Ashab al-Kahf Awakened: A Forgotten Hadith About Imam Ali's Divine Authority

Islamic history is filled with extraordinary events, but some stories remain hidden — preserved only in rare manuscripts and whispered by scholars across generations. One such narration, almost forgotten outside Islamic circles, tells of a moment when the spiritual authority of Imam Ali (AS) was not just proclaimed by people, but acknowledged by men who had lived before centuries: the Ashab al-Kahf — the “People of the Cave” mentioned in Surah al-Kahf.

According to classical sources such as Kitab Abd Allah ibn Yaḥya al-Kahili and Bihar al-Anwar, this remarkable event did not occur in a dream or a mystical dimension. It happened here — on this earth. Using a blessed mat kept in the house of Umm Salama (RA) since the victory of Khaybar, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) instructed Imam Ali (AS) and a few companions to sit upon it. The mat miraculously lifted them from Madinah and carried them across the land, until they reached a remote cave where the Ashab al-Kahf still lay in their Allah-ordained sleep.

“What happened next is one of the most striking affirmations of Ali's divine authority, wilayah — a moment when even the sleepers of centuries rose to greet the divinely appointed successor of the Prophet.”

The Forgotten Narration: Preserved in Rare Shia Texts

Among the vast ocean of Islamic narrations, there exists a rare and precious hadith preserved in classical Shia texts — most notable in Kitab ʿAbd Allah ibn Yaḥya al-Kahili, one of the earliest and least-circulated collections of hadith. The same narration was later quoted by Allamah Majlisi in Biḥar al-Anwar and a few other works, though often with slight variations. Scholars consider it authentic. (thiqah) in its chain and meaning, though the original manuscript is extremely difficult to find today. It is precisely this rarity that has caused the story to remain hidden from mainstream Islamic discussions, despite its profound theological weight. And yet, for those who study it, it is one of the most striking demonstrations of Imam Ali's (AS) wilayah and imamah — a miracle that unfolded not in a vision or metaphor, but in the real world.

A Command in the Mosque

One day, two companions were sitting in the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah: Salman al-Farsi (RA) and Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari (RA). While they were engaged in quiet conversation, the Messenger of Allah SAW entered the mosque. As soon as he saw them, he turned to Salman and said, “O Salman, go and bring to me the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS).” Salman immediately rose and left the mosque, returning shortly with Imam Ali AS by his side. When Ali (AS) arrived, the Prophet welcomed him with warmth and reverence, and the two spoke privately for a while — their conversation filled with words of deep wisdom and divine purpose that none around them could fully comprehend. It was clear to everyone present that something extraordinary was about to unfold, something that would once again reveal Ali's unique station in Islam.

The Blessed Mat from Umm Salama's House

After some moments of private conversation with Imam Ali (AS), the Prophet SAW turned again to Salman (RA) and gave him a special instruction. He said, “O Salman, go to the house of Umm Salama and bring the mat that was gifted to her from the spoils of Khaybar.” Salman obeyed at once and returned with the mat, which was known among the companions for its blessing and sacred history.

Then the Prophet SAW asked, “Where are Umar and Abu Bakr? Go and find them and bring them here.” Salman and Jabir went out and soon returned with both men. When they arrived, the Prophet looked toward them again and said, “And where is Abd al-Raḥman ibn ʿAwf? Bring him here as well.” They left once more and returned with him, completing the group of those whom the Prophet had summoned to witness what was about to happen. A sense of anticipation filled the air — something far greater than a simple gathering was unfolding.

The Final Instructions and the Miracle Unfolds

When everyone had gathered as the Prophet SAW commanded, he ordered Umar, Abu Bakr, and ʿAbd al-Raḥman ibn ʿAwf to sit — each at a separate corner of the mat. Then he called Salman al-Farsi (RA) close to him and whispered a special command — a secret known only to Salman and his Imam. After receiving the instruction, the Prophet told Salman, “Now, you too climb and stand upon one of the corners of the mat.” Salman obeyed without hesitation and took his place.

Then, the Messenger of Allah SAW raised his hand toward Imam Ali (AS) and, before all who were present, proclaimed words that shook the hearts of those who heard them:

“O Ali! If you wish, you can command the dead and they will rise from their graves.

If you desire, you can order the seas and they will split before you.

If you will, you can speak to the heavens and they will answer your call.

Allah has placed in your hands what He has not given to anyone else — for you are the Wali of every believer and the Imam of every era.”

As these words echoed through the mosque, the blessed began mat to stir under their feet. Slowly, it lifted from the ground — not by magic or illusion, but by the will of Allah, Who had honored His chosen ones. Before the astonished eyes of those left behind, the mat rose higher and higher, and then, like a divine vessel, it carried Imam Ali (AS) and those with him away from Madinah toward a distant land — the place where the Ashab al-Kahf had been preserved for centuries.

The Testimony of Wilayah

When the blessed mat returned by Allah's command, it was already evening in Madinah. The journey that had begun in the morning had ended before sunset — and the companions who had boarded the mat now stepped back into the Prophet's Mosque, their faces still reflecting the awe of what they had heretofore. Inside the mosque, the Messenger of Allah SAW was seated along with Jabir ibn ʿAbd Allah (RA), and there, in that sacred gathering, Salman al-Farsi (RA) began to recount the entire journey from start to finish. He described how the mat had carried them across the land, how they had reached the cave where the Ashab al-Kahf rested, how they had risen from their centuries-long sleep, and how they had celebrated Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) as the divinely appointed Wali of Allah. Every detail was spoken with deep reverence, and Jabir listened intently, knowing he was hearing one of the greatest signs

Then the Prophet SAW turned to those who had been present — Abu Bakr, Umar, and ʿAbd al-Raḥman ibn ʿAwf — and questioned them openly before the gathering. “Tell me,” he said, “did you not witness with your own eyes the authority and power Allah has granted to Ali?” One by one, they admitted the truth: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah, we saw with our eyes and heard with our ears. that Ali is truly the Wali of Allah on earth.” The Prophet raised his hands and declared, “O Allah, bear witness — they have remained to the truth.” In that moment, within the very mosque where Islam was born, the reality of wilayah was sealed by their own tongues: Ali (AS) was the divinely appointed Imam and successor after the Messenger of Allah.