The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Most Merciful
All praise unto Allah who hath sent down unto His bondman the Book, and hath not placed therein any crookedness. 1 [He has made it] straight, to warn of severe punishment from Him and to give good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a good reward 2 therein to abide for ever, 3 Furthermore, [this divine writ is meant] to warn all those who assert, "God has taken unto Himself 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 Thou wouldst only, perchance, fret thyself to death, following after them, in grief, if they believe not in this Message. 6 Verily We have made whatsoever is on the earth as an adornment thereof, that We may prove them - which of them is best in work. 7 And most surely We will make what is on it bare ground without herbage. 8 Did you know that the People of the Cave and People close to the Woods, were Our exceptional signs? 9 When the youths sought refuge in the Cave, they said: 'Lord give us from Your Mercy and furnish us with rectitude in our affair' 10 We sealed off their ears in 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