Stories from the Quran

Story of The People of the Cave

                         Another inspiring story from the Holy Quran that Allah argues people with and challenges all the old excuses against Islam and prophecy of the prophet Muhammed, may Allah send His peace and blessing upon him. In surah Al-kahf, Aya 9, Allah starts the story by directing the speech to the prophet Muhammed, and says ”

Do you think that the people of the Cave and the Inscription (the news or the names of the people of the Cave) were a wonder among Our Signs?

أَمْ حَسِبْتَ أَنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْكَهْفِ وَالرَّقِيمِ كَانُوا مِنْ آيَاتِنَا عَجَبًا

They were a small number of youths, who witnessed a great Fitnah (test), they were righteous who believed in Allah and rejected worshiping deities. Their people attacked them, but Allah gave them  strength and resilience against their people. To avoid torture or religious persecution, they decided to hide in a cave along with their dogs. They prayed to Allah, called His mercy, and said “Our Lord! Bestow on us mercy from Yourself, and facilitate for us our affair in the right way!”. They knew they would be in great danger if they were found.

                   Allah responded to their duas and calls, and He put them to sleep for three hundred and nine years, as mentioned in the Quran. Allah led them to a cave with a door directed to the north, Allah Almighty adapted the cave to preserve them. When the sun rose, it declined to the right from their cave, and when it set, it turned away from them to the left, while they lay in the midst of the Cave. And that is a sign from Allah to anyone who has a heart and mind. Also, during this long period, their bodies might have been badly affected but Allah took the liability of preserving them. Allah turned it from one side to the other, and it was not only them but their dog too, as he stayed at the entrance of the cave and Allah saved its body too. Allah described this miracle and said ”Had you looked at them, you would certainly have turned back from them in flight, and would certainly have been filled with awe of them.”

           Then Allah awakened them, and  began to question one another, asking, “How long have we been sleeping?” They thought, it was like only a day or part of a day and they agreed that only Allah knew for sure how much time had passed. They needed food and drink, so they sent one of them to the market to get what they needed with an old coin of their time, with no realization that more than three hundred of years had passed. They warned their man to be cautious and not to disclose his identity. But Allah had a different plan for them, people must know about their miracle and story. Once the people at the market saw the old coin, they started wandering about this man’s identity. Some said they were found sleeping, while others said they were found deed. Their numbers are not definite.

           Allah made them to be found to teach the whole humanity that Allah’s Promise is true and that there can be no doubt about the Hour. Thus, if there is one lesson of this story to be taught, it would be holding tight to your Deen and beliefs. If you seek Allah’s Protection, Allah will help you. Your religion is what makes you strong not people. Seeking the Pleasure of Allah will give you real pleasure in this life and the hereafter.