Morning always brings light, but it does not always bring certainty.\nThere are days when each step feels heavy, the mind is full of questions\nand the future seems shrouded in mist.<\/p>\n
We have made plans, weighed up various possibilities and used all our\nabilities, yet still do not know where the journey will lead. At such\nmoments, people recognise how limited their knowledge is and how much\nthey need guidance from the All-Knowing.<\/p>\n
The Qur\u2019an preserves a prayer born of such circumstances. It was\noffered by a group of young men who chose to uphold their faith, even\nthough doing so meant leaving behind the comforts of their lives. Taking\nrefuge in a cave, they entrusted their future to Allah through a brief\nprayer of profound meaning.<\/p>\n
Allah says in verse 10 of Surah Al-Kahf:<\/p>\n
\u0631\u064e\u0628\u064e\u0651\u0646\u064e\u0627 \u0622\u062a\u0650\u0646\u064e\u0627 \u0645\u0650\u0646 \u0644\u064e\u0651\u062f\u064f\u0646\u0643\u064e \u0631\u064e\u062d\u0652\u0645\u064e\u0629\u064b \u0648\u064e\u0647\u064e\u064a\u0650\u0651\u0626\u0652 \u0644\u064e\u0646\u064e\u0627 \u0645\u0650\u0646\u0652 \u0623\u064e\u0645\u0652\u0631\u0650\u0646\u064e\u0627 \u0631\u064e\u0634\u064e\u062f\u064b\u0627<\/p>\n
Rabban\u0101 \u0101tin\u0101 mil ladunka ra\u1e25mataw wa hayyi\u2019 lan\u0101 min amrin\u0101\nrasyad\u0101.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cOur Lord, grant us mercy from Yourself and guide us rightly in our\naffair.\u201d<\/p>\n (QS Al-Kahf: 10, excerpt)<\/p>\n This prayer is part of the story of Ashabul Kahfi, a group of\nbelieving young men who faced pressure from a society and rulers opposed\nto their faith. Tafsir Ibn Kathir explains that they left their people\nto preserve their religion and faith. They took refuge in a cave and\nasked Allah for mercy and protection from those who sought to turn them\naway from the truth.<\/p>\n Significantly, their first request was not for physical safety,\nabundant sustenance or victory over those threatening them. They first\nasked for Allah\u2019s mercy: rabban\u0101 \u0101tin\u0101 mil ladunka ra\u1e25mah<\/em>. This\nrequest reflects an understanding that true help comes from Allah\u2019s\ncompassion, not solely from human strength and ingenuity.<\/p>\n Ibn Kathir explains that mercy in this verse encompasses Allah\u2019s\nprotection and gentleness towards His servants. Sheikh Abdurrahman\nAs-Sa\u2019di, in Tafsir As-Sa\u2019di, says the mercy requested by the young men\nincluded steadfastness of heart, protection from harm and help in\nattaining good. Mercy, therefore, is not only about being freed from\nhardship; it also means being able to remain firm in the truth while\nhardship continues.<\/p>\n After asking for mercy, Ashabul Kahfi continued with the words wa\nhayyi\u2019 lan\u0101 min amrin\u0101 rasyad\u0101<\/em>. They asked Allah to prepare the\nright guidance for the matter they were facing. This request recognises\nthat good intentions still need guidance if they are to be put into\npractice in the right way.<\/p>\n Imam al-Tabari, in Jami\u2019 al-Bayan<\/em>, explains that\nrasyad\u0101<\/em> in this verse concerns acting rightly in a way that is\npleasing to Allah. The young men asked Allah to ease their path towards\nHis approval and keep them away from disbelief. Ibn Kathir also\nemphasises that their request included the hope that Allah would bring\ntheir affair to a good conclusion.<\/p>\n This is the depth of the prayer of Ashabul Kahfi. They did not merely\nask for their affairs to be made easy, but for them to proceed towards\nthe truth. Not every ease leads to good, just as not every difficulty\nsignals harm. Some paths seem open but take people away from their\npurpose in life, while others are narrow yet lead them to Allah\u2019s\napproval.<\/p>",
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