The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace
All praise is to Allah Who sent down the Book upon His bondman, and has not kept any deviation in it. 1 (But hath made it) straight, to give warning of stern punishment from Him, and to bring unto the believers who do good works the news that theirs will be a fair reward, 2 Staying in it for ever; 3 And to warn those who say, "Allah has taken a son." 4 a thing about which they have no knowledge, neither they nor their ancestors. Dreadful is the word that comes out of their mouths. What they utter is merely a lie. 5 Yet it may be, if they believe not in this statement, that thou (Muhammad) wilt torment thy soul with grief over their footsteps. 6 We have made whatever exists on the earth its adornment to test and try them (and) know who acts better; 7 And indeed We shall one day make all that is on it a barren plain. 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 the youths sought refuge in the Cave, they said: 'Lord give us from Your Mercy and furnish us with rectitude in our affair' 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