all together. And one of them said: 'The soul is resurrected, but as for the body, the earth consumes it so it becomes nothing.' Their disagreement troubled their King, so he went and wore coarse garments and sat on the ashes, then he called upon Allah and said: 'O Lord, You see the disagreement of these people, so send them a sign that clarifies it for them.' Allah then resurrected the Companions of the Cave, and they sent one of them to buy food for them. He entered the market, and when he looked, he began to fail to recognize the faces while recognizing the paths, and he saw faith visibly in the city. He went while concealing himself until he came to a man to buy food from him. When the man looked at the silver, he did not recognize it—I think he said it was like the hooves of a young she-camel—meaning young camels. The young man said: 'Is your King not so-and-so?' The man said: 'Rather, our King is so-and-so.' That continued between them until he took him to the King, who called out to the people and gathered them, saying: 'You have differed concerning the soul and the body, and Allah has sent you a sign; this man is from the people of so-and-so'—meaning the King who was before him. The young man said: 'Take me to my companions.' The King rode, and the people rode with him until he reached the cave. The young man said: 'Let me enter to my companions.' When he saw them and they saw him, [Allah] sealed their ears. When they found his return delayed, the King and the people entered with him, and there were bodies, nothing of which was decaying, except that they had no souls in them. The King said: 'This is a sign Allah has sent to you.' Ibn Abbas then went on an expedition with Habib ibn Maslamah, and they passed by the cave, and there were bones in it. A man said: 'These are the bones of the Companions of the Cave.' Ibn Abbas said: 'Their bones have been gone for more than three hundred years.'

His saying: 'Which of the two factions counted for how long they stayed, an amount.'

12722 - From Mujahid (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding His saying: 'Which of the two factions'—he said: 'From the people of the youths'—'counted for how long they stayed, an amount'—he said: 'a number.'

12723 - From Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding His saying: 'So that We may know which of the two factions counted for how long they stayed, an amount'—he says: 'Neither of the two parties had knowledge, neither their disbelievers nor their believers.'

His saying: 'Indeed, they were youths who believed in their Lord.'

12724 - From Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both): Allah never sent a Prophet except that he was a young man, and no scholar was given knowledge except that he was a young man. And he recited: "They said: 'We heard a youth who mentions them, called Ibrahim,'" and: "When Musa said to his servant," and: "Indeed, they were youths who believed in their Lord."