Amazing Stories in Surah Al-Kahf

TEHRAN (IQNA) – There are stories in the Holy Quran that have been mentioned in other religious books as well. Among them are the story of faithful Christians who resorted to a cave and the story of Prophet Moses (AS) accompanying Prophet Khidr (AS), both of which are narrated in Surah Al-Kahf.

Al-Kahf is the 18^th chapter of the Holy Quran. It is a Makki Surah and has 110 verses. It is in the 15^th and 16^th Juzes of the Holy Book and is the 69^th Surah revealed to the Holy Prophet (PBUH). Kahf means cave, and the Surah’s name comes from the story of a group of faithful Christians who resorted to a cave and are known as the People of Kahf.

With fear and hope, Surah Al-Kahf invites people to believe in the truth and do good deeds. The fact that God has no children is emphasized in this chapter, rejecting some people’s claim that the angels, jinn and pious people are children of God.  

The Surah narrates three amazing stories. The first relates to the People of Kahf. They fled the oppression of Roman Emperor Decius (201-251 AD) and took refuge in a cave, sleeping there for about three centuries. After waking up and secretly going to the town, they were surprised to find out that they had slept for 300 years. They realized that the oppressive emperor had died long ago and faithful Christians were now no longer an oppressed minority.

Another part of the Surah elaborates on Prophet Moses’ (AS) accompanying a pious man who Quran interpreters say is Hazrat Khidr (AS). During their trip, Hazrat Khidr (AS) takes some measures that Moses (AS) objects to but when Khidr (AS) tells him the reason why he did them, Moses (AS) realizes their secrets and regrets his haste.

In another part of the chapter, we read the story of Dhu al-Qarnayn, one who traveled to east and west and met different peoples. He helped a certain people to confront the oppression and plots of Gog and Magog and set up an iron barrier between them and Gog and Magog.

There are different views about Dhul al-Qarnayn. Some consider him to be a messenger of God while some others say he was a religious and pious king. The Quran portrays him as a faithful man who believes in God and the Day of Judgment and one who ruled a great nation.

Gog and Magog were a people or a group of peoples mentioned in the Quran as well as Jewish and Christian texts. They are mentioned in these texts as oppressors. Dhu al-Qarnayn set up a barrier between a certain people and Gog and Magog. According to the Quran and Jewish and Christian texts, the end of the world will be signaled by the rebellion of Gog and Magog who come from behind the barrier.