Chapter 18, Al Kahfi - The Cave

The cave and the Masjid could be clearly seen 3 - 4 kilometers away from the main highway. It is about 7 kilometers from the downtown Amman.

The taxi drivers (one named Mahmoud) were friendly and honest; Mahmoud showed us the way to the main entrance, which was actually the entrance of the Masjid Ahli Kahf. An old man sitting in front of the small room just after the entrance, whom I believed was the Security cum Administrator of the area, welcomed and ushered us to the cave area about 70 meters away. As we zealously approached the area, another kind of feeling clouded us. It reminded us about the Surah Al Kahf, Chapter 18 of the Holy Qur’an. The Ashabul Kahfi or Ahli Kahf was one of the top items in our priority list.

Here the story goes: Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) was challenged by the people of Makkah, who did not believe in his message and prophet hood then. The people asked him a question that they received from the Jews. The Jews told the non-believers of Makkah to ask Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) "who are the youths who disappeared, and how many were they?". The great Messenger Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) did not answer but instead, told them that he would answer the next day. The answer was revealed to Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) in a complete Surah named after the cave (Al-Kahf). The Quran revealed the exact story that the Jews knew of, and it answered the questions in a similar way with the legend they already knew. The Quran confirmed that they had slept for 300 years during which the calendar of their people was changed from solar to lunar and, as a result, the period of their sleep was 309 (lunar) years. The Quran however did not give an exact answer to how many there were. It mentioned that some people said that there are 3 or 5 or 7, in addition to one dog traditionally named Qitmir. The Jews also did not know whether there were 3 or 5 or 7, and were astonished when the Quran gave all the possibilities that had been suggested for the number of sleepers. However, the local authority named this place - Cave of the Seven Sleepers. Personally, I disagree with it because it may confuse visitors.
In verse 18 of Chapter 18, Al-Kahf (the cave), Allah swt says; “Thou wouldst have deemed them awake, whilst they were asleep, and We turned them on their right and on their left sides: their dog stretching forth his two fore-legs on the threshold: if thou hadst come up on to them, thou wouldst have certainly turned back from them in flight, and wouldst certainly have been filled with terror of them.”
The ninth verse of Surah Al Kahf touches upon this group's extraordinary situation. As the narrative unfolds, it is seen that their experiences are of an unusual and metaphysical nature. Their entire lives are full of miraculous developments. The tenth verse tells us that those young people sought refuge in the cave from the existing oppressive system, which did not allow them to express their views, tell the truth, and call to Allah's religion. Thus, they distanced themselves from their society.
Do you consider that the Companions of the Cave and Ar-Raqim were one of the most remarkable of Our Signs? When the young men took refuge in the cave and said: 'Our Lord! Bestow on us mercy directly from You and open the way for us to right guidance in our situation." Verses 9 -10, Chapter 18 - Al Kahf. The photo below claimed to be the place where tha Ahli Kahf slept.
"So We covered up their hearing (causing them to go to sleep in deep sleep) in the cave for a number of years. Then We woke them up again so that we might see which of the two groups would better calculate the time they had stayed there." Verses 11 - 12, Chapter 18 Al KahfAbove photo claimed to be the grave of the Ahli Kahfi. One could see the bones via the glass panel.
The reason for this state of sleep was their surrender to fate and peace, because Allah swt, arranges everything for the benefit of the believers.
The Qur'an also states that the number of sleepers will be known only to Allah swt and a handful of people. A couple of estimates have been mentioned regarding their true number, as per popular opinion, probably by the time of Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him), but quickly rejected as mere conjectures. Such as, they were three, fourth being the dog or they were five, sixth being the dog, etc. However, when a final count of 'seven and their dog being the eighth' is mentioned, Muslims generally consider that an approval from Allah swt about their correct number, since it is not followed by an explicit rejection of the correctness of that number. Although the very next verse states that the knowledge of their correct number stays with Allah Rabbul Jalil alone and a few select, it is taken as a reminder that despite the revelation to Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) and a legendary mention throughout history, most people do not have any first-hand evidence to support any claims regarding their correct number, if not their very existence.
"Some say they were three of them, their dog being the fourth; and others say they were five of them, their dog being the sixth,' guessing at the Unseen; yet others say they were seven of them, their dog being the eighth.' Say (O Muhammad saw) : 'My Lord knows best their number. Those who know about them are very few.' So do not enter into any argument concerning them, except in relation to what is clearly known. And do not seek the opinion of any of them regarding them." Verse 22, Chapter 18 Al Kahf

After spending nearly one hour, we hesitantly left the area with mixed feeling to the Amman Palace Hotel. Amman a unique blend of old and new, ideally located in a hilly area of north-western Jordan. The city was originally built on seven hills, but it now spans over an area of nineteen hills. The main areas of Amman gain their names from the hills and mountains. It became the capital city of Jordan in 1921.

Nana with the black robe provided by the Administrator as gesture of respect of that area?!