The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace
[All] praise is [due] to Allah, who has sent down upon His Servant the Book and has not made therein any deviance. 1 [a divine writ] unerringly straight, meant to warn [the godless] of a severe punishment from Him, and to give unto the believers who do good works the glad tiding that theirs shall be a goodly reward 2 [a state of bliss] in which they shall dwell beyond the count of time. 3 And to warn those who say “Allah has chosen a child.” 4 Neither they nor their fathers had any knowledge of such utterance (that God has begotten a son). Whatever they say about (this matter) is vicious blasphemy and plain lies. 5 Yet perchance, if they believe not in this tiding, thou wilt consume thyself, following after them, of grief. 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 shall one day make all that is on it a barren plain. 8 Do you think that the people of the Cave and the Inscription were one of Our wondrous signs? 9 When the young men took refuge in the Cave – then said, “Our Lord! Give us mercy from Yourself, and arrange guidance for us in our affair.” 10 We sealed off their ears in the cave for a number of years, 11 and then We awakened them: [and We did all this] so that We might mark out [to the world] which of the two points of view showed a better comprehension of the time-span during which they had remained in this state. 12