One of the significant reasons why Muslims recite the last ten verses of Surah Al-Kahf on a Friday is for protection against the fitna of the Dajjal, an influential figure in Islam who appears in the End Times and misguides the people and fights the Mahdi and the Messiah. However Aba Al Sadiq (From Him is Peace) mentions that there is the relationship that Surat Al-Kahf in particular has with the Qaim (From Him is Peace) and the End Times.
In the episode, ‘Imam Mahdi, Dajjal and Surah Al-Kahf’, Aba Al-Sadiq (From Him Is Peace) states,
“.....you have other narrations from Mohammed and the Family Mohammed that say that the Kahf, Surat Al-Kahf has a very strong relationship with the Qaim and his companions. Now Surat Al-Kahf it's the 18th Surah in the Quran and in it are several different stories. But the three most famous stories that are listed in Surat Al-Kahf is the story by which the Surah itself is named after. 'Al-Kahf' means 'the cave'. And this is a reference to the story of the Seven Sleepers. The Seven Sleepers are well-known saints in Catholicism. And so Catholic Christianity considers them to be holy individual[s]. And they are seven in number. And in Islam they are mentioned, and their story is mentioned, in Surat Al-Kahf. And actually the Surah itself - one surah out of the whole 114 Surahs in the Quran - is named after these Seven Sleepers. And for that reason, there's an extra emphasis and importance that's placed on them. The second story that is of significance and importance in Surat Al-Kahf is the story of Moses and the Righteous Servant. And we're going to get to that after the story of the Seven Sleepers. And last but not least, the story that is highlighted that's also of extreme importance in Surat Al-Kahf is the story of Dhul Quarnayn and his journey.”
For those who are not aware about the story of the Seven Sleepers, it is about seven noble youths who lived during the Roman Empire, after Jesus Christ but before the rise of Islam. They held high government positions and secretly practiced Christianity during a time when Christians were viciously persecuted. To escape the oppressive Roman emperor, who was forcing people to worship false gods and severely torturing Christians, they fled to a cave with their dog.
In the cave, they fell into a miraculous sleep for 309 years. When they awoke, they found themselves unchanged but in a vastly different world where Christianity was no longer persecuted. One of them, Yamlikha, went into the city to buy food, only to discover the ancient currency he carried was no longer recognized. The townspeople were astonished by his story, and word reached the local Christian king. The king, along with the townspeople, visited the cave and celebrated the miraculous preservation of the Seven Sleepers as a sign of God's power and protection.
The Seven Sleepers, after recounting their story, chose to return to the cave, where they passed away. The cave was then sealed and honored as a tomb, marking the event as a significant miracle in both Islamic and Christian traditions.
Aba Al-Sadiq (From Him is Peace) states in the episode:
“And the relationship that it has with the Qaim and its [his] companions, and why it is a protection from the fitna of the Antichrist is because obviously, that which is taking place in the time of the Antichrist, in the time of the Mahdi, in terms of the political atmosphere and that which is going on in the world, parallels exactly what was taking place back in the day in the time of the Seven Sleepers. The people were rejecting the proofs of Allah (subhanahu wa taala). They were appointing their own ruler. They were being ruled by tyrants. And in this day and age, the entire planet is living and being ruled by tyrants and suffering from their decisions, while those who are appointed from Allah (subhanahu wa taala) are oppressed. The similitude of the cave in Surat Al-Kahf, it is talking about that cave which the Seven Sleepers went into, but it also has a hidden meaning and the cave's hidden meaning is the Qaim. The Qaim is the cave, and the Seven Sleepers are the companions of the cave, meaning they're the companions of the Qaim. And even there's a little bit of a wink or nod to this notion in the narrations, where it states that some of the companions of the Qaim whom are resurrected and returned in the time of the Qaim are these Seven Sleepers. When the Qaim in one narration appears, he appears with him, and he has with him the Seven Sleepers. And so the Qaim is the cave. It's an allegory for him. And the sleepers are the companions of the cave. When the companions of the cave, the Ansar of the Qaim, retreat and go away from society in order that they may take the Qaim and his Dawah as a shelter, the Supremacy of Allah (subhanahu wa taala), and declare themselves innocent from the tyrants that are existing in society today, what happens? The Quran says that God spreads for them from his mercy and they obtain the knowledge and the favor of God by taking refuge and shelter with the Qaim.”
