The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
All praise unto Allah who hath sent down unto His bondman the Book, and hath not placed therein 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 therein to abide for ever, 3 Further, that He may warn those (also) who say, "Allah hath begotten a son": 4 (A thing) whereof they have no knowledge, nor (had) their fathers, Dreadful is the word that cometh out of their mouths. They speak naught 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 We have made whatever exists on the earth its adornment to test and try them (and) know who acts better; 7 And most surely We will make what is on it bare ground without herbage. 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 Recall what time the youths betook themselves to the cave, then said: our Lord! vouchsafe unto us mercy from before Thee, and prepare for us in our affair a right course. 10 So We cast [a cover of sleep] over their ears within the cave for a number of years. 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