The Ashâb-ı Kehf (Seven Sleepers) are the young believers in Surah al-Kahf (verses 9-26) who took refuge in a cave and were awakened after sleeping for centuries. The cave in Dedeler village 12 km north of Tarsus is popularly accepted as the site of this story; a mosque was built above it in 1873. It is a faith-tourism site. (Sources: TDV Encyclopedia of Islam 'Tarsus'; Tarsus District Governorate; Kültür Portalı.)
Sources
- TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi (DİA) · entry “Tarsus”
Every record is sourced (Mandatory Sources).