We tell you this story for a genuine purpose. They were young people who believed in their Lord and We gave them further guidance. 13 And We made their hearts steadfast when they stood up and said, “Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth – we shall not worship any other deity except Him – if it were, we have then said something excessive.” 14 (Then they conferred among themselves and said): "These men, our own people, have taken others as gods beside Him: why do they not bring any clear evidence that they indeed are gods? Who can be more unjust than he who foists a lie on Allah? 15 [The youths said to one another], "And when you have withdrawn from them and that which they worship other than Allah, retreat to the cave. Your Lord will spread out for you of His mercy and will prepare for you from your affair facility." 16 ۞ And [had you been present], you would see the sun when it rose, inclining away from their cave on the right, and when it set, passing away from them on the left, while they were [laying] within an open space thereof. That was from the signs of Allah. He whom Allah guides is the [rightly] guided, but he whom He leaves astray - never will you find for him a protecting guide. 17