When the following day came, Decianus missed them and searched for them, but could not find them. He said to some of his men, “The affair of these youths who have gone away grieves me. In their ignorance, they must have thought that I was angry with them and misunderstood my intentions. I would not have dealt harshly with them had they repented and worshipped my gods.”

The leading men of the city said, “It does not befit you to show mercy to a wicked, defiant, disobedient people. You had granted them a respite, and had they wished, they could have returned during that time; but they did not repent.” When they said this, he became intensely angry. He then summoned their fathers, who came before him, and he questioned them concerning the youths. He said, “Tell me about your defiant sons who disobeyed me [and whom he had threatened with death].” (1)

They said to him, “As for us, we have not disobeyed you. Why, then, do you kill us because of a defiant people who took our wealth, squandered it in the markets of the city, and then went off and climbed a mountain called Bakhlus?” When they said this to him, he let them go. He did not know what to do with the youths, until Allah put it into his mind to order that the cave be sealed over them.

Yet Allah willed to honor them and make them a sign for a nation that would come after them, and to show them that the Hour is coming—there is no doubt about it—and that Allah will raise those who are in the graves. So Decianus ordered that the cave be sealed over them, saying, “Leave them as they are in the cave, to die of hunger and thirst. Let the cave they chose become their grave.” He thought that they were awake and knew what was being done to them, whereas Allah had taken their souls in the sleep of death. Their dog lay with its forelegs outstretched at the entrance of the cave, having been overtaken by what had overtaken them, while they were turned from side to side, to the right and to the left.

Then two believing men in the household of King Decianus, who concealed their faith—one named Yandarus and the other Runas—conspired to write the account of the youths, their genealogies, their names, and their story on two tablets of lead, (2) place them in a casket of copper, and set the casket within the structure. They said, “Perhaps Allah will cause a believing people to prevail concerning these youths before the Day of Resurrection, so that whoever uncovers them will know their story when he reads this record [of their account].” (3) So they did so, and built over it.

Decianus remained for as long as he remained; then he and his people died, and many generations passed after him. Kings succeeded one another after kings.

Ubayd ibn Umayr said: The Companions of the Cave were young men adorned with neck-rings and bracelets, and with locks of hair. Their hunting dog was with them. They went out for one of their great festivals, dressed in splendid attire and proceeding in a grand procession. They brought out with them the gods they worshipped. Yet Allah had cast faith into the hearts of the youths, and one of them was the king’s minister. They believed, but each of them concealed his faith. They said to themselves, “We should leave the midst of these people, lest we be afflicted by punishment for their sin.”

One of the young men went out until he came to the shade of a tree, where he sat. Then another went out and saw him sitting alone. Without disclosing anything, he hoped that he was upon the same faith as himself. Then the others went out, and they gathered in one place. They said to one another, “What has brought you together?” Each of them concealed his faith from the other, fearing for himself. Then they said, “Let each young man go out and be alone