The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
[All] praise is [due] to Allah, who has sent down upon His Servant the Book and has not made therein any deviance. 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 [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 Neither they nor their fathers had any knowledge of such utterance (that God has begotten a son). Whatever they say about (this matter) is vicious blasphemy and plain lies. 5 Perhaps you will destroy yourself out of grief because they disbelieve this Book. 6 Surely We have made all that is on the earth an embellishment for it in order to test people as to who of them is better in conduct. 7 And most surely We will make what is on it bare ground without herbage. 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 the young men fled for refuge to the Cave and said: Our Lord! Give us mercy from Thy presence, and shape for us right conduct in our plight. 10 We sealed off their ears in the cave for a number of years, 11 Thereafter We raised them up that We might know which of the two parties was best at reckoning the time that they had tarried. 12