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 [a state of bliss] in which they shall dwell beyond the count of time. 3 Furthermore, [this divine writ is meant] to warn all those who assert, "God has taken unto Himself a son." 4 Surely, of this they have no knowledge, neither they nor their fathers; it is a monstrous word that comes from their mouths, they say nothing but a lie. 5 Perhaps you will destroy yourself out of grief because they disbelieve this Book. 6 We have caused earthly things to seem attractive so that We can see who will excel in good deeds. 7 Let it be known that We will turn all things on earth into dust. 8 Do you not think that the story of the Companions of the Cave and the Inscription was one of Our marvelous miracles? 9 Behold, the youths betook themselves to the Cave: they said, "Our Lord! bestow on us Mercy from Thyself, and dispose of our affair for us in the right way!" 10 Then We draw (a veil) over their ears, for a number of years, in the Cave, (so that they heard not): 11 And afterward We raised them up that We might know which of the two parties would best calculate the time that they had tarried. 12