A Tafseer of Surah Kahf

The 18^th chapter of the Holy Qur’an takes its name from the 9^th verse of this chapter, al-kahf. This Surah was revealed in the third stage of the Prophethood at Makkah. This stage is known to be between the 5^th and 10^th year of Prohethood. Prior to this stage the Pagans had resorted to ridiculing, scoffing, threatening, tempting, raising objections and making false propaganda against the Prophet and his followers in order to suppress the mission of the Prophet. But in this stage, the stage in which surah Al-Kahf was revealed the Pagans employed the weapons of persecution, man handling and economic pressure for the same purpose. To such an extent that a large number of Muslims had to emigrate from Meccah to Abyssinia, and those who stayed behind were besieged in Shi’ib Abi Talib along with the Prophet Muhammad and his family.  To add to their misery, a complete social and economic boycott was applied against them. The only redeeming feature was that there were two personalities. Abu Talib and Khadijah, whose personal influence had been conducive to the support of two great families of the Quriash. But in the 10^th year of Prophethood these two major personalities died, this opned the way the final stage of eh meccan period prior to the Hijrah to Madina.

The theme of the surah indicates it was revealed between 5-10^th of Prophethood, in spite of the persecutions and opposition, migration to Abyssinia had not yet taken place. This is why the four stories that this surah contains were revealed, in particularly the story of the young men in the cave. A story about a small group of believing people living amongst a dominant oppressive non believing nation, then these believers are forced to run away seeking shelter and protection in order to preserve their faith. They run and hide out in a cave until many years later they return to the nation.

A story that resonates with the believers at this stage in Mecca prior to their migration to Abysinna. So, strengthens and encourages the believers to remain strong and committed, the results are in his hands.