The Companions of the Cave – Part II
In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful. We will continue now the story of the Companions of the Cave (The Ultimate Trustee). We said that you have to carry out what you are obliged to do and then trust that Allah will grant you success. We should not allow our dreams to be encompassed by mere personal visions. Instead, be like the Companions of the Cave who had a dream to reform their whole country.
Someone's dream might be to enlighten his village. Another could undertake the role of teaching the illiterate. Yet another could aim at using the media to brighten youngsters. The major character that makes humans distinct from other creatures is the ability to dream People who do not dream are not alive.
In addition to dreams, the Companions of the Cave had hope. Dreams can not be realized without hope. If our dreams are embellished with hope, then we can simply change the world.
If you are at a point of origin A and have a dream of reaching point Z, you might consider your capabilities too feeble to achieve such a far goal. In the story of the Companions of the Cave, we see a very important concept. When those young men invested their energy to reach point B, Allah allowed easy flow to their dream.
Those young people did not despair as some of our brothers sitting jobless at home, raising an excuse of no hope. You have to reach point B. Then Allah will ease the remaining majority of your path. Not everyone who has reached great expectations had the tangible needs to get there.
Allah's name: The Ultimate Trustee (al-Wakeel):
The fact that the Muslim army of 313 soldiers was victorious over an army of 1000 polytheist soldiers in the Battle of Badr is inconceivable by means of this world. Allah ordered the Muslims what can be translated as, "And prepare for them whatever power you can..," (TMQ
When you look at the Cave, you will be amazed at how its 90 meters were created to accommodate such a righteous company. First, the cave was designed as would an air-conditioned apartment be designed. There is a reception ahead of where they slept their 300 years. Then there is an opening in the cave, allowing the entry of air and sunlight. The opening faced the South-East as if designed to be away from the sun during the day, but allow the light flow of sunrays and warmth around dusk. Which trustee could have designed a palace to conserve people for 300 years, to take care of them, as did The Ultimate Trustee?
Allah says what can be translated as, "And you might have seen the sun when it rose, declining from their cave towards the right; and when it set, it went past them towards the left while they were in a broad fissure of (the cave). That was one of the signs of Allah. Whomever Allah guides, then he is right-guided, and whomever He leads away into error, then you will never find for him a right-minded patron. " (TMQ, 18: 17). This was the first mercy bestowed on them.
Secondly, Allah's soldiers (the sun and air, and the heat and cold) were ordered not to harm them. Brothers and sisters, when we ask The Ultimate Trustee, we are asking The Creator of all the soldiers that can work for our sake. Scorpions and snakes were not to enter the cave for over 300 years. Who can protect you like that?
This cave was a mercy from Allah to them. Their people were guided by their sleep in the cave and disappearance, more than they could have ever been guided by their presence. They moved to point B, and then Allah allowed them to rest while their work progressed on its own!
Allah allowed them to sleep for 309 years, by muting their hearing! Allah says, "Then We struck upon their ears for a (great) number of years in the cave," (TMQ, 18:11), and then says, "And We turned them about towards the right and towards the left," (TMQ, 18:18). They were not dead, but only asleep. This is one of the very miraculous signs in this story. Allah changed the characters of sleep to accommodate 7 sixteen year olds because they trusted in Him.
Fourthly, noise and disturbance was prohibited around the Cave. The king's soldiers informed him where the young men were located, and they were ordered to block the apparent entrance of the Cave so he could get rid of the young men by suffocating them inside, but this was only another part of Allah's settings that the young men not be disturbed! "And in no way does anyone know the hosts of your Lord except He," (TMQ, 74: 31). "And they were scheming, and Allah was scheming; and Allah is The Most Charitable of schemers," (TMQ, 8: 30).
The importance of al-Waseed:
Allah says, "And their dog stretching out his two fore-legs (Literally: his two arms) on the threshold (Waseed)," (TMQ, 18: 18). Waseed is the step near the entrance of the Cave. The young men's dog laid there for 309 years, as if a sign was saying, "Beware! Do not trespass!"
We all have to realize the meaning of trusting Allah, dear brothers and sisters. We all have had signs in our lives showing how trust in Allah does not fail. What are you afraid of? Live with a message and work as hard as your capabilities and means can get you, and know that Allah will allow you success. We are all ordered to read Surat The skin dies and ulcers are the result. This normally happens to those unconscious, as those bed-ridden in coma. Thus medical staff in hospitals will go in to coma patients and continuously turn them in bed to prevent ulcers of their backs and legs.
They were only 7 young men and not prophets, and they were granted all that care because of their trust. Whoever lives his life for Allah's sake, Allah will truly ensure for him such mercies. On the other hand, people who live for their own selves and desires will not sense such meaningful signs in their lives.
Similarly, in this verse Allah says, "If you look at them, indeed you would have turned away from them in flight and indeed been filled with horror of them" (TMQ, 18: 18). This verse is showing another defense for them. Those young men went to the Cave afraid from the king's corruption. Here Allah says that those who trust Allah and sense His presence will be lead to peace and serenity while those who transgress will be in fear from this same serenity! If you sleep while trusting Allah in mind, then sleep entirely and never be scared.
Have we now realized the meaning of the verse, "Or even do you reckon that the Companions of the Cave and Ar-Raqîm (It is the name of a leaden plate, on which were written the names of the seven sleepers) were among Our signs a wonder?" (TMQ, 18: 9).
Events going on Outside the Cave:
What happened outside the cave? What happened to their people? Their Families had searched for them a lot, the young men had disappeared suddenly, and their families and the town had a doubt that the king was the reason for their disappearance and that he might have hurt them.
As for the King, since that day his image had been shaken, because all the people were thinking that he is the one who killed the young men whom were 15 years of age. Notice that the king is the one who introduced the message and that because the seven young men were presenting good deeds for the people and time was not on their side to spread their monotheistic beliefs among the people. Then the King announced that the young men had faith, and he had spread his guards everywhere. So the people said: “Did those righteous young men want to inform us that there is no god but Allah? Why does the king want to hurt them?" By this way the people were introduced to the new message.
The Inscribed Tablet:
People have engraved the names of the seven young men on a wooden or a copper tablet, so that they would be always remembered for the coming generations, and no one would forget them. Good deeds that are done are never a waste, and for that came the famous ayah
[Glorified and Exalted Be He].
Translated by: The English Convoy – Dar al-Tarjama
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