Surah Al Kahf with Transliteration and Meaning

What if just one chapter (surah) from the Qur’an could offer a powerful source of light and wisdom to guide your week? For Muslims looking to grow spiritually, the Qur’an is our greatest source of guidance and knowledge. On Fridays, a particular chapter, Surah Al Kahf, holds special significance.

This article will take a deep look at Surah Al Kahf with transliteration and full meaning. We’ll uncover its important messages, the engaging stories it shares, and the valuable lessons behind the tradition of reciting it every Friday.

We’ll also provide the Arabic text of Surah Al Kahf with transliteration, coupled with actionable advice on simple memorization techniques and how to effortlessly make its recitation a cherished part of your regular Friday practice.

Surah Al Kahf with Transliteration and Full Arabic Text

Surah Al Kahf (The Cave) is the 18th chapter of the Qur’an. It contains 110 verses and is entirely Makki (revealed in Makkah). It focuses on trials of faith, wealth, knowledge, and power, offering timeless lessons for believers.

It is well-known among scholars and also reported from some of the noble companions ( may Allah be pleased with them all), that Surah Al-Kahf was revealed all at once to the Prophet ﷺ, unlike some other surahs which were revealed in separate portions.

It was named ‘Al-Kahf’ (The Cave) because it contains the story of the People of the Cave, who fled with their faith to escape the oppression of their king.

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Abud-Darda’(May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever commits to memory the first ten Ayat of the Surat Al-Kahf, will be protected from (the trial of) Ad-Dajjal (Antichrist).” [Muslim].

In another narration, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “(Whoever commits to memory) the last ten Ayat of Surat Al-Kahf, he will be protected from (the trial of) Ad-Dajjal (Antichrist).”

Therefore, we will place greater focus on the text and meaning of the first ten and last ten verses of Surah Al-Kahf.”

First 10 verses of surah al kahf with transliteration:

 

ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عِوَجَاۜ ١
All praise is for Allah Who has revealed the Book to His servant,1 allowing no crookedness in it,

قَيِّمًۭا لِّيُنذِرَ بَأْسًۭا شَدِيدًۭا مِّن لَّدُنْهُ وَيُبَشِّرَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا حَسَنًۭا ٢
˹making it˺ perfectly upright, to warn ˹the disbelievers˺ of a severe torment from Him; to give good news to the believers—who do good—that they will have a fine reward,

مَّـٰكِثِينَ فِيهِ أَبَدًۭا ٣وَيُنذِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوا۟ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَدًۭا ٤
in which they will remain forever; and to warn those who claim, “Allah has offspring.”

مَّا لَهُم بِهِۦ مِنْ عِلْمٍۢ وَلَا لِـَٔابَآئِهِمْ ۚ كَبُرَتْ كَلِمَةًۭ تَخْرُجُ مِنْ أَفْوَٰهِهِمْ ۚ إِن يَقُولُونَ إِلَّا كَذِبًۭا ٥
They have no knowledge of this, nor did their forefathers. What a terrible claim that comes out of their mouths! They say nothing but lies.

فَلَعَلَّكَ بَـٰخِعٌۭ نَّفْسَكَ عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَـٰرِهِمْ إِن لَّمْ يُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلْحَدِيثِ أَسَفًا ٦
Now, perhaps you ˹O Prophet˺ will grieve yourself to death over their denial, if they ˹continue to˺ disbelieve in this message.

إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا مَا عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ زِينَةًۭ لَّهَا لِنَبْلُوَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًۭا ٧ وَإِنَّا لَجَـٰعِلُونَ مَا عَلَيْهَا صَعِيدًۭا جُرُزًا ٨
We have indeed made whatever is on earth as an adornment for it, in order to test which of them is best in deeds. And We will certainly reduce whatever is on it to barren ground.

أَمْ حَسِبْتَ أَنَّ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلْكَهْفِ وَٱلرَّقِيمِ كَانُوا۟ مِنْ ءَايَـٰتِنَا عَجَبًا ٩إِذْ أَوَى ٱلْفِتْيَةُ إِلَى ٱلْكَهْفِ فَقَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةًۭ وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًۭا ١٠
Have you ˹O Prophet˺ thought that the people of the cave and the plaque were ˹the only˺ wonders of Our signs? ˹Remember˺ when those youths took refuge in the cave, and said, “Our Lord! Grant us mercy from Yourself and guide us rightly through our ordeal.”

 

Last 10 verses of surah al kahf with transliteration:

 

وَعَرَضْنَا جَهَنَّمَ يَوْمَئِذٍۢ لِّلْكَـٰفِرِينَ عَرْضًا ١٠٠ ٱلَّذِينَ كَانَتْ أَعْيُنُهُمْ فِى غِطَآءٍ عَن ذِكْرِى وَكَانُوا۟ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ سَمْعًا ١٠١
On that Day We will display Hell clearly for the disbelievers, those who turned a blind eye to My Reminder1 and could not stand listening ˹to it˺.

أَفَحَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَن يَتَّخِذُوا۟ عِبَادِى مِن دُونِىٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ ۚ إِنَّآ أَعْتَدْنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ نُزُلًۭا ١٠٢
Do the disbelievers think they can ˹simply˺ take My servants1 as lords instead of Me? We have surely prepared Hell as an accommodation for the disbelievers.

قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُم بِٱلْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَـٰلًا ١٠٣ ٱلَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا ١٠٤ Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Shall we inform you of who will be the biggest losers of deeds? ˹They are˺ those whose efforts are in vain in this worldly life, while they think they are doing good!”

أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَلِقَآئِهِۦ فَحَبِطَتْ أَعْمَـٰلُهُمْ فَلَا نُقِيمُ لَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ وَزْنًۭا ١٠٥ ذَٰلِكَ جَزَآؤُهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ بِمَا كَفَرُوا۟ وَٱتَّخَذُوٓا۟ ءَايَـٰتِى وَرُسُلِى هُزُوًا ١٠٦
It is they who reject the signs of their Lord and their meeting with Him, rendering their deeds void, so We will not give their deeds any weight on Judgment Day. That is their reward: Hell, for their disbelief and mockery of My signs and messengers.

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ جَنَّـٰتُ ٱلْفِرْدَوْسِ نُزُلًا ١٠٧ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا لَا يَبْغُونَ عَنْهَا حِوَلًۭا ١٠٨
Indeed, those who believe and do good will have the Gardens of Paradise as an accommodation, where they will be forever, never desiring anywhere else.

قُل لَّوْ كَانَ ٱلْبَحْرُ مِدَادًۭا لِّكَلِمَـٰتِ رَبِّى لَنَفِدَ ٱلْبَحْرُ قَبْلَ أَن تَنفَدَ كَلِمَـٰتُ رَبِّى وَلَوْ جِئْنَا بِمِثْلِهِۦ مَدَدًۭا ١٠٩
Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “If the ocean were ink for ˹writing˺ the Words of my Lord, it would certainly run out before the Words of my Lord were finished, even if We refilled it with its equal.” 

قُلْ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ بَشَرٌۭ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ أَنَّمَآ إِلَـٰهُكُمْ إِلَـٰهٌۭ وَٰحِدٌۭ ۖ فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ لِقَآءَ رَبِّهِۦ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًۭا صَـٰلِحًۭا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِۦٓ أَحَدًۢا ١١٠
Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “I am only a man like you, ˹but˺ it has been revealed to me that your God is only One God. So whoever hopes for the meeting with their Lord, let them do good deeds and associate none in the worship of their Lord.”

 

Meaning and Context of Surah Al-Kahf

The surah begins (First 2 verses) by describing the Book as “upright” (qayyiman), because it establishes the truth and nullifies falsehood.

Then, The primary message of Surah Al Kahf revolves around four major stories:

The People of the Cave (Ashab al-Kahf): a powerful narrative that reflects sincere faith, unwavering belief, and a complete, practical rejection of anything that contradicts true monotheism. These were young men who saw their people immersed in misguidance and stumbling in the darkness of shirk (polytheism).
Feeling a deep zeal for the truth, they could no longer remain in such a corrupt environment. So, they left their homeland, distanced themselves from their people, and chose the Hereafter over the comforts of worldly life.

The Man with Two Gardens: Surah Al Kahf with transliteration highlighting the test of wealth and arrogance. And how was the end of who He denies Allah’s power and doubts the Hour and the Day of Judgment.

Musa (AS) and Khidr (AS): A journey into divine wisdom and the limits of human understanding. Allah presents various signs of His control over the universe through divine laws—some of which are known and others hidden.

Surah Al Kahf with transliteration shows us that once people believe in these divine patterns, the idea of the Hour (Day of Judgment) is no longer surprising. It is simply a transformation by the Creator of the universe, who replaces one set of laws with another. The One who established the original laws is surely able to change them in the end.

Story of Adam and Iblis:  Allah warns the children of Adam not to take Satan and his descendants as allies instead of Him. He then mentions an event from the Hereafter, where the false gods are called upon, but they do not respond, and no help is found in them. “And the criminals will see the Fire and will be certain that they are to fall therein, and they will find no way to avoid it.” (Al-Kahf: 53)

Dhul-Qarnayn: A powerful ruler who used his strength for justice and service to humanity. a servant of Allah whom Allah granted power on earth. A people sought his help to protect them from the corrupters, so he aided and supported them.

His legacy will remain as long as this life exists. When the promise of the Hereafter comes, everything in this life will end and be leveled. Then the trumpet will be blown, and all people will rise before the Lord of the Worlds. Every person will be rewarded according to their deeds and receive their final destiny.

All of these stories inside Surah Al Kahf with transliteration revolve around a central Qur’anic theme: affirming the reality of resurrection, the reward for the believers, and the punishment for the disbelievers in both this world and the Hereafter.

