Ashab-e- Kahf: The Companions of the Cave
Muntazir is Kumail’s friend. He visits his home one morning to take him to his Islamic class but as usual Kumail is fast asleep.
Muntazir : Salamun Alaikum, Aunty.
Lady : Wa Alaikumus Salaam. How are you, Muntazir?
Muntazir : Alhamdulillah, I am fine. I have come to take Kumail with me to the Sunday Islamic Class, but where is he?. I hope he is not sleeping.
Lady : You are right. I tried to wake him several times but of no use. You try your luck now.
Muntazir goes to Kumail’s room where he is sleeping.
Muntazir : Salamun Alaikum
Kumail : Wa…..……Alaikumus……….Salaam.
Muntazir : It is already 9 o’clock Kumail, and you are still sleeping. Get ready fast or else we will be late for class again today. Why do you sleep so much?
Kumail : I don’t know. I feel very sleepy all the time.
Muntazir : Your sleep reminds me of an interesting story of Ashab-e-Kahf.
Kumail : Ashab-e-Kahf! Who are they? What is their story?
Muntazir : I will but on the condition that you will sleep less after that.
Kumail : Hmm….I will try.
Muntazir : Insha Allah. You should say Insha Allah whenever you want to do a good thing.
Kumail : Insha Allah I will try to sleep less…but first the story.
Muntazir : Several hundred years ago there was an oppressive king named Daqyanoos. Daqyanoos called himself God and forced people to accept it. Those who accepted were rewarded by him and those who did not were punished.
He had put two statues inside and outside the main gate of his city. Anyone who entered or left the city had to prostrate (sajdah) before them.
One day it so happened that the king of the neighbouring city attacked Daqyanoos’ city.
On hearing this, Daqyanoos was so scared that he urinated in his clothes.
Four of his ministers who were present were surprised. They thought, ‘How can Daqyanoos be God when he is so scared? God is All-powerful. All fear him but he is afraid of none.’
They decided that they should leave the city and live in some other place because if they stayed there, Daqyanoos will force them to worship him.
So at night they left the city, but the soldiers of the king saw them and chased them.
Kumail : Did the soldiers catch them?
Muntazir : No. They managed to escape. Thereafter, they walked for some days and one dog also joined them on the way. Finally, they came before one cave. They went inside the cave. Since they were very tired, they quickly went to sleep. Do you know how long did they sleep?
Kumail : Not more than me. Maybe 6 hours?
Muntazir : No, they slept more than that. They slept for 309 years.
Kumail : 309 years! Incredible!
Muntazir : Yes, 309 years without eating and drinking. And when they woke up, they thought they had slept for a few hours.
They sent one of the persons outside the cave to get some food. When he went out, he was very surprised to see that the whole city had changed. The roads, the buildings etc. nothing was same. He did not even recognise the people outside.
He went to a shop keeper, gave him some coins and asked for some food.
The shopkeeper was very surprised to see the coins because they were 300 years old. He thought that the person had found a treasure.
The person was taken to the king of the time who was a successor of Hazrat Isa (a.s.)
Kumail : Yes, I know Hazrat Isa (a.s) is still alive just like our Imam Mahdi (a.s).
Muntazir : Yes. The person told them their incident, about Daqyanoos, how they left the city and hid into the cave.
The king told them that they should not worry because Daqyanoos had died long ago. After that the king, his soldiers and the person went to the cave.
When they reached the cave the person went inside and told his friends about what had happened outside. They were worried that the new king like Daqyanoos would force them to worship him.
One of them suggested that they should pray to Allah to put them to sleep like before.
They all prayed together. Allah accepted their prayers and put them to sleep. They are still sleeping.
Kumail : Still Sleeping… did they never wake up after that?
Muntazir : Well they were once awakened by our First Imam, Hazrat Ameerul Momeneen Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) to inform them about Islam and the advent of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.). They all became Muslims and went back to sleep again.
Kumail : This is a very interesting story.
Muntazir : There is lot we can learn from this story about our Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.).
Kumail : About Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.)? How?
Muntazir : Yes. Just think how long did they sleep for the first time?
Kumail : 309 Years.
Muntazir : And that too without food and water.
Kumail : And they are sleeping now also after hundreds of years and that also without food and water
Muntazir : When Allah can keep Ashab-e-Kahf alive for thousands of years without food and water, then why can’t He keep our beloved Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s) alive?
Kumail : So will they never wake up?
Muntazir : Yes they will. When Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s) reappears, he shall wake them up and they will be his companions.
Kumail : This is a very interesting story you have told me. Where can one find this story?
Muntazir : In the Holy Quran. Don’t you know there is a Surah in the Holy Quran named after this incident – it’s called Surah Kahf, Chapter No. 17.
Kumail : The next time I read Surah Kahf, I will keep this in mind.
Muntazir : Again you forgot to say Insha Allah. Surah Kahf has another interesting point for you and others like you who love sleeping but can’t wake up on time.
Kumail : What is that?
Muntazir : If you recite the last ayat of Surah Kahf, Insha Allah, you will be able to wake up at a time of your choice.
Kumail : Wow. That sounds like a Quranic Clock! Insha Allah I will recite it every night and pray that I wake up for Namaze Subh.
Muntazir : Insha Allah. May Allah hasten the reappearance of our beloved master, Imam-e-Zamaana (a.t.f.s.). Now get ready quickly. We have to go to the Islamic Class.