Alhamdullilah, when you ask for anything from Allah He will grant it; and if not he will give you a recompense in the Akhira. When I was still in Mecca I asked Allah for knowledge and not a few minutes later Allah gave me some insight into something I had been looking to get at for a while; Surat Al-Kahf.

Please take a close look at some of these ayahs and notice the oft repeating theme:

Behold, the youths betook themselves to the Cave: they said, "Our Lord! bestow on us Mercy from Thyself, and dispose of our affair for us in the right way! (10)"

"When ye turn away from them and the things they worship other than Allah, betake yourselves to the Cave: Your Lord will shower His mercies on you and disposes of your affair towards comfort and ease. (16)"

But your Lord is Most forgiving, full of Mercy. If He were to call them (at once) to account for what they have earned, then surely He would have hastened their punishment, but they have their appointed time, beyond which they will find no refuge. (58)

So they found one of Our servants, had bestowed Mercy from Ourselves and whom We had taught knowledge from Our own Presence. (65)

"As for the wall, it belonged to two youths, orphans, in the Town; there was, beneath it, a buried treasure, to which they were entitled: their father had been a righteous man: So thy Lord desired that they should attain their age of full strength and get out their treasure - a mercy (and favour) from thy Lord. I did it not of my own accord. Such is the interpretation of (those things) over which thou wast unable to hold patience." (82)

He said: "This is a mercy from my Lord: But when the promise of my Lord comes to pass, He will make it into dust; and the promise of my Lord is true." (98)

These ayahs answered my question as to why we repeat this Surah every Friday of every week; on the day that Adam was created, on the day that Judgement will be established, fifty-two times a year we repeat this chapter of the Qu’ran to remind us of the mercies of our creator.

The chapter begins by those whom found themselves under trouble and persecution by their people. They took to a cave seeking refuge with Allah subhanna was taala and He granted it. He bestowed his mercy upon them…protecting them, nurturing them untl the time arose when their nation had changed.

"When ye turn away from them and the things they worship other than Allah, betake yourselves to the Cave: Your Lord will shower His mercies on you and disposes of your affair towards comfort and ease. (16)"

This is a reminder to us Muslims living in societies that are constantly seeking to envelope us in its despotism...both in the east and in the west. Allah is always there to protect us, so when need any refuge we must seek it in Him.

Also, to those who are seeking knowledge their is also a message in this chapter for them. In the story of the khidr and Musa (peace and blessings be upon him) we are shown that Allah bestows His knowledge as a mercy from Himself. Therefore, it is imperative that we seek Allah’s mercy and forgiveness before seeking His bounties…as without His mercy we are lost.

Then, throughout the entire other half of the Surah we see Allah’s rahma shown in true example. Poor people about to be made income-less by a tyrannical king are saved by Allah’s mercy. Two sets of parents, both Mu’mins, are protected by Allah. In one instance it is the parents themselves who are saved by a son who is rebellious and ingrateful; given a new one by Allah’s mercy who will be better in purity (of conduct) and closer in affection. In the other instance we see Allah subhanna wa taala protecting the future and livelihood of a believing man’s children after he is dead. What more could any parent ask…that even after you are dead and unable to provide for them yourself Allah will be with them to protect them and feed them and guide them?

Finally, we see in the story of Dhul-qarnain that till this very day Allah has protected us by his rahma from the Gogs and the Magogs; an army when unleashed no-one will be able to stop. The mahdi, the Messiah (peace and blessing be upon him) and the army that fought the army of the unbelievers will all flee from them. Then, just as was done previously, it will be only by Allah’s mercy and will that they are destroyed. All this is a rahma, mercy from Allah subhanna wa taala.

If anyone invokes, besides Allah, Any other god, he has no authority therefor; and his reckoning will be only with his Lord! and verily the Unbelievers will fail to win through! So say: "O my Lord! grant Thou forgiveness and mercy for Thou art the Best of those who show mercy!" (Al-Mu’minun 117-118)

May Allah grant us forgiveness and rahma.