The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
ALL PRAISE is due to God, who has bestowed this divine writ from on high upon His servant, and has not allowed any deviousness to obscure its meaning: 1 (He has made it) Straight to give warning (to the disbelievers) of a severe punishment from Him, and to give glad tidings to the believers (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism), who work righteous deeds, that they shall have a fair reward (i.e. Paradise). 2 wherein they will remain [in a state of bliss] forever. 3 And that it may warn those who say: God hath taken a son. 4 No knowledge have they of such a thing, nor had their fathers. Mighty is the word that comes out of their mouths [i.e. He begot (took) sons and daughters]. They utter nothing but a lie. 5 Then perhaps you would kill yourself through grief over them, [O Muhammad], if they do not believe in this message, [and] out of sorrow. 6 Lo! We have placed all that is on the earth as an ornament thereof that We may try them: which of them is best in conduct. 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 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 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