The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
Praise be to Allah Who has revealed to His servant the Book devoid of all crookedness; 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 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 Haply thou art going to kill thyself over their footsteps, if they believe not in this discourse, out of sorrow. 6 We have made whatever exists on the earth its adornment to test and try them (and) know who acts better; 7 Let it be known that We will turn all things on earth into dust. 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 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 Wherefore We put a covering over their ears in the cave for a number of years. 11 Afterwards. We raised them up again, that We might know which of the two parties would better calculate the while they had tarried. 12