The Eshab-ı Kehf Cave (Eshab-ı Kehf Mağarası or Ashab-ı Kehf Mağarası), also known as the Seven Sleepers, is a tourist cave situated to the north of Tarsus, an ilçe (district) in the Mersin Province or modern day Turkey. The cave, situated approximately 14 kilometers from Tarsus and 40 kilometers from Mersin, rests at the base of a modest hill.
The tradition of the "Companions of the Cave" is narrated in the Surah al-Kahf, eighteenth chapter, of Quran. The verses from 9 to 26 of the chapter recall the extra-biblical Christian tradition of the "companions of the cave". A few young believers who lived in a time when they were persecuted for their beliefs. Upon the guidance of God, they fled the city where believers were persecuted, together with their dog, and took refuge in a cave where they fell asleep for a number of years. When they awoke they found that the people of the city had become believers.
circa
The Cave
It is a relatively smaller cave as compared to the other caves in the vicinity.
circa 1872 CE
Mosque
The small square mosque was built by the mufti of the city, Ahmet Efendi, in the name of Sultan Abdulaziz's mother in 1872 CE (1289 Hijri). The architect of the mosque is not unknown.
The square planned mosque is covered with a dome, placed on an octagonal frame. There are two windows on each facade. There are four columns and three domed narthexes on the narth and a small minaret with a single balcony on the south-west corner. A second, taller, minaret was built at the eastern side of the msoque which was externded with additions at the south. The mosque minaret has three balconies (şerefes) and the access is provided by a number of ladders to each balcony of the minaret. The mosque was heavily restoer by Vakifiar Genel Mudurlugu (Directorate of Waqfs) in 2006 CE.
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The Madain Project is an online archive of Abrahamic History and Archaeology.
Abrahamic History & Archaeology is the study of history and archaeology with respect to the three Abrahamic Faiths without considering the religious and theological aspects. The goal of Abrahamic History is to understand how and why the religious doctrines and behaviours have evlovled and changed over time. Searching for patterns in the evolution of significant cultural events such as the development of farming, the emergence of cities, or the collapse of major civilizations for clues of why and how these have influenced the three major Abrahamic religions.
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