Cave of the Seven Sleepers (Ahl al-Kahf)
AbrahamicIslamiccaveAnatolia250 CE - present
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Location
Modern Name
Near Tarsus, Mersin Province, Turkey
Country
Turkey
Region
Anatolia
Coordinates
36.8825, 35.5875
Era
250 CE - present
Site Type
Cave
About
A cave complex venerated as the site where the 'Companions of the Cave' (Ahl al-Kahf) slept for 300 years, as narrated in Surah Al-Kahf (Quran 18); multiple competing sites exist across the Middle East.
Significance
The story is told in Surah Al-Kahf (Chapter 18) as a lesson on divine protection of the faithful; the chapter is recommended to be recited every Friday in Islamic practice.
History & Historical Arc
The Quranic account parallels the Christian legend of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus (3rd–4th century CE); Islamic tradit…
Archaeological Notes
The Tarsus site includes a cave complex with Byzantine-era tomb chambers; excavations in the 1960s uncovered pottery and…
Key Features & Structures
- Cave chambers with tomb niches
- Associated small mosque
Visitor Information
Accessible to visitors; a small fee may apply. The Jordan (Rajib) site near Amman is also commonly visited.
Related Figures
Companions of the Cave (unnamed in Quran)Diqyanus (Decius in tradition)
In the Bible
Source References
- Quran 18:9-26