إِذْ أَوَى الْفِتْيَةُ إِلَى الْكَهْفِ فَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا
[Mention] when the youths retreated to the cave and said, “Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and prepare for us from our affair right guidance.” (al-Kahf: 10)
In Surah al Kahf, Allah mentions the story of the young men who fled their nation, in order to protect their Deen and preserve their Iman. They were living in a time of immense fitnah, and instead of staying and agreeing with the ideologies of their ruler and people, they chose to leave.
But they were not alone in this choice. Throughout history we see that people have made hijrah for the sake of the Deen. For example, at the height of persecution in Makkah, many of the Sahabah left their homes and sought refuge in Abyssinia where they were able to practice their Deen freely.
Today however, one of the greatest fears that is associated with migration fee sabeelillah, is the loss of livelihood. People don’t want to leave the places of fitnah, because they fear that their income will come to a halt. But it’s worthy to note that this Earth that Allah has created is vast, and its possibilities are endless. When these youth left their city for the sake of preserving their Deen, Allah didn’t just abandon them! In fact He protected them, provided for them, elevated their status and preserved their legacy in the Qur’an for all eternity.
And this was because of the choice they made! They broke away from the culture of shirk that was prevalent in their society and stayed true to their belief. They took the first step in preserving their Deen by leaving their people and as a result Allah increased them in guidance. If you take one step towards Allah, He will take ten towards you.
The Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah, the Exalted, said: ‘O son of Adam, stand before Me, I will walk to you. And walk to Me, I will run to you.’” [al-Silsilah al-Saheehah]
So trust Allah, and don’t compromise on your beliefs. Take responsibility for your actions, because every choice you make is your choice. And you will be asked about it.
In this ayah, we also learn of the heartfelt and sincere du’a they made after they left their town and sought refuge in the cave. A du’a in which they were asking their Lord for help, support, mercy and right guidance (Rushd).
They wanted Allah to keep them steadfast on the straight path and to set their affairs right. And this is one of the best things anyone can ask for, because Rushd means to perceive the reality of something. It is to know what to do and when to do it. It is to follow the right course and to continue in the path of truth. And when Allah grants a person Rushd, when he gives him perception and shows him the right way – then such a person has been endowed with abundant goodness
So when these youth left their city and took refuge in the cave to protect their Iman, they made this du’a, in which they only asked for Rahma and Rushd. Mercy and Right guidance. They took the means by fleeing from the problem, but they also placed their trust in Allah. And the one who relies on Allah, then Allah is sufficient for him.
للَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الثَّبَاتَ فِي الأَمْرِ وَالْعَزِيمَةِ عَلَى الرُّشْدِ
O Allah, I ask You for steadfastness in all my affairs and determination in following the right path
