In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Kind.

1. Praise belongs to Allah, Who sent down the Book to His servant, and made nothing crooked in it.

2. It is clear and straight, to warn of a severe punishment from Him, and to give good news to the believers who do good deeds — that they will have a wonderful reward.

3. Staying there forever.

4. And to warn those who say, "Allah has a child."

5. They have no knowledge about this, nor did their ancestors. What a terrible thing comes out of their mouths! They say nothing but lies.

6. You might worry yourself to death, grieving over them, if they don't believe in this message.

7. We made everything on earth beautiful, to test people, and see who does the best deeds.

8. And, in the end, We will surely turn everything on it into dry, bare ground.

9. Do you think the story of the people of the cave and the inscription was one of Our amazing signs?

10. When the young people took shelter in the cave, they said, "Our Lord, give us mercy from Yourself, and guide us to the right way in our situation."

11. So We sealed their ears in the cave for many years.

12. Then We woke them up, to make clear which of the two groups could better count how long they had stayed there.

13. We tell you their story in truth. They were young people who believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance.

14. We strengthened their hearts when they stood up and said, "Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. We will never pray to any other god besides Him. If we did, we would be saying something terribly wrong."

15. "These people of ours have chosen other gods besides Him. Why don't they bring clear proof for them? Who could be more unfair than someone who makes up lies about Allah?"

16. "Now that you've left them, and the things they worship besides Allah, take shelter in the cave. Your Lord will spread His mercy over you, and make things easier for you."

17. You would have seen the sun, when it rose, move away from their cave to the right, and when it set, pass them by on the left, while they lay inside a spacious part of it. This was one of Allah's amazing signs. Whoever Allah guides is truly guided, and whoever He leaves to stray — you'll never find anyone to help or guide them.

18. You would have thought they were awake, even though they were sleeping. We turned them from side to side, right and left, and their dog stretched out its forelegs at the cave's entrance. If you had seen them, you would have run away filled with fear.

19. Then We woke them up, so they could ask each other questions. One of them asked, "How long have you been here?" They answered, "We've been here a day, or maybe just part of a day." They said, "Your Lord knows best how long you've stayed. Send one of you with these silver coins into the city. Let him find the purest food, and bring some back for you. He should be careful, and not let anyone find out about you."

20. "If they discover you, they'll stone you, or force you back into their religion, and then you'll never succeed."

21. In this way, We let people discover them, so they would know that Allah's promise is true, and that the Day of Judgment will surely come. When the people argued about what to do with them, some said, "Build a building over them. Their Lord knows best about them." Those who had the final say said, "We will build a place of worship over them."

22. Some people will say, "They were three, and their dog was the fourth." Others will say, "Five, and their dog was the sixth," guessing about things they don't know. Still others will say, "Seven, and their dog was the eighth." Say, "My Lord knows best how many they were. Only a few people know the truth." So don't argue about them except in a simple way, and don't ask anyone else about them.

23. Never say about anything, "I'm going to do that tomorrow,".

24. Without adding, "if Allah wills." And remember your Lord if you forget, and say, "Maybe my Lord will guide me to something closer to right guidance than this."

25. They stayed in their cave for three hundred years, and nine more.

26. Say, "Allah knows best how long they stayed. He knows all the hidden things in the heavens and the earth. How perfectly He sees and hears! They have no protector besides Him, and He doesn't share His rule with anyone."

27. Recite what has been revealed to you from your Lord's Book. No one can change His words, and you'll never find safety apart from Him.

28. Stay patiently with those who pray to their Lord morning and evening, seeking only His pleasure. Don't let your eyes look away from them, wishing for the attractions of this worldly life. And don't follow someone whose heart We've made forget Our remembrance, who follows his own desires, and whose actions have gone too far.

29. Say, "The truth is from your Lord. Whoever wishes, let him believe, and whoever wishes, let him disbelieve." We've prepared for those who do wrong a fire whose curtains surround them completely. If they cry for help, they'll be given water like boiling oil, burning their faces — what a terrible drink, and what an awful resting place!

