Transliteration:( Iz awal fityatu ilal Kahfi faqaaloo Rabbanaaa aatinaa mil ladunka rahmatanw wa haiyi' lanaa min amrinaa rashadaa )
"When those youths took refuge [14] in the cave and said, 'O our Lord, grant to us mercy from Yourself and provide for us guidance in our affair.' [15]"
From this, several important points emerge:
The Companions of the Cave were human beings.
All of them were males.
They were all young men, not children or elderly—indicated by the use of the word “youths”.
The majority opinion holds that they were seven in number, and their names are:
Yamleekha, Maximillan, Martoonis, Sanoonas, Sarinoonas, Zoonawaas, and Onas.
Their dog's name was Qatmeer.
According to Tafseer Khazin and Khazainul Irfaan, these names are spiritually powerful. Their benefits are described as follows:
If written and hung at a door, it protects the house from fire.
If placed on goods, they will not be stolen.
If hung on a ship, it will not sink.
If written and thrown into a fire, it will extinguish.
If tied to a child, it protects from infantile epilepsy and excessive crying.
If worn as a ta'weez by a foolish person, it brings wisdom and intelligence.
If fastened on the arms of prisoners, they gain freedom.
After Hazrat Isa (peace be upon him) was raised to the heavens, the general population gradually turned to polytheism. In the city of Ephesus, these seven men remained true believers.
This was during the reign of Emperor Daqyanus (Decius, 248 AD)—a ruthless ruler who sought to eliminate all believers. The seven youth fled the city and took refuge in a cave to protect their faith.
They had with them a few coins and a dog, who slept at the entrance of the cave. The mountain was called Banjlos, and the cave was named Jeerom.
By the Divine Will, they fell into a miraculous sleep for 300 years.
In the meantime, Daqyanus died, and several kings ruled. Eventually, a righteous king, Emperor Theodorius, came to power and ruled for sixty years. When people began to doubt the Day of Judgement, he prayed to Allah to show a sign of resurrection.
At that moment, the Companions of the Cave awoke, fresh and lively. They asked Yamleekha to discreetly go and buy food. But upon entering the city, everything had changed.
At a bakery, Yamleekha handed over a coin. The baker, shocked, said this coin was from 300 years ago, during Daqyanus’s time. Yamleekha was accused of finding hidden treasure and taken to the governor.
To protect himself, he narrated the entire story. The news reached Emperor Theodorius, who visited the cave with his officers and subjects.
The Emperor embraced the Companions and publicly announced:
"If Allah can awaken them after 300 years, then surely He can resurrect the dead on the Day of Judgement."
The Companions then returned to sleep, and the Emperor ordered the construction of a mosque at the entrance of the cave.
From that time onward, people would gather annually at the site and celebrate the occasion like Eid.
This demonstrates that celebrating the Urs (death anniversaries) of saints is an ancient tradition rooted in faith and reverence.
The tafsir of Surah Kahf verse 10 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Kahf ayat 9 which provides the complete commentary from verse 9 through 12.
(18:10) When those youths sought refuge in the Cave and said: “Our Lord! Grant us mercy from Yourself and provide for us rectitude in our affairs.”
There is no commentary by Abul Maududi available for this verse.
For a faster and smoother experience,
install our mobile app now.
Related Ayat(Verses)/Topics