Qur'an - Ears are active during sleep

More than 1400 years ago, Chapter 18 of the Holy Qur'an stated that Allah (SWT) placed a veil over the ears of the "People of the cave" for a number of years.  The above chapter called the "Cave", gives the account of the "People of the cave" and how Allah (SWT) caused their bodies to sleep for hundreds of years (please also see our page on "Importance of moving in sleep"). 

In a concise manner, a group of individuals who held strong faith in Allah (SWT) managed to escape from a tyrannical ruler who did not believe in God. Seeking sanctuary, they found solace within a cave where Allah (SWT) caused them to enter a deep sleep for hundreds of years. 

وَتَرَى ٱلشَّمْسَ إِذَا طَلَعَت تَّزَٰوَرُ عَن كَهْفِهِمْ ذَاتَ ٱلْيَمِينِ وَإِذَا غَرَبَت تَّقْرِضُهُمْ ذَاتَ ٱلشِّمَالِ وَهُمْ

 فِى فَجْوَةٍ مِّنْهُ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ مَن يَهْدِ ٱللَّهُ فَهُوَ ٱلْمُهْتَدِ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُۥ وَلِيًّا مُّرْشِدًا

You would 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 leaves to stray,- for him will you find no protector to lead him to the Right Way.   18:17

Location of the cave  - From Verse 18:17, we can conclude that the cave faced North since the sun rose from left and the sunset was to the right of the cave.

وَتَحْسَبُهُمْ أَيْقَاظًا وَهُمْ رُقُودٌ وَنُقَلِّبُهُمْ ذَاتَ ٱلْيَمِينِ وَذَاتَ ٱلشِّمَالِ وَكَلْبُهُم بَـٰسِطٌ ذِرَاعَيْهِ

 بِٱلْوَصِيدِ لَوِ ٱطَّلَعْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ لَوَلَّيْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِرَارًا وَلَمُلِئْتَ مِنْهُمْ رُعْبًا

You would have deemed them awake, while they were asleep, and We turned them on their right and on their left sides: their dog stretching forth his two fore-legs on the threshold: if you had come up on to them, you would have certainly turned back from them in flight, and would certainly have been filled with terror of them.  18:18

Moving in sleep - From the verse above, we see that if you saw them, you would think that they are awake.  Allah (SWT) made then turn from side to side (see our page Importance of moving in sleep ).  This is to help with the blood circulation and preventing bed sores.  It also shows a potential observer that these folks are alive.  Obviously, an observer seeing them moving in the darkness of the cave might think that they are awake. 

Their dog stretched his front legs - An observer would have a seen a comfortable dog guarding the cave.  Splooting in dogs is a posture where the dog lies on its belly with its hind legs stretched out behind, often resembling a frog or a "flying squirrel". It can be a comfortable way for dogs to stretch and relieve pressure on their hips and lower back, especially for dogs with looser hips or flexible joints.  Also, pressing their bellies against cool surfaces like stone or damp earth can help dogs cool down, as they don't sweat like humans. Additionally, it can be a way for dogs to stretch their hips, legs, and spine. 

You would have been scared - The later part of the verse provides another clue.  If you saw them, you would be scared and run away.  Why?  Could it be that after 300 years, their facial hair made them appear scary?  Did they lose a lot of weight?  Were they covered by dust, over grown vegetation, etc. after 300 years? Were their clothes damaged by bugs looking them scary?

Drew over their ears - What makes this account intriguing is the choice of words in the verse - instead of stating that Allah (SWT) "made them sleep," it describes how He "drew over their ears." This small detail holds great significance, for Allah (SWT) prolonged their profound slumber for over 300 years. Remarkably, Verse 18:11 explicitly highlights this scientific fact - that Allah covered their ears. In essence, their ability to hear was subdued while they slept.

No change in appearance - We understand from verse 19 below that when they woke up after hundreds of years, they were thinking that they had slept for a day or part of a day.  If their appearance (hair, clothes...) had changed then they would have mentioned it.  For example, their hair must have not have grown.  Their clothes must not have been attacked by insects, bats, or other creatures. 

additionally, "the best food" refers to something that is halal.

وَكَذَٰلِكَ بَعَثْنَـٰهُمْ لِيَتَسَآءَلُوا۟ بَيْنَهُمْ قَالَ قَآئِلٌ مِّنْهُمْ كَمْ لَبِثْتُمْ قَالُوا۟ لَبِثْنَا يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ قَالُوا۟ رَبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثْتُمْ فَٱبْعَثُوٓا۟ أَحَدَكُم بِوَرِقِكُمْ

هَـٰذِهِۦٓ إِلَى ٱلْمَدِينَةِ فَلْيَنظُرْ أَيُّهَآ أَزْكَىٰ طَعَامًا فَلْيَأْتِكُم بِرِزْقٍ مِّنْهُ وَلْيَتَلَطَّفْ وَلَا يُشْعِرَنَّ بِكُمْ أَحَدًا

And similarly, We awakened them that they might question one another. Said a speaker from among them, "How long have you remained [here]?" They said, "We have remained a day or part of a day." They said, "Your Lord is most knowing of how long you remained. So send one of you with this silver coin of yours to the city and let him look to which is the best of food  and bring you provision from it and let him be cautious. And let no one be aware of you.  18:19

Were they exposed to sound waves at certain frequencies similar to binaural beats affecting their brain activities and producing a meditative state? Was it a hibernation-like state? Moreover, the Holy Qur'an reveals that Allah (SWT) subtly moved them during their slumber, yet this action did not rouse them due to the diminished sensitivity of their sense of touch.

فَضَرَبْنَا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ فِى ٱلْكَهْفِ سِنِينَ عَدَدًا

Then We drew (a veil) over their ears, for a number of years, in the Cave, (so that they heard not) 18:11

Another interesting fact exists in the following verse that is also related to the people of the cave.  It basically says that they were sleep for 300 years plus 9 years.  Why not saying "309 years"?  A Lunar year is roughly 354 days while a Solar year is 365 days.  Now, the first portion of the verse is giving the number of lunar years and the 2nd part of the verse gives the equivalent days for Solar year.  Basically, 300 solar years is equivalent of 309 lunar years!  Please see the calculation below:

(300 lunar years) x (354 lunar days) = 106200 = This is the number of days in 300 lunar years

(9 lunar years) x (354 lunar days) = 3186  = This is the number of days in 9 lunar years

106200 + 3186 = 109386 = This is the total number of days in 309 lunar years

109386 / (365 solar days)  = 299.68 = This is the number of solar years; In other words 300 solar years

وَلَبِثُوا۟ فِى كَهْفِهِمْ ثَلَـٰثَ مِا۟ئَةٍ سِنِينَ وَٱزْدَادُوا۟ تِسْعًا

So they stayed in their Cave three hundred years, and (some) add nine (more)   18:25