Sūrat al-Kahf (Part 5)
Part 5 of observations on the organization and structure of Sūrat al-Kahf
See Part 4 in last week’s post. As a reminder, here is the overall structure.
[C]/[C’] – The two complementary sections appear to form a parallel structure with many notable connections.
CONNECTIONS
[C1]/[C1’] – Both sections begin with a mention of the Quran (“what was revealed to you” and “Quran”) and the incredible power of its words. There is no changing the Word of Allah ﷻ, and those its words are limited, it gives us all we need to live appropriately.
[C2]/[C2’] – The early section begins with a call to patience and perseverance (ṣabr), which is in contrast to how Allah ﷻ describes humans in the later section when He calls them “argumentative.” In [C2] Allah ﷻ warns the Messenger ﷺ to not be distracted by the adornments of this world, nor to follow those made heedless of guidance and who follow their desires. This similar to what is said in [C2’] when Allah ﷻ informs us that nothing is preventing people from accepting guidance and repenting, but when they do not, they get the same treatment as those that came before, which was described in [C2]. They will be made heedless of Allah’s mention and will follow their desires instead.
[C3]/[C3’] – Allah ﷻ first tells us that “al-Ḥaqq (Truth) is with your Master, so whomever wills – let him believe; and whomever wills - let him disbelieve.” The connected section then details how people called to “al-Ḥaqq” dispute it by means of falsehood. So instead of choosing belief, they take the miraculous signs of Allah ﷻ as a mockery, reject truth, and as a consequence of their choices have guidance permanently cut off from them.
[C4]/[C4’] – The earlier section states that Hell has been prepared for wrongdoers, but believers can be happy that none of their reward will be lost nor diminished. Both are potentially waiting for us. Adding balance to this scene, the other section mentions that Allah ﷻ is “the Forgiving, full of loving mercy,” and that it is a part of his mercy that He does not take us to account right away. But, we are warned that we have an appointment waiting for us, one which we cannot avoid.
[C5]/[C5’] – Finally, the sections end with an interesting contrast. Allah ﷻ first describes in much detail the rewards of Paradise for the believers in the Afterlife. In the latter section, it ends with the inevitable destruction, in this life, of the disbelievers.
And Allah ﷻ knows best.
Next week we’ll look at [D] v [D’] in Part 6.