The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
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 [a divine writ] unerringly straight, meant to warn [the godless] of a severe punishment from Him, and to give unto the believers who do good works the glad tiding that theirs shall be a goodly reward 2 wherein they will remain [in a state of bliss] forever. 3 And that it may warn those who say: God hath taken a son. 4 They have no knowledge of this, nor did their forefathers have any either. What they say is monstrous: they are merely uttering falsehoods! 5 Perhaps you will destroy yourself out of grief because they disbelieve this Book. 6 Behold, We have willed that all beauty on earth be a means by which We put men to a test, [showing] which of them are best in conduct; 7 Verily what is on earth we shall make but as dust and dry soil (without growth or herbage). 8 Do you think that the people of the Cave and the Inscription were one of Our wondrous signs? 9 When the young men took refuge in the Cave – then said, “Our Lord! Give us mercy from Yourself, and arrange guidance for us in our affair.” 10 We sealed their ears in the cave for a number of years. 11 Then We roused them to find out which of the party had the correct account of the duration of their sleep in the cave. 12