It is noteworthy that the opening verses of the surah address those who said, “Allah has taken a son” (Al-Kahf: 4), warning them and exposing the falsehood of their claim. This refers to those who associate partners with Allah and hold beliefs that contradict His Oneness and absolute perfection. Likewise, the final verse affirms, “Indeed, your Lord is One God,” and emphasizes that whoever hopes to meet their Lord should not associate anyone in worship with Him.

Thus, the beginning and end of the surah align in affirming the Oneness of Allah and His transcendence, as well as the reality of resurrection and the Hereafter. — And between the beginning and the end of the surah, the theme of resurrection is repeatedly emphasized:

-The theme of resurrection appears during the story of the People of the Cave, which Allah presented as a real event from the realities of existence. 

-It is also mentioned in the parable Allah gave of the man with the two gardens and his companion. 

-Additionally, it appears in the parable Allah set forth about worldly life: “Like water We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it, then it becomes dry stubble scattered by the wind.”

These narratives of Surah Al Kahf with transliteration provide evidence for the resurrection, give parables about worldly life, describe the gathering of people, the blowing of the trumpet, and the events of the Day of Judgment. Reading surah al kahf with transliteration and understanding its context increases our appreciation of the Divine message.

Why Read Surah Al Kahf Every Friday?

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: “Whoever reads Surah Al Kahf on Friday, a light will shine for him between this Friday and the next.” (Al-Jaami, Al-Albani – Hasan)
In another narration: It was reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever reads Sūrat al-Kahf on the night of Jumu’ah, a light will shine for him which extends from him to the Ancient House (i.e., the Kaʿbah).”

These beautiful Hadiths show us the importance of regular recitation. Reading surah al kahf with transliteration on Fridays and understanding the great meaning protects believers from the Fitnah of Dajjal (Antichrist), as we indicated before. Make it your habit: before or after Jumu’ah prayer, take time to reflect and recite surah al kahf.

Key Lessons from the Story of the Cave

The People of the Cave, also known as Ashab al-Kahf,  who we Knew their story in Surah Al Kahf with transliteration, were a group of young, righteous people who decided to stay strong in their belief in Allah by separating themselves from a bad and corrupt society. Allah protected them by making them sleep in a cave for more than 300 years, which was a great miracle and a sign of His powerful care and protection. Lessons for today:

– Have courage in your faith, even when the world around you tries to lead you astray.

– Trust in Allah, and He will guide and protect you.

– Remember that Allah is not limited by how we understand time.

Tips for Memorizing Surah Al-Kahf Easily

Memorizing the entire surah may seem daunting, but with the right strategy, it becomes manageable.

1. Break it into parts: Split the surah into smaller sections, maybe based on the story. Work on 5 to 10 verses each week.

2. Use Surah Al Kahf with transliteration: Reading the surah with the Arabic text and its pronunciation helps you say it correctly while learning it by heart. This is especially helpful for new Muslims or those who are not familiar with the Arabic script.

3. Listen and repeat: Use audio recordings from well-known Quran reciters like Abdul Basit. Listening to these recordings every day while reading the surah with transliteration helps you get a better feel for the rhythm and makes it easier to remember.

4. Know what it means: Understanding the meaning of each verse makes it easier to memorize. Try matching each verse with its translated version.

5. Review often: Even a short review of 5 minutes a day can help you keep the verses fresh in your memory. Make sure to set aside time regularly for reviewing.

Ulum Al-Azhar Academy’s Reading & Recitation Support

For people who find it hard to learn Tajweed, Tafsir, or need a good study plan, Ulum Al-Azhar Academy provides different online courses and tools.You will find:

– Surah Al Kahf and transliteration with meaning in Quranic courses.

– Personal Qur’an reading help.

– Tajweed lessons from qualified Azhary teachers.

– Tafsir classes in English, Arabic.

– Weekly reminders to read Surah Al Kahf with transliteration every Friday

This academy is perfect for those who want to understand the Qur’an better, grow closer to Allah, and follow the example of Surah Al Kahf as shown in the Sunnah.

Embark on your Quran learning journey, beginning with Qiraat, memorising or Tajweed courses led by Al-Azhar-certified Sheikhs in Egypt.

Conclusion

Surah Al Kahf with transliteration and meaning, is more than just something we do on Fridays. It’s a message from God filled with hope, knowledge, and important reminders. As Muslims, by reading this surah regularly, we bring light into our hearts and receive protection in our lives.

Let’s make it a habit to read Surah Al Kahf with transliteration every Friday, think about its deep teachings, and share this meaningful tradition with our families and kids.

Engage in a free consultation with Al-Azhar-certified Sheikhs from Egypt to tailor your Islamic learning experience.

FAQs

Is it enough to read surah al kahf with transliteration on Friday without Arabic?
No problem if you are still learning Arabic. Try your best to improve over time, but Allah rewards effort. 

Can I listen to the surah instead of reading it?
Listening is beneficial, but the reward is greater when you recite. Try to read surah al kahf with transliteration while listening to aid memorization and improve Tajweed.

 Is this surah only for Fridays?
While it’s highly recommended on Fridays, you can benefit from surah al kahf with transliteration any day. Its messages are timeless and always relevant.