The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
(All) praise is due to Allah, Who revealed the Book to His servant and did not make in it any crookedness. 1 (He has made it) Straight to give warning (to the disbelievers) of a severe punishment from Him, and to give glad tidings to the believers (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism), who work righteous deeds, that they shall have a fair reward (i.e. Paradise). 2 wherein they shall remain forever, 3 And to warn those who say: Allah hath chosen a son, 4 No knowledge thereof have they, nor had their fathers. Odious is the word that cometh out of their mouths; they say not but a lie. 5 Will you kill yourself for grief of them if they do not believe in this presentation? 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 verily! We shall make all that is on it (the earth) a bare dry soil (without any vegetation or trees, etc.). 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 those young men took shelter in the cave, and prayed: "O Lord, grant us Your favour and dispose our affair aright," 10 Then We sealed up their hearing in the Cave for a number of years. 11 Then We raised them up that We might know which of the two parties was best able to compute the time for which they remained. 12