Reciting Ten Verses from Sura al Kahf as Protection from Dajjal

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani answers the question of which ten verse of Sura al Kahf one should recite as protection from the fitna of Dajjal.

Question:

Assalam alaykum wa rahmat Allah wa barakatuh.

In these uncertain days for the Muslims we must prepare ourselves for the fitna of the Dajjal. I have heard that you are to memorize the last ten ayat of Sura al Kahf, but some websites have said that it is the first ten.

Can you please clarify whether it is the last or the first ten that should be memorized?

Answer:

Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmat Allah wa barakatuh.

The recommendation of reciting both the beginning and ending ten verses of Sura al Kahf, the 18th sura of the Qur’an, has been transmitted from the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace. It is also recommended to recite the entire sura on Fridays.

Imam Mundhiri, Allah have mercy on him, devoted a chapter of his Al Targhib wa al Tarhib (Encouragement and Warning) to this:

Encouraging reciting Surat Kahf, or Ten Verses from its Beginning, or Ten from its End.

Abu al Darda, Allah be pleased with him, related that the Prophet of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Whoever commits ten verses from the beginning Sura al Kahf will be protected from the Dajjal.” (Muslim, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, and others; the wording is Muslim’s).

In a narration in Muslim and Abu Dawud it states, “From the end of Sura al Kahf.” Tirmidhi related this with the words, “Whoever recites three verses from the beginning of Al Kahf will be protected from the tribulations of the Dajjal.” (Mundhiri, Al Targhib wa al Tarhib, 2172-2173)

Imam Shafi‘i, Allah have mercy on him) said:

It has reached us that whoever recites Sura al Kahf on Fridays will be protected from the Dajjal.) Shafi‘i, Al Umm, 1.239]

It is recommended to recite Sura al Kahf in its entirety the night before Friday It is also recommended to do so on Friday itself, before Maghrib. Ibn Abidin said, “And it is best to do so early on Friday, in order to rush to the good and to avoid forgetting.” (Ibn Abidin, Radd al Muhtar, Bab al Jumu‘a)

The Evidence and The Wisdom

The evidence for it being recommended includes the hadith related by Hakim and Bayhaqi, from Abu Sa‘id, Allah be pleased with him, “Whoever recites Sura al Kahf on Friday, light shall shine forth for him between the two Fridays.” (Ibn Hajar, Talkhis al Habir)

The wisdom behind it, as mentioned by hadith commentators such as Nawawi, Qurtubi, Qari, and others, is that:

1. a) There are tremendous signs and portents mentioned in these verses. However reads these regularly and ponders on their meanings with not be led astray by the Dajjal;

b) The surah as a whole has stories of the struggle between true belief in Allah and the realities of faith, and materialism. Reflecting on any of these

c) It is a secret whose knowledge Allah alone posses, and we have follow it because of the Prophet’s (Allah bless him and give him peace) guidance, with full certainty.

And Allah knows best.

Wassalam,

Faraz Rabbani

---