The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
ALL PRAISE BE to God who has revealed to His votary the Book which is free of all obliquity, 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 and they will live for ever therein. 3 and also to warn those who say: "Allah has taken to Himself a son," 4 They do not have any knowledge of it – nor did their forefathers; profound is the word that comes out of their mouths; they only speak a lie. 5 Then maybe you will kill yourself with grief, sorrowing after them, if they do not believe in this announcement. 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 indeed, We will make that which is upon it [into] a barren ground. 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 took refuge in the Cave – then said, “Our Lord! Give us mercy from Yourself, and arrange guidance for us in our affair.” 10 And thereupon We veiled their ears in the cave for many a year, 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