Surah al-Kahf (chapter of the Cave) comes exactly midway through the Qur'an, and covers four historical events and two parables. As many ahadith encourage the memorization and recitation of this surah, either in whole or part on Fridays as protection against Dajjal (the Anti-Christ), it is essential to understand this surah and to implemement the antidote provided therein. It includes a brief note on the phenomenon of Dajjal based on authentic ahadith.

Based on a seminar paper presented by Khurram Murad in the 1980's, this concise presentation clarifies the dynamic ideas portrayed in the majestic Qur'an through an examination of Surah al-kahf. Abdur Rashid Siddiqui has edited the text and completed those sections that were not in the original paper. The authors have concentrated on the message that the Qur'an expounds from various episodes narrated in this surah.

About Author:

Abdur Rashid Siddiqui gained an honours degree in Economics and Politics from the University of Bombay and has a law degree from the same university. He completed his postgraduate study in Librarianship in London and was elected an Associate of the Library Association. He worked as an Information Librarian at the University of Leicester from 1966 until his retirement in 1997.

Khurram Murad with his da'wah activities began in Pakistan, has been involved in the promotion of the Islamic movement in Asia, Europe and Africa. As a teacher and a da'iyah his speeches and orations have inspired thousands of young men and women all over the world. As chief of the training departments of the Jamiat, the Jamaat and as an active resource-person in training programmes in the UK, he played a key role in the character-building of the youth in the Islamic Movement.

Khurram Murad served as Naib Amir (Vice-President) Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan and Amir (President) in Bangladesh, a Trustee and a former Director General of the Islamic Foundation in Leicester, UK, and editor of Tarjumanal Qur'an, Lahore, Pakistan (a journal founded by the Islamic scholar, Abul Ala Maududi in 1932), and the quarterly Muslim World Book Review, UK. He was also a prisoner of war for many years in the 1971 Indo-Pakistani war. He was born in Bhopal, India, and after graduating cum laude, he took his Master's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Minnesota. From 1975–1976, he was involved in the extension project of Masjid al-Haram in Mecca as he was a civil engineer by profession. He received his engineering degree from NED University, Karachi. During his time in NED he gained stature as a student leader and later served as Nazim-e-Ala of Islami Jamiat Talaba for session 1951–52.

He was the author of over fifty works in Urdu and English.

He also edited Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi's work, Muslims in the West: Message and the Mission. Khurram also wrote over half a dozen books for children, edited and directed a video on "The Life of the Prophet Muhammad," and contributed dozens of scholarly articles to different journals and magazines. Over four hundred audio and video cassettes of Khurram Murad are in circulation in Pakistan and different parts of the Muslim World.

Murad was involved in Islamic da'wah and inter-faith dialogue in the West for the last twenty years. In this connection, he addressed dozens of conferences and seminars. His contributions in initiating and promoting strategic thinking on da'wah issues in Muslim countries as well as in countries where Muslims are in a minority have been immense.