Surat al-Kahf Reflections: Sometimes you won’t know

When reciting the story of Moosa and al-Khadr (as), we are comforted by the fact there was wisdom in all the apparent hardships. The damaging of the boat was to avert the bigger calamity of having the boat completely confiscated by a tyrannical king (18:79), the death of the child was protection of the parents due to what he would become (18:80), and the mending of the wall in the town with inhospitable people was to preserve a treasure meant for two orphans (18:82). This helps us to search for the deeper meanings in our own hardships, and try to understand the wisdoms.

The people of the boat may have understood that their boat was spared due to the damage that was previously caused to it, and would be able to show gratitude. The orphans may never know that the wall was fixed for their sake (how many "walls" are mended in your life without your awareness?), but would be given the relief of the treasure, and again express gratitude for that.

But most of all the parents likely did not see the sense or the logic in what they went through. The parents would never see in this life what their deceased child would have become. They simply had to live with the pain of his loss.

In this world, you won’t always know the reason.

You won’t always make the connection.

You won’t always see the wisdom.

And sometimes that is the point. The lesson becomes the trust in Allah, despite not understanding. The lesson is in being righteous, despite the odds. It is in keeping faith and certainty that there is wisdom, even when you cannot see it. And it is in learning about yourself through the trial so that you can become better and closer to the Most High.

So do not despair if you feel that you cannot see, in this moment, the reason. On the Day of Judgment, everything will make complete sense; every trial, every hardship, every moment of brokenness. We will simply be asked what we did in the face of it.

This does not mean that we never see the wisdom or that we should not attempt to take lessons; on the contrary. Allah sometimes grants us insight and gifts us with the ability to discern the meanings behind the things that happen to us and in the world. But the point here is that even when we are not able to see, we maintain certainty that there is wisdom. And while we will not be asked about His wisdom, we will be asked about our actions and the state of our hearts. And that is what we should be focusing on.

And sometimes Allah gifts you through your trust in Him the aversion of a calamity (18:79), a replacement (18:81), the preservation of provision (18:82), and so much more, without you even knowing.