Al-Rushd! What did the People of the Cave ask for when they took refuge in the cave while facing severe trials and persecution? Instead of asking Allaah for victory, triumph, or empowerment over their enemies, they asked Him to “set their affairs in the right course”! فَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا {They said: “Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and facilitate for us our affair in the right course.”} [Surah al-Kahf (18):10] They asked Allaah تبارك وتعالى to direct their affairs in the right direction. What did the Jinn ask of their Lord when they heard the Qur’aan for the first time? They sought “al-Rushd” (right direction), when they said: فَقَالُوا إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا قُرْآنًا عَجَبًا ‎*‏ يَهْدِي إِلَى الرُّشْدِ فَآمَنَّا بِهِ ۖ وَلَن نُّشْرِكَ بِرَبِّنَا أَحَدًا {They said: “Indeed, we have heard an amazing Qur’aan. It guides to the right course, and we have believed in it. And we will never associate with our Lord anyone.”} [Surah al-Jinn (72):1-2] And they also said: وَأَنَّا مِنَّا الْمُسْلِمُونَ وَمِنَّا الْقَاسِطُونَ ۖ فَمَنْ أَسْلَمَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ تَحَرَّوْا رَشَدًا {“And among us (the Jinn) are Muslims [in submission to Allaah], and among us are the unjust. And whoever has become Muslim - those have sought out the right course.”} [Surah al-Jinn (72):14] And in the saying of Allaah تعالى: وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ {And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.} [Surah al-Baqarah (2):186] So what is “al-Rushd”? The linguistic meaning of al-Rushd is: “to be on the right way,” “to follow the right course,” “to be upon guidance and not astray,” “to have sound reasoning,” “maturity,” etc. In the context of these Aayaat, “al-Rushd” means: 1- To hit the correct target (i.e., achieve the desired results) 2- It is redemption and salvation (i.e., protection from sin, evil, and harm) 3- To go in the right direction (i.e., be upon guidance and not misguidance) When Allaah puts your affairs in the right direction, you have been given a significant share of goodness, for your steps will be in the right direction, and every step you take will be blessed. Therefore, Allaah تبارك وتعالى recommends that we often repeat: وَاذْكُر رَّبَّكَ إِذَا نَسِيتَ وَقُلْ عَسَىٰ أَن يَهْدِيَنِ رَبِّي لِأَقْرَبَ مِنْ هَٰذَا رَشَدًا {And remember your Lord when you forget and say: “Perhaps my Lord will guide me to what is nearer than this to right conduct.”} [Surah al-Kahf (18):24] The lessons we learn from these Aayaat are: 1- When the affairs are set in the right direction, the levels (or stages) towards the objectives are reduced, the hardships and sufferings are reduced, and the probability of success is increased, i.e., when Allaah becomes for you: وَلِيًّا مُّرْشِدًا {Protecting Guide} [Surah al-Kahf (18):17] 2- When Moosaa عليه السلام met the righteous slave of Allaah, Khiḍhr, he only asked him for one thing, that was: قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَىٰ هَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ عَلَىٰ أَن تُعَلِّمَنِ مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رُشْدًا {Moosaa said to him (Khiḍhr): “May I follow you on [the condition] that you teach me from what you have been taught of sound judgment?”} [Surah al-Kahf (18):66] 3- When Allaah سبحانه وتعالى sets our affairs towards guidance and right direction, then He تعالى has provided us with the means of achieving worldly success and eternal prosperity. رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and facilitate for us our affair in the right course