“So that's what happens in the time of the Qaim, the companions. They retreat from society. They meet up with the Qaim. They make hijrah to him. They abandon/declare themselves innocent. And they take him as a refuge. And God sustains them, and God prepares them for what is to come. What is to come? That state that they will see, that they will wake up to, and they will find.
And that was the Seven Sleepers, they found that they were living in a Christian state. A state now that went from being anti-followers of Jesus to pro-followers of Jesus, a state that went from being unjust to a state that was just, and had a righteous king instead of an oppressor. Same thing happens with the companions of the cave in the time of the Qaim, God prepares for them a way. And they end up seeing a Divine Just State. A state... even though it's unbelievable, even though nobody understands how it will happen. And it takes place by a miraculous way. Those companions of the Qaim will see a just state in their lifetime in the same way that these Seven Sleepers saw a just state, even if it meant that God had to prolong their age for 309 years. The same thing applies to the Qaim and his companions. And there's some narrations which even mentioned that the Prophet is swearing and saying basically that "Even if God had to stretch out a day so long that He would do so in order that the earth be filled with justice and equity as it was filled with injustice and inequity," et cetera.”
The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali Ibn Abi Taleb (From Him is Peace) said:
“The Companions of the Cave (Ashab Al-Kahf) will come to assist the Mahdi (From Him is Peace) .” – Husayni, Al-Hidayah, p. 31; Irshad al-Qulub, p. 286; Hilyah al-Abrar, vol. 2, p. 601
It is narrated from Mufaddal bin Umar from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (From Him Is Peace) that he said:
“When the Qaim of the Family of Mohammed (PBUH & His Family) reappears, he will enliven and bring out twenty-seven persons from the back of the Kaaba, and raise from the graves twenty-five persons from the community of Prophet Musa (PBUH) who used to judge equitably, seven people from the folks of the cave, Yusha bin Nun, legatee of Prophet Musa (PBUH), believer of the nation of Firon, Salman Farsi, Abu Dujana Ansari and Malik Ibne Ashtar.”
- Kitab Al Irshad p. 522 (English version)
Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud:
The Prophet (PBUH & His Family) said: “If only one day of this world remained. Allah would lengthen that day, till He raised up in it a man who belongs to me or to my family whose father's name is the same as my father's, who will fill the earth with equity and justice as it has been filled with oppression and tyranny.”
- Sunan Abi Dawud 4282
The second story that we have is the story of Moses (PBUH) and the Righteous Servant.
For those who are not aware about the story of Moses and the Righteous Servant, God instructs Moses to seek out the Righteous Servant, Khidr, at the mysterious Meeting Point of the Two Seas for knowledge. Upon meeting, Khidr agrees to teach Moses on the condition that he remains patient and does not question his actions. During their journey, Khidr damages a boat belonging to kind, poor people, kills an innocent boy, and repairs a wall in an unwelcoming town without seeking payment. Each time, Moses objects, struggling to understand the apparent injustices. Khidr ultimately explains his actions: the boat was damaged to prevent a tyrant from seizing it, the boy was killed to prevent future tyranny and grief for his parents, and the wall was repaired to protect a treasure meant for two orphans. These acts, while seemingly harsh, reveal deeper divine wisdom and teach Moses about patience and the limitations of human understanding.
Aba Al-Sadiq (From Him is Peace) states in the episode:
“And the comparison that it has this story, it also has a comparison or a lesson in it, a parallel with the Qaim and his companions, a very important one which will help all those whom live in the time of the Qaim and live in the time of the Dajjal to avoid the Dajjal by having success by accompanying the Qaim and not basically disbelieving or running away from him at one point. The likeness between Moses and the Righteous Servant is the likeness between the Qaim and the companions. The companions of the Qaim, they're required to be patient with their journey with the Qaim, and to be submissive, and to not question him in the same way that Moses was required to be submissive, and not question the decisions that the Righteous Servant was making. And those three incidents that took place with Moses and the Righteous Servant will also take place in the Dawah of the Qaim. And the narrations of Mohammed and the Family of Mohammed as well as Ahmed Al-Hassan (alayhi salam), he spoke about these matters. And he said that in the time of the Qaim, there will be damage that will take place to the ship. And the ship will belong to the companions of the Qaim. And the ship is the community of the Qaim, the community of the Qaim or the companions of the Qaim, the dawah of the companions of the Qaim will be damaged. So in the apparent, those tyrants who are looking from the outside and even the people on the ship will see that there's something wrong with this dawah, or they will think that there's something wrong with this dawah. But in reality, [the thing that was] there's nothing wrong with the dawah, but it was just damaged intentionally by the Qaim in order to protect it from tyrants recognizing that this is the true Qaim and the true dawah of the Qaim. So he ruins the reputation of the dawah or he does something to make people think "We don't have anything to worry about in terms of this dawah. It's a false dawah.
