(Lessons 65'70)
The 'Companions of the Cave' were a group of righteous young men who lived at least several centuries, if not more, before the revelation of the Quran. These young men had rejected the worship of false deities, and instead served Allah alone, which enraged the ruling class. In order to avoid execution, or being forcibly converted to polytheism, these men decided to hide in a cave along with their dog, and prayed to Allah for help and guidance. Allah responded by not only ending their ordeal but also making them a sign for future generations: He put them to sleep for many years ' possibly up to a few hundred years ' and when they eventually awoke and realised what had happened, they were astonished, just as the people of the city were who had converted to monotheism over the years. They revered the Companions of the Cave as true believers.