The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace
Praise belongs to God who has sent down upon His servant the Book and has not assigned unto it any crookedness; 1 [He has made it] straight, to warn of severe punishment from Him and to give good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a good reward 2 Where they will abide for ever; 3 Furthermore, [this divine writ is meant] to warn all those who assert, "God has taken unto Himself a son." 4 they have no knowledge of it, they nor their fathers; a monstrous word it is, issuing out of their mouths; they say nothing but a lie. 5 Haply thou art going to kill thyself over their footsteps, if they believe not in this discourse, out of sorrow. 6 That which is on earth we have made but as a glittering show for the earth, in order that We may test them - as to which of them are best in conduct. 7 And lo! We shall make all that is thereon a barren mound. 8 Or, do you think that the Fellows of the Cave and the Inscription were of Our wonderful signs? 9 When those youths took refuge in the cave, they prayed: "O our Sustainer! Bestow on us grace from Thyself, and endow us, whatever our [outward] condition, with consciousness of what is right!" 10 And thereupon We veiled their ears in the cave for many a year, 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