'Tales From Gabriel' is a collection of myths, legends, fables or stories I am collating, each of which are interesting on its own, but more fascinating is, a few hundred or thousand years later, they landed on the pages of the Holy Book of Islam. The Quran, supposedly compiled in the 7th century, is the spoken word of God conveyed to His Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. These tales are post-fact canonised. Have they been plagiarised into Truth? Opinions are strictly personal.
The Story:
During the reign of Trajanus Decius (AD 201 – 251) who was Roman emperor from 249 to 251, there lived 7 young men in Ephesus, a city in ancient Greece. That was a time Rome was persecuting Christians and the religion had basically gone underground in order to survive.
One day Decius arrived in Ephesus. He ordered a public offering of sacrifice to Roman pagan gods. In this manner Decius can identify Christians who will not offer sacrifices. Those who disobeyed were to be executed. Everyone in the city obeyed except for the 7 young men who refused to deny their faith. They went into hiding. When it became untenable to remain in the town, they fled to the mountains and took refuge in a cave. One of them was chosen to administer to their needs, let's call him Iamblicus. Each day, Iamblicus would go into town dressed as a beggar, to procure food.
Decius soon heard about the 7 youths and ordered a search. When word reached Decius about the secret cave, he ordered it be sealed up. So the cave opening was sealed and the young men left to their doom. One of the masons wanted to honour the youths for their strong faith. He wrote their names and the reasons their being condemned. He hid the note in a box amongst the boulders.
Some 300 years later, the owner of the land, unaware of the history, wanted the cave re-opened. When the cave was opened, the 7 youths woke up as if they had slept over the night. They had no idea 300 years had passed. Iamblicus assumed his usual chore of going down to the town to buy bread for the day. Upon arriving at the town he was surprised the town had changed overnight. The townscape was different and he was surprised to see signs of the Cross on many buildings. Soon he realised people were talking about Jesus openly. Iamblicus found a bakery, bought what he needed and paid for it. But there was a problem. He tried to pay with old coins bearing the face of Decius. It was then the reign of Theodosius II (408–450) so coins had changed. To resolve the matter, Iamblicus was brought before the Deacon of Ephesus. Following the interrogation, they proceeded to the cave, and true enough they found six other youths who all corroborated Iamblicus's account. The Deacon found the note left by the mason and accepted the miracle as the work of the Lord to show to the Church the mystery of the Resurrection of the Dead.
Constantine I (272 – 337) had transformed Rome from paganism to Christianity. During the reign of Theodosius II (408–450) there were deeply divisive theological disagreements about the resurrection of the body in the day of judgement and life after death. Some felt resurrection of the body was not possible and therefore it can only be interpreted as resurrection of the soul. When the case of the 7 youths were reported to him, Theodosius II, being a practicing Christian, wanted to meet the 7 youths to honour them for their commitment to the faith. After they had the audience with the Emperor, the 7 youths fell into their final sleep a second time till the Lord returns and final Resurrection.
Comments :
There were many versions with differing details. Many disagreed on the number of youths and some included a dog. The Quran, in its eternal wisdom, never reveal the number but says "My Lord knows best their exact number. Only a few people know as well."
Another common difference is the number of years the youths slept. The Quran puts it at 309 years which obviously is lunar years. Converted to solar years it is 300.
Names of youths also differ. Some accounts use Maximilian, Iamblicus, Martinian, John, Dionysius, Exacustodianus and Antoninus.
Hundreds of manuscripts have been found in Syriac, Aramiac and Greek. The earliest was one by Bishop Jacob of Serugh (450–521) who wrote from an earlier Greek version which has been lost. Jacob also mentioned a church consecrated to the 7 sleepers.
There are several places that have laid claim to be the grotto where the youths slept. Daniel the Pilgrim from present day Ukraine, travelled the region widely in the 12th century during the times of the Crusade. He wrote extensively of his travels and claimed to have seen relics of the sleepers' cave.
