As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters.
Summary
Today’s selection is from Surah 18, Al-Kahf or the Cave, verses 32-49. These verses give a parable of a believer and a non-believer and a similitude of worldly life and its relationship to the life of the hereafter.
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Verses
Bis-millahi ar-rahman, ar-raheem.
In the name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful.O Prophet! Give them this parable. Once there were two men. To one of them We had given two gardens of grapevines surrounded with palm-trees and put between them land for cultivation.[32] Both of those gardens yielded abundant produce and did not fail to yield its best. We had even caused a river to flow between the two gardens.[33] He had abundant produce, he said to his companion while conversing with him: “I am richer than you and my clan is mightier than yours.”[34] When, having thus wronged his soul, he entered his garden and said: “I do not think that this garden will ever perish![35] Nor do I believe that the Hour of Judgment will ever come. Even if I am returned to my Lord, I will surely find even a better place than this.”[36] His companion replied while still conversing with him: “Do you disbelieve in Him Who created you from dust, from a drop of semen, and fashioned you into a perfect man?[37] As for myself, Allah is the One Who is my Lord and I do not associate anyone with Him.[38] When you entered your garden why did you not say: ‘It is as Allah pleased; no one has power except Allah!’ Though you see me poorer than yourself in wealth and children,[39] yet my Lord may give me a garden better than yours, and may send down thunderbolts from the sky upon your garden, turning it into a barren wasteland.[40] Or its water may dry out and you may never be able to find it.”[41] It so happened that all his fruit produce was destroyed and the vines tumbled down upon their trellises, so he wrung his hands with grief for all that he had spent on it. He cried: “I wish I had not associated anyone with my Lord!”[42] He was so helpless that he could neither find anyone to help him besides Allah, nor could he himself avert that catastrophe[43] – it was then that he realized that the real protection comes only from Allah. His is the best reward and His is the best requital.[44] 18:[ 32-44]
O Prophet! Give them the similitude of the life of this world. It is like the vegetation of the earth that flourishes with the rain from the sky, but afterwards the same vegetation turns into dry stubble which is blown away by the winds. Allah is the One Who has power over everything.[45] Likewise, wealth and children are an attraction of this worldly life; yet honorable deeds that last forever are better rewarded by your Lord and hold for you a better hope of salvation.[46] You should prepare for that Day when We will set the mountains in motion and you will see the earth as a barren waste; when We shall assemble mankind all together, leaving not even a single soul behind.[47] They all will be brought before your Lord standing in rows and Allah will say: “Well! You see that you have returned to Us as We created you at first: even though you claimed that We had not fixed any time for the fulfillment of this promise of meeting with Us!”[48] Then the book of their deeds will be placed before them. At that time you will see the sinners in great terror because of what is recorded therein. They will say: “Woe to us! What kind of a book is this? It leaves out nothing small or large: all is noted down!” They will find all that they did recorded therein. Your Lord will not be unjust to anyone in the least.[49] 18:[45-49]
Ameen.
This concludes today’s episode of the 17 Verses Podcast. I hope that this selection has helped increase your understanding of the holy Qur’an just a little bit.
Thank you and be well.