Young noble Christian men save themselves from persecution by a Roman emperor in a cave where they sleep for centuries, protected by God. So goes the legend of the “Seven Sleepers of Ephesus”. It is the story and fate of those young men who believe in one God, resist idol worship in their city and seek refuge in a cave because of their persecution. After they wake up again after 300 years and find themselves in a different time, the news of their resurrection spreads among the people. Finally they fall asleep again before their eyes, proving that the resurrection is possible. The ancient motif of the long sleep and awakening, which takes place in other legends and folktales throughout the world, plays a very prominent role in the Sura of the Cave (Surat al-Kahf), chapter 18 of the Qur’an. It narrates the story of the “Companions of the Cave”, Ashab al-Kahf, in order to bring the idea of resurrection to the young Islamic community as a reward for true belief. The presentation discusses the Christian origins of the story of the Seven Sleepers; the reception of the Seven Sleepers in the Islamic world; the functions of stories in the Qur’an; the central role that the Sura of the Cave plays in Islamic culture; the Babi-Baha’i approach to Qur’anic stories; and the interpretations of the contents of the Sura of the Cave in the Babi and Baha’i Writings, especially the story of the Companions of the Cave. Whereas most Muslim commentators on the Qur’an focus on an exoteric (external) interpretation of these Qur’anic verses (such as the location of the event or the number and names of the young people), this lecture will also focus on spiritual/esoteric interpretations of the Bab, Baha’u’llah and ‘Abdu’l-Baha related to the Manifestation of the Bab and Baha’u’llah.
Clearwater Bahá’ís is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Asleep in this world, awake in the other”: The Legend of the Seven Sleepers in the Christian-Islamic Tradition and the Babi-Baha’i Writings Time: Jan 12, 2025 11:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82072666378
Meeting ID: 820 7266 6378