30. But those who believe and do good deeds — We certainly won't waste the reward of anyone who does good.

31. These people will have Gardens of Eden, with rivers flowing beneath them. There they'll be given bracelets of gold to wear, and they'll dress in green clothes made of soft silk and rich brocade, sitting on comfortable couches. What a wonderful reward, and what an amazing resting place!

32. Tell them the story of two men: We gave one of them two gardens of grapevines, surrounded by palm trees, with fields of crops between them.

33. Both gardens produced plenty of fruit, never failing to give their best, and We made a river flow right between them.

34. He had lots of fruit, and one day while talking to his friend, he said proudly, "I have more wealth than you, and I'm stronger in followers."

35. He entered his garden, wronging himself, and said, "I don't think this garden will ever disappear."

36. "And I don't think the Day of Judgment will ever come. Even if I'm brought back to my Lord, I'll surely find something even better than this."

37. His friend replied, while talking with him, "Do you disbelieve in the One Who created you from dust, then from a tiny drop, then shaped you into a complete human being?"

38. "But as for me, He is Allah, my Lord, and I won't ever worship anyone besides my Lord."

39. "If only, when you entered your garden, you'd said, 'This is what Allah has willed; there's no strength except from Allah.' Even if you see me with less wealth and fewer children than you,".

40. "Maybe my Lord will give me something better than your garden, and maybe He'll send down a disaster from the sky, turning your garden into slippery, empty ground."

41. "Or maybe its water will sink deep underground, and you'll never be able to find it again."

42. And so, all his fruits were destroyed, and he stood there, wringing his hands over all the money he'd spent on it. The garden lay ruined, its vines collapsed, and he said sadly, "I wish I'd never worshiped anyone besides my Lord!"

43. He had no group of friends to help him against Allah, and he couldn't help himself.

44. In times like these, protection belongs only to Allah, the True One. He gives the best reward, and the best outcome.

45. Give them the example of this worldly life: it's like rain We send down from the sky, mixing with the plants of the earth — but soon they dry up, scattered by the winds. Allah has power over everything.

46. Wealth and children are the decorations of this life, but the good deeds that last are better with your Lord as a reward, and a better source of hope.

47. On the Day when We move the mountains, you'll see the earth clearly exposed, and We will gather all people — not leaving anyone behind.

48. They will be lined up before your Lord, and He will say, "You've come back to Us, as We created you the first time. Yet you claimed We wouldn't set a time for this meeting."

49. The Book of deeds will be placed before them, and you'll see the guilty terrified of what's in it. They'll cry out, "Oh no! What kind of book is this? It doesn't leave out anything, big or small — everything is recorded!" They'll find everything they did right in front of them. Your Lord never treats anyone unfairly.

50. Remember when We said to the angels, "Bow down before Adam," and they all bowed except Iblis. He was one of the jinn, so he rebelled against his Lord's command. Will you then take him and his followers as friends instead of Me, even though they're your enemies? What a terrible choice for those who do wrong!

51. I didn't make them witnesses when I created the heavens and the earth, nor when I created themselves. And I would never take those who lead others astray as helpers.

52. On the Day Allah will say, "Call on those you claimed were My partners." They'll call them, but get no answer. We'll place a barrier of destruction between them.

53. The guilty will see the Fire, and realize they're going to fall into it, and they'll find no escape.

54. We've explained every kind of lesson in this Quran for people, but humans argue more than anything else.

55. Nothing stops people from believing and asking their Lord for forgiveness when guidance comes to them, except that they wait for the same fate as those before them, or for the punishment to come right in front of them.

56. We send messengers only to bring good news and to warn. Yet those who disbelieve argue falsely, trying to weaken the truth. They treat My verses and warnings as jokes.

