The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace
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 Immutable, so that it may warn of a severe punishment from Him; and give happy tidings to those who believe and do the right that there is a better reward (of Paradise) for them, 2 [a state of bliss] in which they shall dwell beyond the count of time. 3 and also to warn those who say: "Allah has taken to Himself a son," 4 Surely, of this they have no knowledge, neither they nor their fathers; it is a monstrous word that comes from their mouths, they say nothing but 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 In the ultimate, We shall reduce all that is on the earth to a barren plain. 8 Do you think the men of the cave and Ar-Raqim were so strange among Our signs? 9 When the young men fled for refuge to the Cave and said: Our Lord! Give us mercy from Thy presence, and shape for us right conduct in our plight. 10 Then We caused them to fall into a deep sleep for many years inside the cave. 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