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Salamun 'alaykum, reading Surat al-Kahf can be a mean for protection from the tribulations of the end of times. This means that according to both Shi'a and Sunnis it's connected to the end of times. So let us look at the three main stories of Surat al-Kahf: 1) The story of Ashab al-Kahf (peace be upon them): A group of pious servants of Allah who fled from oppression holding on to monotheism and the truth. They remained hidden for hundreds of years sleeping in a cave until Allah ta'ala let them wake up again. 2) The story of Musa with al-Khidr (peace be upon them): A pious servant of Allah who has been blessed by Allah ta'ala with a great amount of knowledge. He uses this knowledge to help the believers and the oppressed in mysterious ways and only few people from the creation have met him. 3) The story of Dhul Qarnayn (peace be upon him): A pious servant of Allah whom Allah ta'ala gave the means to rule over vast territories and to fight the oppressors and implement justice. If you think about it: How are the above stories connected to the end of times? Now think about Imam al-Mahdi (peace be upon him) and you will know the answer. If someone says "how is it possible that a person remains alive for hundreds of years", then tell him to look at the Ashab al-Kahf (peace be upon them). And if someone says "what is the benefit of a hidden savior", then tell him about the example of al-Khidr (peace be upon him). And if some says "how is it possible that one person establishes justice on such a grand scale", then tell him about the example of Dhul Qarnayn (peace be upon him). I first realized the above connection when I listened to a lecture of the Shaykh Ahmad al-Salman, who mentioned similar points.