12718 - From Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding His saying: "Or have you thought that the companions of the Cave and Al-Raqim were among Our signs a wonder?" He said: They were not the most wonderful of Our signs; they were from the sons of the kings.

12719 - From al-Nu'man ibn Bashir that he heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) narrating about the companions of al-Raqim: "Three people entered the Cave, then a rock fell from the mountain onto the Cave and sealed them inside. A speaker among them said: 'Recall which of you has done a good deed, perhaps Allah will have mercy on us.' One of them said: 'Yes, I once did a good deed... I had laborers whom I hired for work for me, each man for a known wage. One day, a man came to me in the middle of the day, so I hired him for the amount that remained of the day for half of what his companions, who worked for their entire day, were receiving. I felt it was only fair not to reduce anything from what I had hired his companions for. One of them said: "Is this one to be given the same as what I am given when he did not work but half his day?" I said to him: "I will not deprive you of anything of your contract; it is my wealth, and I decide what to do with it as I please." He became angry and abandoned his wage. When I saw that, I set his share aside in a corner of the house for as long as Allah willed. Then, some cattle passed by me, so I bought a calf for him until it grew as much as Allah willed. Then, the man passed by me after a while, and he was an old, weak man, and I did not recognize him. He said to me: "I have a right with you." I did not remember him until he made me realize it, so I said to him: "Yes... it is you whom I have been seeking." I presented to him what Allah had brought forth for him from that calf, and I said to him: "This is your right from the cattle." He said to me: "O servant of Allah, do not mock me... I am not seeking charity from you, give me my right." I said: "By Allah, I am not mocking you; this is indeed your right." So I handed it over to him. O Allah, if You know that I was truthful and that I did that for Your sake, then relieve us of this rock." It cracked open until they saw the light and could see.'

The other said: 'I once did a good deed; I had some surplus wealth, and the people were afflicted by hardship. A woman came to me, and I sought a favor from her, but I said: "No, by Allah, it will not be except through yourself." She refused me, then returned and reminded me of Allah, but I refused her and said: "No, by Allah, it will not be except through yourself." She refused me, then returned and reminded me of Allah, but I refused her and said: "No, by Allah, it will not be except through yourself." She refused me, so I mentioned that to her husband, who said: "Give her yourself [to him] and enrich your family."