The American author Washington Irving, possibly plagiarised the myth for his famous short story "Rip Van Winkle" first published in 1819.
The fact is the 'sleepers' is not in the liturgical calendar and Roman missal. There is no archaeological or documented evidence that the story was other than just an invention to propagate or demonstrate the theological concept of end time Resurrection.
The Resurrection of the Dead on the second coming of Christ is such a fundamental part of Christian faith that the Orthodox Church commemorates the 'sleepers' story on August 4 for the first time the youths fell asleep and October 22 for the second sleep. In Roman Martyrology the 'sleepers' have been listed on July 27 since 1961.
Notice that the list refers to 'the 7 holy sleepers' and not saints or martyrs as there was no beatification of any real life character. It is in effect to commemorate a very popular myth that served to underline the fundamental concept of Resurrection of the Dead. In 1961 the 'sleepers' was listed as number 7th item to be read. I was told in 2004 it was moved up to number 1. But this is only reflected in the Latin version of the Roman Martyrology. The reason is unknown. Perhaps it is to give more recognition to the story at an era where people are loosing belief in the supernatural.
The Quran surah 18:9-25
(Translated as per Quran.com)
Have you ˹O Prophet˺ thought that the people of the cave and the plaque were ˹the only˺ wonders of Our signs?
˹Remember˺ when those youths took refuge in the cave, and said, “Our Lord! Grant us mercy from Yourself and guide us rightly through our ordeal.”
So We caused them to fall into a dead sleep in the cave for many years,
then We raised them so We may show which of the two groups would make a better estimation of the length of their stay.
We relate to you ˹O Prophet˺ their story in truth. They were youths who truly believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance.
And We strengthened their hearts when they stood up and declared, “Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. We will never call upon any god besides Him, or we would truly be uttering an outrageous lie.”
˹Then they said to one another,˺ “These people of ours have taken gods besides Him. Why do they not produce a clear proof of them? Who then does more wrong than those who fabricate lies against Allah?
Since you have distanced yourselves from them and what they worship besides Allah, take refuge in the cave. Your Lord will extend His mercy to you and accommodate you in your ordeal.”
And you would have seen the sun, as it rose, inclining away from their cave to the right, and as it set, declining away from them to the left, while they lay in its open space. That is one of the signs of Allah. Whoever Allah guides is truly guided. But whoever He leaves to stray, you will never find for them a guiding mentor.
And you would have thought they were awake, though they were asleep. We turned them over, to the right and left, while their dog stretched his forelegs at the entrance. Had you looked at them, you would have certainly fled away from them, filled with horror.
And so We awakened them so that they might question one another. One of them exclaimed, “How long have you remained ˹asleep˺?” Some replied, “Perhaps a day, or part of a day.” They said ˹to one another˺, “Your Lord knows best how long you have remained. So send one of you with these silver coins of yours to the city, and let him find which food is the purest, and then bring you provisions from it. Let him be ˹exceptionally˺ cautious, and do not let him give you away.
For, indeed, if they find out about you, they will stone you ˹to death˺, or force you back into their faith, and then you will never succeed.”
That is how We caused them to be discovered so that their people might know that Allah’s promise ˹of resurrection˺ is true and that there is no doubt about the Hour. When the people disputed with each other about the case of the youth ˹after their death˺, some proposed, “Build a structure around them. Their Lord knows best about them.” Those who prevailed in the matter said, “We will surely build a place of worship over them.”
Some will say, “They were three, their dog was the fourth,” while others will say, “They were five, their dog was the sixth,” ˹only˺ guessing blindly. And others will say, “They were seven and their dog was the eighth.” Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “My Lord knows best their ˹exact˺ number. Only a few people know as well.” So do not argue about them except with sure knowledge, nor consult any of those ˹who debate˺ about them.
And never say of anything, “I will definitely do this tomorrow,”
without adding, “if Allah so wills!” But if you forget, then remember your Lord, and say, “I trust my Lord will guide me to what is more right than this.”
They had remained in their cave for three hundred years, adding nine.
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