Surah al-Kahf (The Cave ) 18 : 28

Overview (Verses 28 - 31)

The Truth from Your Lord
 
And contain yourself in patience with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His countenance. Let not your eyes pass beyond them in quest of the beauties of the life of this world. Pay no heed to any whose heart We have left to be negligent of all remembrance of Us because he had always followed his own desires, and whose case has gone beyond all bounds. Say: ‘The truth [has now come] from your Lord. Let him who wills, believe in it, and let him who wills, reject it.’ (Verses 28-29) Some reports suggest that these verses were revealed when some of the noblemen of the Quraysh demanded that the Prophet should expel his poor Companions if he were to hope that the chiefs of the Quraysh tribe would ever come to believe in his message. Thus people like Bilāl, `Ammār, Şuhayb, Khabbāb and `Abdullāh ibn Mas`ūd would have to be expelled from his companionship. Or at least the Prophet should make special arrangements, whereby he could meet the masters of the Quraysh on their own, in a place where none of the poor and the deprived were admitted. The rich, they argued, would be irritated if they had to sit in the same place with them, because their clothing smelled of perspiration.
 
It is also reported that the Prophet hoped dearly that these elders of the Quraysh would embrace Islam. He even contemplated making the arrangements they suggested, but before taking any steps in that direction God revealed to him the verse which starts with His command: “Contain yourself in patience with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His countenance.” (Verse 28) Thus He sets the true values clearly and permanently. These establish a standard that never fails. When this has been accomplished and the true criterion has been put in place, then “let him who wills, believe in it, and let him who wills, reject it.” (Verse 29) Islam will never seek to bend its values in order to please anyone and gratify his wishes. It does not borrow any value from any society implementing standards of jāhiliyyah. It has its own values and it will continue to implement these only.
 
The Prophet is thus to remain patient, and not to precipitate matters. He is to content himself with those who “call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His countenance.” Their aim is to win His pleasure.  Hence to Him only should they appeal at all times, and in all situations. They should never change their purpose. Indeed they determinedly seek their goal which is more honourable and far superior in every way to any goal sought by people who are content with this life and seek nothing beyond its confines.
 
Being content and patient means that the Prophet should have for his true companions those very people the chiefs of the Quraysh wanted expelled. He is to sit with them and instruct them in their faith and its requirements. They are indeed the better set of people. It is their type that supports new messages best. A new faith or message does not rely on those who accept it only when it appears victorious, or when it gives them a position of leadership or other type of material gain. A new message is truly supported and firmly consolidated when it has adherents of sincere heart who turn to God seeking nothing other than to win His pleasure. No position of honour, pursuit of pleasure or achievement of any material gain discolours their sincerity.
 
“Let not your eyes pass beyond them in quest of the beauties of the life of this world.” (Verse 28) Do not let your attention pass them by in order to contemplate the superficial comforts of this world, in which people compete. All this is no more than an outward beauty which remains much inferior to the high horizon to which those who call on their Lord morning and evening’ aspire to, because they seek only to please Him and win His acceptance.
 
The Prophet is further instructed: “Pay no heed to any whose heart We have left to be negligent of all remembrance of Us because he had always followed his own desires, and whose case has gone beyond all bounds.” (Verse 28) He must not pay any attention to them when they demand that they must be separated from the poor. Had they remembered God, they would have banished from their minds any thoughts of conceit and arrogance. They would have recognized their position in front of God, who looks at all mankind in the same way and places them in the same rank. They would have felt that in faith all people are brothers. But they continue to implement standards of jāhiliyyah, allowing fleeting desires to dictate their attitudes. Hence, both they and their views are worth no attention, because they themselves have not paid attention to God and His commandments.
 
Islam places all human beings on the same level, in front of God. They do not claim a position on the basis of their wealth, lineage or social standing. All these are transient. The real criterion to distinguish people is their standing with their Lord, which is determined by their sincerity in seeking His pleasure and their dedication to His cause.
 
“Pay no heed to any whose heart We have left to be negligent of all remembrance of Us.” (Verse 28) We have left his heart alone because he directed all his attention and all his efforts to his selfish pursuits, wealth, family, pleasures and desires. Such preoccupations leave no time and no room for remembrance of God. Indeed when anyone places them at the top of his list, he does not have time for God, and in consequence, God lets him pursue these goals further and become even more removed from His remembrance. His days pass rapidly and he comes to his end in order to face what God has in store for those who wrong themselves.
 
