Page 143 - Perished Nations

bable that the Companions of the Cave resided in one of those holy pla-
ces. Moreover, some Christian sources state their certainty that it was the
place.
The oldest source on the subject is the Syrian priest, James of Saruc
(born 452 AD). The famous historian, Gibbon, has taken many quotations
from James’ study, in his book The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.
According to this book, the name of the Emperor, who tortured the seven
young Christian believers and compelled them to hide away in a cave, was
Decius. Decius ruled over the Roman Empire between 249-251 AD and his
period of reign is widely known for the torments he practised on the fol-
lowers of ‘Isa (Jesus). According to Muslim commentators, the region whe-
re the event took place was either "Aphesus" or "Aphesos". According to
Gibbon, the name of this place is Ephesus. Situated on the western coast
of Anatolia, this city was one of the largest ports and cities of the Roman
Empire. The ruins of this city are known as "The Antique City of Ephesus"
today.
The name of the Emperor who reigned in the period when the Compa-
nions of the Cave woke up from their long sleep, is Tezusius according to
Muslim researchers, whereas it is Theodosius II according to Gibbons. This
Emperor ruled between 408-450 AD, after the Roman Empire had conver-
ted to Christianity.
Referring to the verse below, in some commentaries it is said that the
mouth of the cave looks towards the north, and hence the sunlight could
not penetrate inside. Thus, someone passing by the cave would be unable
to see inside. The verse of the Qur’an informs:
Thou wouldst have seen the sun, when it rose, declining to the right from
their Cave, and when it set, turning away from them to the left, while they
lay in the open space in the midst of the Cave. Such are among the Signs
of Allah: He whom Allah guides is rightly guided; but he whom Allah le-
aves to stray,- for him wilt thou find no protector to lead him to the Right
Way. (Surat al-Kahf: 17)
The archaeologist Dr. Musa Baran points to Ephesus as the place whe-
re this group of young believers lived, in his book named Ephesus, and he
adds:

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