الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ الْكِتَابَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُ عِوَجًا ۜ ١

All praise belongs to Allah, Who revealed the (Glorious) Book to His (Most Beloved and Intimate) Servant, and left not in it any crookedness.

قَيِّمًا لِّيُنذِرَ بَأْسًا شَدِيدًا مِّن لَّدُنْهُ وَيُبَشِّرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا حَسَنًا ٢

(He made it) straight and moderate so that he might warn (the disbelievers) of fierce torment (coming) from Allah, and give good news to the believers who do pious deeds that for them is excellent reward (Paradise),

مَّاكِثِينَ فِيهِ أَبَدًا ٣

Wherein they will live forever,

وَيُنذِرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ وَلَدًا ٤

And (moreover) create fear in those who say that Allah has taken a son (for Himself).

مَّا لَهُم بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ وَلَا لِآبَائِهِمْ ۚ كَبُرَتْ كَلِمَةً تَخْرُجُ مِنْ أَفْوَاهِهِمْ ۚ إِن يَقُولُونَ إِلَّا كَذِبًا ٥

Neither have they any knowledge of it, nor had their fathers. How dreadful is (this) utterance that is coming out of their mouths! They speak nothing but (sheer) falsehood.

فَلَعَلَّكَ بَاخِعٌ نَّفْسَكَ عَلَىٰ آثَارِهِمْ إِن لَّمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِهَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَسَفًا ٦

(O Venerable Beloved!) Will you put your (dear) life at stake with the traumatic grief for them if they do not put faith in this Word (of Allah)?

إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا مَا عَلَى الْأَرْضِ زِينَةً لَّهَا لِنَبْلُوَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ٧

And indeed, We have made whatever is on earth a means of its beauty (and adornment) so that We test (the inhabitants of the earth) as to who is better in deeds.

وَإِنَّا لَجَاعِلُونَ مَا عَلَيْهَا صَعِيدًا جُرُزًا ٨

And, surely, We shall reduce it to a barren land (perishing all) that is on (the surface of the earth).

أَمْ حَسِبْتَ أَنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْكَهْفِ وَالرَّقِيمِ كَانُوا مِنْ آيَاتِنَا عَجَبًا ٩

Have you thought of it (how) wondrous a sign of the signs (of Our might) were the People of the Kahf and the Raqim (i.e., the People of Cave and the Cave Tablet or the Raqim valley)?

إِذْ أَوَى الْفِتْيَةُ إِلَى الْكَهْفِ فَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا ١٠

(Call to mind the time) when a few youths took refuge in the cave. They said: ‘O our Lord, bestow upon us mercy from Your presence and provide (means of) guidance in our affair.’

فَضَرَبْنَا عَلَىٰ آذَانِهِمْ فِي الْكَهْفِ سِنِينَ عَدَدًا ١١

So We patted their ears (putting them to slumber) for some countable years in that cave.

ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَاهُمْ لِنَعْلَمَ أَيُّ الْحِزْبَيْنِ أَحْصَىٰ لِمَا لَبِثُوا أَمَدًا ١٢

Then We raised them up to see which of the two groups would most rightly calculate (the time) that they stayed (in the cave).

نَّحْنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ نَبَأَهُم بِالْحَقِّ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ فِتْيَةٌ آمَنُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ وَزِدْنَاهُمْ هُدًى ١٣

We (now) narrate to you their actual state of affairs. They were indeed (a few) young men who believed in their Lord, and We increased for them (the light of) guidance.

وَرَبَطْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ إِذْ قَامُوا فَقَالُوا رَبُّنَا رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ لَن نَّدْعُوَ مِن دُونِهِ إِلَٰهًا ۖ لَّقَدْ قُلْنَا إِذًا شَطَطًا ١٤

And We strengthened and stabilized their hearts (through Our communication and divine affinity). When they stood (before their king), they said: ‘Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. We shall never worship any (false) god besides Him. (If we do that,) then we shall certainly say something profane.

