The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most 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 an unerringly Straight Book, meant to warn of a stern punishment from Allah, and to proclaim, to those who believe and work righteous deeds, the tiding that theirs shall be a good reward 2 wherein they will remain [in a state of bliss] forever. 3 And to warn those who say, "God has taken to Himself a son." 4 They have no knowledge of it, nor had their fathers. Grave is the word that comes out of their mouths; they speak not except a lie. 5 Then perhaps you would kill yourself through grief over them, [O Muhammad], if they do not believe in this message, [and] out of sorrow. 6 We have adorned the earth with attractive things, so that We may test mankind as to which one is best in conduct, 7 In the ultimate, We shall reduce all that is on the earth to a barren plain. 8 Do you think the men of the cave and Ar-Raqim were so strange among Our 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 So We cast [a cover of sleep] over their ears within the cave for a number of years. 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