The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
Praise be to God who has sent down to His servant -- the Book, which is free from any ambiguity 1 and which rightly directs, to give warning of stern punishment from Him, and to proclaim to the believers who do righteous deeds that they shall have an excellent recompense, 2 and they will live for ever therein. 3 and also to warn those who say: "Allah 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 Haply thou art going to kill thyself over their footsteps, if they believe not in this discourse, out of sorrow. 6 We have indeed placed all that is on the earth as its adornment in order that We may test them, who among them has the best deeds. 7 and, verily, [in time] We shall 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 [Mention] when the youths retreated to the cave and said, "Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and prepare for us from our affair right guidance." 10 So We prevented them from hearing in the cave for a number of years. 11 Then We raised them up (from their sleep), that We might test which of the two parties was best at calculating the time period that they had tarried. 12