclining towards religion, they inclined towards the world and became engrossed in it.
Therefore, Muslims should also learn from the conditions of this nation, and, during their own period of progress, avoid three corruptions: (1) They should not become lax in worship; (2) they should not develop excessive desire for worldly wealth, and (3) they should not indulge in luxurious living and sensual pleasures.
Then Allah Almighty said that at that time, the example of Muslims and their brethren from the People of the Book, will be like that of a wealthy brother and an impoverished one. One brother will be proud of his wealth, while the other will turn his attention towards God. Eventually, the head of arrogance will be lowered, and without human efforts, such circumstances will be created that the power of the wealthy one will be diminished.
Then God explained these details, which were previously told to Moses (as), regarding these changes. In this context, it was revealed that Moses (as) was informed during his Isrā’ [spiritual journey] that the progress of his community would be far less and inferior to that of another person, and that individual to come would complete all those matters which Moses (as) could not accomplish.
Thus, according to the interpretation of the Isrā’, Islām will achieve victory at the time of the decline of the Christian nation. Then, describing the conditions after this victory, God states that eventually, there will come a time when Muslims too will forget their faith, and in order to punish them, Allah the Almighty will grant progress to Christians once again. This will be accomplished by these same [Christian] nations, which, some time ago, had been prevented from advancing towards the southern and eastern regions. At that time, severe destruction will befall the world. All nations will become subject to two major blocs and ideologies. Oppression will increase.
At that time, Allah the Almighty will once again create such means that this growing flood will be stopped. Allah Almighty also indicated that this nation will again play a role in stopping this flood. He also indicated that the nation which will play a role in stopping this flood will be the very same one which which once previously broke the political power of Ya’jūj and Ma’jūj [Gog and Magog].
Sūrah al-Kahf is a Continuation of Sūrah al-Isrā’
In short, this chapter is a continuation of Sūrah al-Isrā’, and its events are not disjointed, as some commentators have understood. Rather, the chapter contains an exceptional arrangement and has a deep connection with the previous chapters.
Serialisation of Sūrah al-Kahf will continue in the next edition.
ENDNOTES
1. The Holy Qur’an, 17:112.
2. Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, Musnad Baqiyyah Hadīth Abi al-Dardā’.
3. Ibid.
