The city of the Sleepers
Nation of the Quran
The city of the Sleepersأصحاب الكهف
Traditional date, disputedEphesus (one opinion)
A few young believers fled their city's idol worship and took refuge in a cave (18:14-16). Allah made them sleep for 309 years (18:25). When one went to buy food with old coins, the townspeople found them, and argued over building a place of worship over the cave (18:21).
What does the Quran say?
It is We who relate to you, [O Muhammad], their story in truth. Indeed, they were youths who believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance.
Quran 18:13
How did they end?
The Quran tells of no punishment. Commentators say the city had become believing by the time they woke, and their waking became a proof of the Resurrection (18:21).
What do historians say?
Christian tradition places the Seven Sleepers at Ephesus in Turkey, fleeing the emperor Decius around 250 CE. A cave at al-Rajib near Amman, Jordan, with Byzantine tombs, was excavated in 1963 and is also proposed.
The lesson
Allah protects those who hold to their faith, even when they must withdraw to keep it.
Who else is linked?
Everyone and everything in the timeline
People named in the Quran and the hadith, the Prophet's ﷺ family and Companions, scholars, rulers, the nations of the Quran, the world's empires and the places where it all happened. Where scholars differ, each entry says so.
Nations of the Quran
- People of Nuh
- Ad
- Thamud
- People of Lut
- Madyan
- Companions of the Thicket
- Companions of the Rass
- People of Tubba
- Saba (Sheba)
- Bani Israil
- People of Firaun
- People of Yunus
- The city of the Sleepers
- Companions of the Ditch
- Companions of the Elephant
- People of the Sabbath
- Yajuj and Majuj
- Quraysh
- Thaqif
- Hawazin
- Aws and Khazraj (the Ansar)
- The Romans (Rum)
- The Persians
- People of Ibrahim
- Jurhum
- People of Ilyas
- People of the Town (Ya-Sin)
- The Sabians
- The Magians (Majus)