Surah Al Kahf - Ayah No 3

 Assalam o Alaikum. Shab-e-Juma Mubark. A polite reminder to recite or understand Al Kahf or at least first and last Rukuh.

Choices we make are the reasons of rest or unrest in our lives. Choices like earning. How do we earn? Like spending. How do we spend? Like eating. How do we eat? Like dealing. How do we deal? Our greatest gift is freedom to choose, at the same time, our greatest plight is freedom of choice (wrong ones). It is this freedom of choice that makes us the best of creations or the lowest of the low. It’s all about choices. If we make clean choices, we live clean. If we earn halal, we spend wisely. If we don’t, we don’t need any guidance, desires take over the spending part of our brains. Desires above necessities are the real problem. Above basic needs, rightful desires could only be helping fellow beings. And when we follow desires whispered by our Qareen, we develop fears. Fear of means. Fear of unknown. Fear of losing. Fear of being left behind (major function of serotonin). Fears affect our choices. A vicious cycle of wrong choices begins. We begin to rely on means (increase or lack of) than the Provider of means. We get occupied by the fear of unknown than the Unseen Known. Fear of losing what we’ve got overtakes gratitude. Fear of being left behind consumes our time and abilities in unending material rat-race. And before we know, times up.

Coming over to today's Ayah No 3. It is continuation of Ayah 2. In second ayah, buildup by warnings of retribution is followed up by glad tidings for those who did good deeds. All good deeds are derivatives of overriding desires above needs. Fear could only be overcome by hope. And hope reigns supreme in religion of peace. This Ayah being dedicated to these three words ‘Will live there forever’. So the biggest philosophical question is answered. Hoping to live forever in the best of the places, in best of the health and age is the logical reward for overcoming our desires and doing the good deeds in this limited window of opportunity (70/80 years of life span).

Please note that for a short period of time Dajjal will give false impression of controlling life and death. This must be the greatest test of the faithful. The only way we could prepare ourselves and equip our next generations is through Quran and Al Kahf in particular. May Allah protect us from this fitna. Ameen. 

Only Allah knows the whole Truth