“Say: ‘The truth [has now come] from your Lord. Let him who wills, believe in it, and let him who wills, reject it.’” (Verse 29) This is what the Prophet should proclaim in all clarity and firmness. The truth does not bend for the sake of anyone. It follows its own straight way. It is clear, solid, strong, free of all crookedness and manipulation. It is, then, each individual’s own decision whether to take it up or leave it: “Let him who wills, believe in it, and let him who wills, reject it.” Whoever does not like the truth may banish himself from it. Anyone who does not wish to make his desires fall in line with the truth should know that no privileges are given at the expense of faith. A person who does not lower his head to God and His majesty has no place in the service of God’s message.
 
Faith does not belong to anyone who makes concessions in it. It belongs to God who needs no one. Faith does not obtain strength if it is supported by people who do not seek it for its own sake, or who do not accept it as it is. A person who does not wish to sit with people dedicated to God’s cause because he feels himself above them will have nothing to contribute to the Muslim community. Such a person is better left out.

The sūrah then portrays a scene of the hereafter, describing what is prepared for the unbelievers on the one hand and for the believers on the other. The unbelievers will have a fire that has been made ready to receive them: “For the wrongdoers We have prepared a fire.” (Verse 29) It is all made, set and brought forward. It does not require any new effort to receive them. No one is needed to kindle that fire, and it does not take  any  time  to  light  or  burn  fiercely.  God  does  not  need  anything  to  create whatever He wishes other than to actually will it, and it exists. The expression here uses the term, ‘prepare’, to indicate speed of action. Everything is put in place to take the wrongdoers and the unbelievers straight to the fire that is already prepared to receive them. It is a fire that has huge folds that surge to encompass its inhabitants. They are securely captured there, with no hope of escape or rescue. Nor is there any chance of having a breath of cooling air, or the chance of a reduction in the suffering. Should they cry for help or to be spared the burning fire, help is given to them in the form of filthy water which is described in words which some commentators believe to mean ‘molten lead’, while others define it as ‘boiling oil’. Should anyone’s face get near it, it would certainly scald them. What will it do, then, to throats and stomachs, should the wrongdoers attempt to drink it? “If they beg for water, they will be given water [hot] like molten lead, which will scald their faces.” (Verse 29) It is a terrible situation that they find themselves in when they so urgently need a drink, but they only have what the Qur’ān truthfully describes as: “Dreadful is the drink.” (Verse 29) Moreover, the fire and its billowing folds are not the place where to seek rest: “Evil is the place to seek rest.” (Verse 29) In this description there is an element of bitter irony. They are not in the fire to take rest, but to be burnt in punishment for their wrongdoing. But this description also serves as a contrast with the fate of the believers in heaven. The two ends are opposite extremes.

The  opposite  picture  shows  the  believers  who  have  done  righteous  deeds  in heaven where they will permanently stay: Theirs shall be gardens of perpetual bliss, with rivers rolling at their feet. There they will be adorned with bracelets of gold and will wear green garments of silk and brocade, and they will recline on couches. Excellent is the recompense, and comfortable is the place to rest. (Verse 31) These running waters provide all the elements of a cool atmosphere, pleasant scenery, gardens and a fresh breeze. The believers are in these gardens where they actually recline and rest, in full luxurious attire made of different types of fine silk, some of which is light, while the other is thick like velvet. They also wear bracelets of gold and enjoy other luxuries. The comment here is accurate: “Excellent is the recompense, and comfortable is the place to rest.” (Verse 31)
 
These are the two widely different ends. Let everyone choose which one to have. The truth has been made absolutely clear by none other than God Himself, and the choice is open to everyone: “The truth [has now come] from your Lord. Let him who wills, believe in it, and let him who wills, reject it.” (Verse 29) We see here a subtle reference to the attitude of the Quraysh unbelievers who demanded that the Prophet should either expel the poor from among his followers, or at least set up a different meeting place for the elders of the Quraysh, because it was beneath them to sit with the poor. They are again given the choice, either to sit with the believers, even though they are poor and smelly or they can have their resting place in the billowing folds of the fire and enjoy molten lead for refreshment. For those smelly clothes contain within them hearts that are full of faith, and minds that always remember God.