The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Most Merciful
Praise be to Allah, Who hath sent to His Servant the Book, and hath allowed therein no Crookedness: 1 (He has made it) Straight to give warning (to the disbelievers) of a severe punishment from Him, and to give glad tidings to the believers (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism), who work righteous deeds, that they shall have a fair reward (i.e. Paradise). 2 In which they will abide forever. 3 And warn those who say: Allah has taken a son. 4 (A thing) whereof they have no knowledge, nor (had) their fathers, Dreadful is the word that cometh out of their mouths. They speak naught but a lie. 5 But wouldst thou, perhaps, torment thyself to death with grief over them if they are not willing to believe in this message? 6 Indeed, We have made that which is on the earth adornment for it that We may test them [as to] which of them is best in deed. 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 youths took refuge in the Cave saying, 'Our lord, give us mercy from Thee, and furnish us with rectitude in our affair.' 10 So We cast [a cover of sleep] over their ears within the cave for a number of years. 11 and thereafter We revived them to find out which of the two parties could best calculate the length of their stay. 12