هَٰؤُلَاءِ قَوْمُنَا اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِهِ آلِهَةً ۖ لَّوْلَا يَأْتُونَ عَلَيْهِم بِسُلْطَانٍ بَيِّنٍ ۖ فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا ١٥

These are the people of our community who have made many gods apart from Him. Why do they not bring any clear proof (in support of their godhood)? So, who is a greater wrongdoer than he who fabricates a lie against Allah?’

وَإِذِ اعْتَزَلْتُمُوهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ فَأْوُوا إِلَى الْكَهْفِ يَنشُرْ لَكُمْ رَبُّكُم مِّن رَّحْمَتِهِ وَيُهَيِّئْ لَكُم مِّنْ أَمْرِكُم مِّرْفَقًا ١٦

And (those young men mutually discussed:) ‘When you have withdrawn yourselves from them, and those (false gods) which they worship other than Allah, take shelter in (this) cave. Your Lord will open up His mercy for you and will facilitate you in your affair.’

۞ وَتَرَى الشَّمْسَ إِذَا طَلَعَت تَّزَاوَرُ عَن كَهْفِهِمْ ذَاتَ الْيَمِينِ وَإِذَا غَرَبَت تَّقْرِضُهُمْ ذَاتَ الشِّمَالِ وَهُمْ فِي فَجْوَةٍ مِّنْهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ ۗ مَن يَهْدِ اللَّهُ فَهُوَ الْمُهْتَدِ ۖ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ وَلِيًّا مُّرْشِدًا ١٧

And you see that the sun, when it rises, moves to the right from their cave, and inclines obliquely from them to the left when it sets, whilst they are (lying) in the open chamber of the cave. This (change of the sun’s course) is one of the (great) signs of Allah’s (might). He whom Allah guides is the one who is rightly guided, but the one whom He holds strayed, you will not find for him any wali (friend to help) and murshid (guide to show the path).

وَتَحْسَبُهُمْ أَيْقَاظًا وَهُمْ رُقُودٌ ۚ وَنُقَلِّبُهُمْ ذَاتَ الْيَمِينِ وَذَاتَ الشِّمَالِ ۖ وَكَلْبُهُم بَاسِطٌ ذِرَاعَيْهِ بِالْوَصِيدِ ۚ لَوِ اطَّلَعْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ لَوَلَّيْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِرَارًا وَلَمُلِئْتَ مِنْهُمْ رُعْبًا ١٨

And, (O listener,) if you (look) at them, you will deem them awake, whereas they are asleep. And We keep changing their sides to the right and to the left (after regular intervals), and their dog is sitting on (their) threshold sprawling both its forelegs. Had you glanced at them (secretly), you would have run away, turning your back on them, and your heart would have been filled with their terror.

وَكَذَٰلِكَ بَعَثْنَاهُمْ لِيَتَسَاءَلُوا بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ قَالَ قَائِلٌ مِّنْهُمْ كَمْ لَبِثْتُمْ ۖ قَالُوا لَبِثْنَا يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ ۚ قَالُوا رَبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثْتُمْ فَابْعَثُوا أَحَدَكُم بِوَرِقِكُمْ هَٰذِهِ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ فَلْيَنظُرْ أَيُّهَا أَزْكَىٰ طَعَامًا فَلْيَأْتِكُم بِرِزْقٍ مِّنْهُ وَلْيَتَلَطَّفْ وَلَا يُشْعِرَنَّ بِكُمْ أَحَدًا ١٩

And likewise, We raised them up so that they could probe amongst themselves. (So) the vocal one amongst them said: ‘How long have you stayed (here)?’ They said: ‘We have tarried (here) for a day or (even) a part of that.’ (Winding it up, they) said: ‘Your Lord knows best how long you have stayed (here). So send someone of you to the city with this coin of yours. He should then find which food is more lawful and clean and bring you some of that. He should remain slow and polite (in going, buying and coming back), not leaving any clue about you (even) to a single person.

إِنَّهُمْ إِن يَظْهَرُوا عَلَيْكُمْ يَرْجُمُوكُمْ أَوْ يُعِيدُوكُمْ فِي مِلَّتِهِمْ وَلَن تُفْلِحُوا إِذًا أَبَدًا ٢٠

Surely, if they overpower you (after becoming aware of you), they will stone you to death, or force you (through oppression) to return to their faith. And, (if it so happens,) then you will not prosper at all.