He rules by the Holy Spirit. And so he judges his companions by the disbelief that he knows that they will commit, and what he knows is in their hearts rather than something that they had committed. And there's also other narrations that state that the matter of the Qaim is prolonged. So it's not just like something where the Mahdi appears, and then all of a sudden there's wars, and his companions magically appear, and all of this. No, the Dawah of the Qaim, it's prolonged. He has a dawah for a very long time. His path with his companions is extended until the closest of closest people to him become those who bear the greatest enmity towards him. The closest of closest people to him become those who hate him the most and seek to fight him. And so these are all warnings. And it's warnings that are in the Surat Al-Kahf that if you're with the Qaim and he ever condemns somebody, even if they are the closest of closest people to him, even if they are known to be as innocent of a child, even if you loved them so much like Moses admired this youth, and you didn't know that they had committed any sin, and you see them as being blameless or perhaps even oppressed, don't ever fall in that mistake of questioning the Qaim. Hold on tight to his judgment because he knows best what's in the people. And then the third story that happens with Moses and the Righteous Servant also replicates itself in the time of the Qaim. And that is the wall. And the wall in the time of the Qaim has a treasure underneath it. And that treasure is the treasure that the Qaim will bring out and that treasure is the 27 letters of knowledge that he will spread amongst the people that were previously unknown. And so that is also a forewarning to tell the people that if the Qaim brings out knowledge, and he brings out that knowledge by doing works, which are contradictory to logic - like fixing the wall, or in its apparent is helping oppressors, or in its apparent it is something which goes against the jurisprudence, or goes against the laws of God - don't ever question him. Trust is intellect. Trust that God is with him. Trust the Spirit that's with him. And trust his eyes rather than your own eyes, and your own mind, and your own logic.”
Abi Abdullah Imam Al-Sadiq (From Him is Peace) said:
“Knowledge is twenty-seven letters in total and everything which the Messengers brought forth are only two letters and the people to this very day know nothing but two letters, so if the Qaim emerges he will bring forth the twenty-five letters and spread them amongst the people and will add it to the previous two letters, until he spreads a total of twenty-seven letters.”
- Bihar Al-Anwar, Al-Allamah Al-Majlisi, Vol. 52, p. 336
On the authority of Abu Baseer, on the authority of Abu Ja’far (From Him is Peace), he said:
“The Qaim goes forth judging cases which some of his companions whom fought ahead of him in battle reject, and it is the judgment of Adam (PBUH), so the Riser/Qaim brings forth the men who objected and strikes their necks, then he judges the second case and another people who fought with him in battle shall reject it, and it is the judgment of David (PBUH), so he brings them forth and strikes their necks, and then he judges a third case, and another people who fought alongside him in battle shall reject, and it is the judgment of Abraham (PBUH) so he brings them forth and strikes their necks, then he judges a fourth case and it is by the judgment of Mohammed (PBUH & His Family) and none shall reject it.” - Bihar Al-Anwar, Al-Allamah Al-Majlisi, Vol. 52, p. 389
On the authority of Abu Abdullah (From Him is Peace) he said:
“When the Qaim of the Family of Mohammed rises, he rules by the rule of David and Solomon, he does not ask people for evidence.” - Bihar Al-Anwar, Al-Allamah Al-Majlisi, Vol. 26, p. 177
Aba Al-Sadiq (From Him is Peace) also highlighted that,
“Part of tasleem is that you trust the Imam's eyes more than you trust your own eyes. You trust his mind more than you trust your own. You let him think for you and you let him see for you and you let him hear for you. You're trusting the messenger's senses more than you're trusting your own.”
And then finally we have in Surat Al-Kahf the story of Dhul Quarnayn (PBUH) and his journey. For those who are not aware, Dhul-Qarnayn (PBUH), a prophet and king appointed by God, is renowned for his righteousness and authority, comparable to Solomon's, though without Solomon's supernatural abilities. Dhul-Qarnayn (PBUH) receives direct divine inspiration and embarks on extensive travels from the east to the west, encountering various peoples, including Gog and Magog. His quest includes a search for the Fountain of Youth, which only his companion Al-Khidr (PBUH) finds by accident, symbolizing the paradox of seeking eternal life. Dhul-Qarnayn's significant achievements include building a protective wall against Gog and Magog, symbolizing the separation between believers and disbelievers.
