And you would think them awake, while they were asleep. And We turned them to the right and to the left, while their dog stretched his forelegs at the entrance. If you had looked at them, you would have turned from them in flight and been filled by them with terror. 18 As such We revived them so that they might question one another. 'How long have you stayed here' asked one of them. 'We have been here a day, or part of it' they replied. They said: 'Your Lord knows best how long we have stayed here. Let one of you go to the city with this silver (coin) and let him search for one who has the purest food and bring provision from it. Let him be courteous, but let no one sense it is you. 19 Verily they, if they come to know of you, would stone you or make you revert to their faith, and lo! then ye will never fare well. 20 Thus did We make their case known to the people, that they might know that the promise of Allah is true, and that there can be no doubt about the Hour of Judgment. Behold, they dispute among themselves as to their affair. (Some) said, "Construct a building over them": Their Lord knows best about them: those who prevailed over their affair said, "Let us surely build a place of worship over them." 21 (With regard to the number of the youths) some say, "There were three and the dog was the fourth one," Others say, "There were five and the dog was the sixth one." In reality, they are just feeling around in the dark. Still some of them say, "There were seven and the dog was the eighth one." (Muhammad), say, "My Lord has the best knowledge of their number. You know very little about it." Do not insist on arguing with them, but merely tell them the story as it has been revealed to you and do not ask anyone about them. 22