They slept for 300 years

Thousands of years ago, in Rome, there ruled a cruel king named “Dacius,” known in Arabic as “Decianus.” He was a tyrant who worshipped idols and rejected the One True God. Yet, among his people, some wise and thoughtful individuals realized that the idols were lifeless objects, wrongly revered as gods.

The king forced his subjects to worship these idols, punishing anyone who refused. A small group of young men, unknown to each other, secretly met under a tree. They pledged together that they would never worship idols and would only worship Allah—the Creator of the heavens, earth, stars, moon, water, and humanity—who gives life, provides sustenance, and grants death.

These youths bought a house together and began worshipping Allah in secret. Soon, the king heard rumors that a group of young men had rebelled against idol worship and were following a different God. Enraged, the king ordered their arrest and brought them before him.

The young men stood fearlessly before the tyrant. The king said, “I have heard you insult the gods of your people and follow a deity you have never seen. Perhaps you are young and misguided. Abandon this path, and I will reward you with high positions and wealth.”

One of the youths responded bravely, “O King! We will never worship anyone but Allah. He is mighty and powerful. We invite you too to abandon false gods and worship the One True God, who sustains life, sends rain, grows crops, and blesses with children.”

Furious, the king shouted, “Stop this nonsense! I respect your fathers and ancestors, or I would have executed you immediately. I am giving you a chance. If you do not obey, I will behead you, but if you worship the idols, you will be rewarded in my court.”

Unshaken, the youths returned to their house and held a council. They decided to escape the city and live in a cave on a distant mountain, where they could worship Allah freely until the tyrant’s reign ended. That night, after dark, they quietly set out with their dog, who faithfully guarded the cave entrance while they rested after the long journey.

Allah caused them to sleep in the cave for 300 years. During this miraculous sleep, they felt no hunger, suffered no illness, and remained completely protected. After centuries, they slowly awoke, bewildered, asking each other how long they had slept. One said, “It feels like we only slept for a day,” while another estimated it had been two days.

One of the youths, named Yamliha, went to the city to buy food. He was instructed not to reveal their presence to anyone, as the tyrant could still punish them. Upon reaching the city, Yamliha was stunned to find the city transformed—new buildings, streets, and even currency. When he presented a coin from the tyrant’s time at a shop, the shopkeeper exclaimed in astonishment, thinking it was a treasure. Crowds gathered, and soon Yamliha was brought before the current king.

The king, who was righteous and merciful, listened to Yamliha’s story. The minister explained that three centuries earlier, Decianus had ruled, and the coin belonged to his era. Yamliha recounted how they had fled to preserve their faith. The king was amazed, understanding that Allah had miraculously preserved these believers for centuries.

The king visited the cave with his guards, where the young men shared the extraordinary events. After spending some time with them, he departed, leaving them to return to their cave. By Allah’s command, all the youth eventually passed away in peace. The people recognized that Allah could preserve His servants for centuries without food or drink, just as He will resurrect the faithful on the Day of Judgment.