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Review
. 2025 Jun 19;29(4):217.
doi: 10.1007/s11325-025-03377-1.

Scientific parallels of sleep physiology in the Qur'anic narrative of the Companions of the Cave "the Cave Sleepers"

Wissem Dhahbi  1   2   3 , Ahmed S BaHammam #  4   5 , Abdelfatteh El Omri #  6 , Ismail Dergaa #  7 , Amine Souissi  8 , Anis Ben Dhahbi  9   10   11 , Helmi Ben Saad  8
Affiliations
Review

Scientific parallels of sleep physiology in the Qur'anic narrative of the Companions of the Cave "the Cave Sleepers"

Wissem Dhahbi et al. Sleep Breath. .

Abstract

Background: The Qur'anic narrative of the Companions of the Cave (Cave Sleepers, in Arabic "Ashab al-Kahf") describes young believers who experienced a prolonged, divinely induced sleep in a cave, as recounted in verses 18:9-26 of Sūrah Al-Kahf. This account, while spiritual in nature, presents details that parallel modern scientific concepts in sleep physiology, particularly regarding environmental influences and bodily preservation during extended immobility.

Objective: To explore scientific parallels between the Qur'anic description of the Cave Sleepers' prolonged sleep and contemporary sleep physiology, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue.

Methods: A comparative analytical descriptive approach was employed, incorporating historical context and established principles for the scientific interpretation of the Qur'an. A comprehensive literature review covered publications from 1970 to July 2024, focusing on sleep physiology, circadian rhythms, and relevant Qur'anic exegesis.

Results: The analysis revealed notable correspondences between the Qur'anic narrative and modern sleep science. The emphasis on noise reduction and controlled light exposure aligns with the current understanding of optimal sleep environments and circadian regulation. The narrative's mention of bodily preservation and periodic turning during sleep reflects modern practices to prevent complications from prolonged immobility, such as pressure ulcers and muscle atrophy. Additionally, the described cave environment mirrors conditions known to support hypometabolic states and sleep consolidation.

Conclusions: The Qur'anic account of the Cave Sleepers resonates with contemporary sleep physiology, particularly in environmental optimization and bodily maintenance during extended sleep. This interdisciplinary exploration encourages new scientific questions and research directions in sleep biology and human physiology.

Keywords: Archaeosomnology; Bioenvironmental adaptation; Comparative religion-science interface; Neurotheology; Psychoneuroendocrinology.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethical approval: This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors. This is an observational study. The “Ethics and Research Committee, University Hospital Farhat Hached Sousse” Research Ethics Committee has confirmed that no ethical approval is required. Research involving human participants and/or animals: This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors. Informed consent: This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors. This is an observational study. Conflict of interest: All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers’ bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

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