The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
(All) praise is due to Allah, Who revealed the Book to His servant and did not make in it any crookedness. 1 A just Book, to warn of Allah’s severe punishment, and to give glad tidings to the believers who do good deeds, that for them is an excellent reward. 2 Where they will abide for ever; 3 And to warn those (Jews, Christians, and pagans) who say, "Allah has begotten a son (or offspring or children)." 4 They have no knowledge of it, nor had their fathers; a grievous word it is that comes out of their mouths; they speak nothing but a lie. 5 Yet it may be, if they believe not in this statement, that thou (Muhammad) wilt torment thy soul with grief over their footsteps. 6 We have appointed all that is on the earth for an adornment for it, and that We may try which of them is fairest in works; 7 In the ultimate, We shall reduce all that is on the earth to a barren plain. 8 [AND SINCE the life of this world is but a test, dost thou [really] think that [the parable of] the Men of the Cave and of [their devotion to] the scriptures could be deemed more wondrous than any [other] of Our messages? 9 When those young men took shelter in the cave, and prayed: "O Lord, grant us Your favour and dispose our affair aright," 10 So We cast [a cover of sleep] over their ears within the cave for a number of years. 11 Thereafter We raised them up that We might know which of the two parties was best at reckoning the time that they had tarried. 12