The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Praise be to God who has sent down to His servant -- the Book, which is free from any ambiguity 1 unswerving. To warn of great violence from Him, and to give good tidings to the believers who do good deeds that theirs shall be a goodly wage 2 Where they will abide for ever; 3 And to warn those who say, "God has taken to Himself a son." 4 They have no knowledge of this, as their fathers did not have. How terrible are the words they utter! They speak nothing but lies. 5 Yet perchance, if they do not believe in this tiding, you will consume yourself with grief and follow after them. 6 We have appointed all that is on the earth for an adornment for it, and that We may try which of them is fairest in works; 7 Verily what is on earth we shall make but as dust and dry soil (without growth or herbage). 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 those youths sought refuge in the Cave and said: "Our Lord! Grant us mercy from Yourself and provide for us rectitude in our affairs." 10 And thereupon We veiled their ears in the cave for many a year, 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