The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Praise be to God. He has sent the Book to His servant and has made it a flawless guide (for human beings) 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 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 Then maybe you will kill yourself with grief, sorrowing after them, if they do not believe in this announcement. 6 Surely We have made all that is on the earth an embellishment for it in order to test people as to who of them is better in conduct. 7 We will surely reduce all that is on it to barren dust. 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 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