Aba Al-Sadiq (From Him is Peace) says,
“And so the similitude and the comparison that can be drawn here and is drawn by the Family of Mohammed in regards to the story of Dhul Quarnayn and the Qaim of the Family of Mohammed is that he's given that which Dhul Quarnayn was given. Dhul Quarnayn is given ability in the land. The Qaim is given ability in the land. Dhul Quarnayn is inspired by God. The Qaim is inspired by God. Dhul Quarnayn builds a wall that separates between the disbelieving people and the believing people. The Qaim also builds a Divine Just State and establishes a dawah that separates between the people of God that believe in the Supremacy of God and all those who believe in the supremacy of man. And this wall is erected and it separates between all those who are like Gog and Magog and those who are from the people of God. God also grants Dhul Quarnayn absolute authority. He tells him at one point when he encounters a people, God tells him "As for these people, you are free to do whatever you want with them. If you want to basically punish them, then punish them. And if you want to do good to them, then do good to them. It's up to you. The matter is in your hands." As such God places the matter of His servants in the hands of the Qaim for everybody on the earth has been condemned with sin. And so the Qaim has the choice as he encounters the people of the earth to either punish them for their sins that they are deserving of punishment for or to forgive them their sins. The Qaim has the ability to forgive sins and to condemn people and basically establish the punishment upon them for their sins. The Qaim, nobody can blame him for anything. And that's one of the things that the narrations from the Family of Mohammed say about the Qaim, that no matter what he does, even if it's contradictory to the people's logic or to the jurisprudence, he's not to be blamed, nor is he condemned by anybody on the earth.
And so the story of Surat Al-Kahf, the stories in Surat Al-Kahf are extremely important for all those who seek to prepare themselves for the path and the journey towards the Qaim of the Family of Mohammed (From Him is Peace). And for all those who seek to be a part of God's people that are protected behind the walls of Dhul Quarnayn against the enemies from Gog and Magog. For all those who seek to draw... and see the Divine Just State and take the cave as a shelter, these stories that are in the Surat Al-Kahf will serve as a reminder.”
So this is what the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH & His Family) meant, that Surat Al-Kahf protects from the fitnah not as a spell, but as understanding at the time of the fitna of the Dajjal, how it's going to be - understanding these stories is the key.
Aba Al-Sadiq (From Him is Peace) also said,
“...And God talks about the believer and he says in the Quran, "Do they not contemplate over the words? Do they not think? Do they not have a mind? And do they not understand?" And so what's required of a person in regards to the Quran is that as they're reading the words that they understand them. That is where the power of the Quran lies. The Quran is of no benefit. If a person is reciting it and repeating letters and phrases and words without him being consciously aware of its meaning. And it's the meaning that has all of the importance. And so reading Surat Al-Kahf on a Friday like some people do, and they're not even consciously aware of what it is that they're reading, and they don't think about it serves as no protection whatsoever. It actually might end up being a curse on them because then they'll go to Allah (subhanahu wa taala) having been deceived by the Dajjal and being a follower of the Dajjal or the Antichrist and at the same time having had access to and read every Friday the Surat Al-Kahf. So what is their excuse then? They read the words, but they were like animals, like cattle, rather more astray. Or like the donkey who's holding on its back many books and not benefiting him in any way, shape or form. So it's all about the meaning. It's all about extracting the wisdom from the stories.”
Even the day 'Friday', why do Muslims recite the last ten verses of Surah Al-Kahf on a Friday? Friday is known as the day of Imam Mahdi. So it's as if God is telling mankind that if you want to know Imam Mahdi (PBUH and His Family) or the Qaim (From Him is Peace), you have to understand these stories.
And through the same chain of narrators from Husain bin Saeed from Hammad bin Isa from Ibrahim bin Umar from Abi Ayyub from Harith bin Mughaira from Abi Abdullah (From Him is Peace) that he said:
“There will be a call from the sky on Friday eve on the 23rd of the month of Ramadhan.”
- Kamaaluddin wa Tamaamun Ni’ma Vol. 2, Chapter 57, Hadith 16 (English Version)