The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
Praise belongs to God who has sent down upon His servant the Book and has not assigned unto it any crookedness; 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 Wherein they will abide for ever; 3 And to warn those who say “Allah has chosen a child.” 4 They have no knowledge of it, nor had their fathers; a grievous word it is that comes out of their mouths; they speak nothing but a lie. 5 Yet perchance, if they do not believe in this tiding, you will consume yourself with grief and follow after them. 6 We have appointed all that is on the earth for an adornment for it, and that We may try which of them is fairest in works; 7 And verily! We shall make all that is on it (the earth) a bare dry soil (without any vegetation or trees, etc.). 8 Or have you thought that the companions of the cave and the inscription were, among Our signs, a wonder? 9 When those young men took shelter in the cave, and prayed: "O Lord, grant us Your favour and dispose our affair aright," 10 We then thumped upon their ears in the Cave for a number of years. (* Put them to sleep.) 11 Then We raised them up (from their sleep), that We might test which of the two parties was best at calculating the time period that they had tarried. 12