The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace
ALL PRAISE is due to God, who has bestowed this divine writ from on high upon His servant, and has not allowed any deviousness to obscure its meaning: 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 They shall abide therein forever. 3 And to warn those who say: Allah hath chosen 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 (O Muhammad), if they do not believe in this Message, you will perhaps torment yourself to death with grief, sorrowing over them. 6 We have adorned the earth with attractive things, so that We may test mankind as to which one is best in conduct, 7 And indeed We shall one day make all that is on it a barren plain. 8 Or, do you think that the Fellows of the Cave and the Inscription were of Our wonderful signs? 9 When the young men fled for refuge to the Cave and said: Our Lord! Give us mercy from Thy presence, and shape for us right conduct in our plight. 10 Wherefore We put a covering over their ears in the cave for a number of years. 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