57. Who could be more wrong than someone reminded of their Lord's verses, yet turns away and forgets the wrong they've done? We've placed covers over their hearts, so they can't understand it, and heaviness in their ears. Even if you call them to guidance, they'll never be guided.

58. Your Lord is forgiving and full of mercy. If He punished people immediately for what they've done, He would have quickly sent their punishment. But instead, they have a set time, and they'll never find any escape from it.

59. Those towns We destroyed when they did wrong — and We set an appointed time for their destruction.

60. Remember when Moses said to his young helper, "I won't stop traveling until I reach the place where the two seas meet, even if it takes me years."

61. When they reached the meeting place of the two seas, they forgot their fish, and it slipped away into the sea, swimming off.

62. After they had gone further, Moses said to his helper, "Bring us our meal — we've really become tired from this journey."

63. The helper replied, "Did you see what happened when we rested by that rock? I completely forgot about the fish — only Satan made me forget to mention it — and it amazingly swam away into the sea!"

64. Moses said, "That's exactly the sign we were looking for!" So they turned back, carefully retracing their steps.

65. Then they found one of Our servants — a man whom We had blessed with mercy from Us, and taught special knowledge from Our own presence.

66. Moses said to him, "May I follow you, so you can teach me some of the right guidance you've been taught?"

67. He replied, "You won't be able to stay patient with me.

68. How could you be patient with something you don't fully know?"

69. Moses said, "Allah willing, you'll find me patient — I won't disobey any of your instructions."

70. He said, "If you follow me, don't ask me about anything until I myself explain it to you."

71. So they set out together, until they boarded a boat, and the man made a hole in it. Moses exclaimed, "Did you make a hole in it to drown the people on board? You've done something terrible!"

72. He replied, "Didn't I tell you that you wouldn't be able to stay patient with me?"

73. Moses said, "Please don't blame me for forgetting, and don't make things too difficult for me."

74. So they continued on, until they met a young boy, and the man killed him. Moses cried out, "Did you just kill an innocent soul who hadn't harmed anyone? You've done something horrible!"

75. The man replied, "Didn't I tell you that you wouldn't be able to stay patient with me?"

76. Moses said, "If I ask you about anything after this, then don't keep me with you anymore — you've given me enough excuses."

77. So they traveled on, until they reached the people of a town and asked them for food, but the people refused to welcome them as guests. Then they found a wall there that was about to collapse, and the man rebuilt it. Moses said, "If you wanted, you could have asked them to pay you for fixing it."

78. The man said, "This is where you and I must part ways. Now I'll explain to you the meaning behind the things you couldn't be patient about.

79. As for the boat, it belonged to some poor people who worked at sea. I wanted to damage it because there was a king coming behind them who was taking every boat by force.

80. And as for the boy, his parents were believers, and we feared he would overwhelm them with rebellion and disbelief.

81. So we wanted their Lord to give them another child — one better in purity and closer in mercy.

82. And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the town, and beneath it was a treasure that belonged to them. Their father had been a good man, so your Lord wanted them to grow up and reach maturity, then find their treasure — as a kindness from your Lord. I didn't do any of this by my own will. That's the explanation of the things you couldn't patiently bear."

83. They ask you about Dhul-Qarnayn. Say, "I will tell you something of his story."

84. We gave him great power on earth, and provided him with the means to accomplish many things.

85. So he followed one of these ways.

86. Until he reached the place where the sun sets. He found it setting into a dark, muddy spring, and he found some people living nearby. We said, "Dhul-Qarnayn, you may either punish them or treat them kindly."

87. He said, "Whoever does wrong, we will punish him. Then he will return to his Lord, Who will punish him with a terrible punishment.

88. But whoever believes and does good deeds will have the best reward, and we will speak to him gently and kindly."

89. Then he followed another way.

90. Until he reached the place where the sun rises. He found it rising on people who had no shelter from it.

91. That's how it was. We knew all about his situation.

92. Then he followed yet another way.

93. