The Cave (Al-Kahf)
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
All praise unto Allah who hath sent down unto His bondman the Book, and hath not placed therein any crookedness. 1 A just Book, to warn of Allah’s severe punishment, and to give glad tidings to the believers who do good deeds, that for them is an excellent reward. 2 Where they will abide for ever; 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 Thou wouldst only, perchance, fret thyself to death, following after them, in grief, if they believe not in this Message. 6 We have indeed placed all that is on the earth as its adornment in order that We may test them, who among them has the best deeds. 7 And most surely We will make what is on it bare ground without herbage. 8 Or have you thought that the companions of the cave and the inscription were, among Our signs, a wonder? 9 Recall what time the youths betook themselves to the cave, then said: our Lord! vouchsafe unto us mercy from before Thee, and prepare for us in our affair a right course. 10 Wherefore We put a covering over their ears in the cave for a number of years. 11 Then We woke them up again so that We might see which of the two groups would better calculate the time they had stayed there. 12