Cave of the Seven Sleepers

About this place

The Cave of the Seven Sleepers, known in Arabic as Kahf ar-Raqim, is an archaeological and religious site in the village of al-Rajib east of Amman. Many link it with the young men of Surah al-Kahf in the Quran, known in Christian sources as the Sleepers of Ephesus. It is one of several caves around the world claimed for the story, and visitors come from across the Arab and Muslim world. The accounts say the young men took refuge from the persecution of Emperor Decius around AD 250. Al-Tabari and al-Waqidi favoured this location among the possible sites, while others preferred Turkey. The Jordanian journalist Taysir Thabyan brought it to notice in 1951, and the archaeologist Rafiq al-Dajani then explored it. Those who link it to the surah point to the closeness of the name al-Rajib to the word al-Raqim. The cave is partly natural and partly cut by hand. Inside are seven sarcophagi, one with a hole through which bones can be seen, which is worth knowing if you have children with you. The walls carry the basmala and Quranic verses in Kufic script, along with Christian and Islamic symbols. Pilasters and niches at the entrance come from a Byzantine church that became a mosque under the caliph Abd al-Malik, and a mihrab survives above the door. Nearby are traces of a minaret and a modern mosque. It is 8.5 km in a straight line from central Amman, and a taxi is easiest. Allow about an hour and bring a small torch, as it is dark inside. Dress modestly and keep your voice down. Sources differ on opening hours, so go during the day.