The story of Ashab-e-Kahf is a wonderful illustration of Allah’s miracles. Ashab-e-Kahf means companions of the cave. Surah Al-Kahf explains the story eloquently. Hence Quran reading does not only tell us about important aspects of religion explicitly, but stories like these also shed light on the endless possibilities of Allah.

When Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) began to spread the message of Allah, the non-believers questioned him about Ashab-e-Kahf to test his knowledge. That is when Allah revealed Surah Al-Kahf to him. Surah Al-Kahf has many stories in it. The story of Ashab-e-Kahf is one of these.

Back in 250 AD, the Roman emperor Decius also called Daqyanoos ruled with tyranny. He forced people to worship idols. During that time, a young man lived who did not believe in idol worshipping. He believed in the message of Hazrat Isa (AS) regarding the Oneness of Allah. A group of young men started to follow his teachings and condemned worshipping.

When Decius heard about this group, he ordered the immediate killing of them. Upon hearing this cruelty, the young men escaped from their native land. They came across a farmer who joined them as well. The farmer had a dog named Qitmir. They fled until they came across a cave. The people sought refuge in the cave while the dog stood at the entrance guarding it.

Allah promises to stand by those who firmly hold onto their faith. Allah sent these young men and the dog into a deep slumber for about three hundred years. Allah says in the Holy Quran about the story of Ashab-e-Kahf: –

“You would have thought they were awake, though they lay asleep. We turned them over, to the right and the left, with their dog stretching out its forelegs at the entrance. If you had seen them, you would turn and run away, filled with fear of them.” [18:18]

When they woke up, they felt they had slept for just a few hours. They greeted each other with Salaam and offered Salah. They waited inside the cave, fearing the tyrannic ruler. After some time passed, they felt hungry.

They agreed to send one man named Yamleekha to the market to get some food. When he left the cave, he realized the whole place had changed drastically. The people, town, and everything in the surroundings looked different. He noticed signs of Islam all around.

People seemed more peaceful and content. When he gave a coin to purchase food, the trader was bewildered to see such an ancient form of currency. He took that man to the emperor. The new emperor, Tandoosees, was a very benevolent and pious man who believed in Allah.

Yamleekha questioned him about Decius. Tandoosees replied in utter confusion that there used to live a greedy and tyrannic emperor by this name centuries ago. Yamleekha told him the story of Ashab-e-Kahf and how he and his group of believers fled from the emperor which felt like only yesterday.

Upon hearing the story, he greeted Yamleekha wholeheartedly and asked him to lead him to the rest of the men. In the meantime, the Ashab-e-Kahf started worrying about the safety of Yamleekha.

They feared that Decius had captured and killed him. To their utmost surprise, he returned with the emperor, a new one. The new emperor sought blessings from these men who stood staunch by their faith and received divine help from Allah. Everywhere the story of Ashab-e-Kahf spread like fire that the people, who had disappeared centuries ago, seemed to have surfaced out of nowhere.

The Ashab-e-Kahf are buried in the same cave along with their dog. Some historians believe that the cave lies in Amman, Jordan. While some people believe it is in present-day Turkey in Ephesus.