And similarly, We made them known. Just as We caused them to sleep and then raised them, for the wisdom in that, We made them known, so that those We made aware of their situation would know that the promise of Allah is true, which is the resurrection. Their state in their sleep and their awakening afterwards is like that of one who dies and is then resurrected. And when they dispute is related to Our making them known. That is: We made them known when they dispute among themselves about their religion and differ regarding the reality of resurrection. Some of them said: The souls are resurrected without the bodies. Others said: The bodies are resurrected along with the souls, so that the disagreement would be resolved and it would be clear that the bodies are resurrected alive and sensitive, containing their souls as they were before death. They said when Allah took the souls of the companions of the cave: Build over them a building, meaning over the entrance of their cave. So that people do not approach them, fearing for their graves and to preserve it, just as the grave of the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, was preserved with a wall. Those who prevailed over their affair from the Muslims and had authority over them said: We will surely take a mosque at the entrance of the cave where the Muslims can pray and be blessed by their place. And it was said: When they dispute among themselves about their affair, meaning: People discuss among themselves the matter of the companions of the cave and talk about their story and what Allah has manifested of the signs in them. Or they dispute among themselves about how to manage their affair when they passed away, how to conceal their location, and how to block the way to them. They said: Build over the entrance of their cave a building. It has been narrated that the people of the Gospel committed great sins and their kings became tyrannical until they worshipped idols and compelled others to worship them. Among those who intensified this was Daqyanus, who threatened a group of noble youths from his people with death if they did not abandon their faith. They refused except to remain steadfast in belief and to be firm in it. Then they fled to the cave and passed by a dog that followed them. They drove it away, and Allah made it speak, saying: What do you want from me? I love the friends of Allah. So sleep, and I will guard you. And it was said: They passed by a shepherd with a dog that followed them on their faith, and they entered the cave where they worshipped Allah. Then Allah caused them to sleep, and it was said that Allah would send a righteous believer from their city to resurrect them. The people of his kingdom differed about resurrection, some acknowledging it and others denying it. The king entered his house, closed his door, wore a woolen garment, sat on ashes, and asked his Lord to clarify the truth for them. Allah inspired a man from their shepherds to demolish what he had used to block the mouth of the cave to make it a pen for his sheep. When he entered the city, he was sent to buy food and brought out the paper, which was from the time of Daqyanus. They accused him of having found treasure, so they took him to the king and told him the story. The king and the people of the city went with him and saw them, and they praised Allah for the sign indicating resurrection. Then the youths said to the king: We entrust you to Allah and seek refuge with Him from the evil of jinn and humans. Then they returned to their resting places, and Allah took their souls. The king threw his garments over them and ordered that each one be given a coffin of gold. He saw them in a dream disliking gold, so he made it from wood and built a mosque at the entrance of the cave. Their Lord knows best about them from the words of the disputants, as if they were discussing their matter and exchanging words about their lineage and conditions and the duration of their stay. When they could not find the truth of that, they said: Their Lord knows best about them. Or it is from the words of Allah, glorified and exalted is He, in response to the words of those who engaged in their story among those disputants, or from those who disputed about them during the time of the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, from the people of the Scripture.