The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the name of Allah, most benevolent, ever-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 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 [a state of bliss] in which they shall dwell beyond the count of time. 3 And it (the Koran) warns those who say: 'Allah has taken a son' 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 Perhaps you will destroy yourself out of grief because they disbelieve this Book. 6 We have made whatever exists on the earth its adornment to test and try them (and) know who acts better; 7 In the ultimate, We shall reduce all that is on the earth to a barren plain. 8 Or deemest thou that the People of the Cave and the Inscription are a wonder among Our portents? 9 Behold, the youths betook themselves to the Cave: they said, "Our Lord! bestow on us Mercy from Thyself, and dispose of our affair for us in the right way!" 10 Therefore We covered up their (sense of) hearing (causing them, to go in deep sleep) in the Cave for a number of years. 11 Then roused them to ascertain which of the two groups could account for the period they had stayed. 12