And thou wouldst have deemed them awakes whereas they were asleep and We turned them over on the right side and on the left side, while their dog stretched forth his two forelegs on the threshold. If thou hadst observed them, thou wouldst have surely turned away from them in fright, and wouldst have surely been filled with awe of them. 18 And similarly We awakened them so that they may enquire about each other; a speaker among them said, “How long have you stayed here?” Some among them said, “We have stayed a day or part of a day”; the others said, “Your Lord well knows how long you have stayed; therefore send one of you to the city with this silver coin – he may then check which food available there is purer, in order to bring some of it for you to eat – and he must be courteous and not inform anyone about you.” 19 "For if they come to know of you, they will stone you (to death or abuse and harm you) or turn you back to their religion, and in that case you will never be successful." 20 And similarly, We caused them to be found that they [who found them] would know that the promise of Allah is truth and that of the Hour there is no doubt. [That was] when they disputed among themselves about their affair and [then] said, "Construct over them a structure. Their Lord is most knowing about them." Said those who prevailed in the matter, "We will surely take [for ourselves] over them a masjid." 21 (Some) will say: They were three, their dog the fourth, and (some) say: Five, their dog the sixth, guessing at random; and (some) say: Seven, and their dog the eighth. Say (O Muhammad): My Lord is Best Aware of their number. None knoweth them save a few. So contend not concerning them except with an outward contending, and ask not any of them to pronounce concerning them. 22