The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace
Praise be to God. He has sent the Book to His servant and has made it a flawless guide (for human beings) 1 and which rightly directs, to give warning of stern punishment from Him, and to proclaim to the believers who do righteous deeds that they shall have an excellent recompense, 2 [a state of bliss] in which they shall dwell beyond the count of time. 3 And to warn those who say: Allah hath chosen 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 Yet perchance, if they do not believe in this tiding, you will consume yourself with grief and follow after them. 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 but We shall reduce all this to barren waste. 8 Or dost thou reflect that the Companions of the Cave and of the Inscription were wonders among Our Sign? 9 When the youths sought refuge in the cave, they said: Our Lord! grant us mercy from Thee, and provide for us a right course in our affair. 10 Then We draw (a veil) over their ears, for a number of years, in the Cave, (so that they heard not): 11 and then We awakened them: [and We did all this] so that We might mark out [to the world] which of the two points of view showed a better comprehension of the time-span during which they had remained in this state. 12