The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Praise be to Allah Who has revealed to His servant the Book devoid of all crookedness; 1 an unerringly Straight Book, meant to warn of a stern punishment from Allah, and to proclaim, to those who believe and work righteous deeds, the tiding that theirs shall be a good reward 2 In which they will abide forever. 3 Further, that He may warn those (also) who say, "Allah hath begotten a son": 4 a thing about which they have no knowledge, neither they nor their ancestors. Dreadful is the word that comes out of their mouths. What they utter is merely a lie. 5 Yet perchance, if they do not believe in this tiding, you will consume yourself with grief and follow after them. 6 We have adorned the earth with attractive things, so that We may test mankind as to which one is best in conduct, 7 And indeed, We will make that which is upon it [into] a barren ground. 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 the young men sought refuge in the cave, they said, "Our Lord, grant us Your special mercy and give us right guidance in our affair." 10 We sealed their ears in the cave for a number of years. 11 Then We raised them up that We might know which of the two parties was best able to compute the time for which they remained. 12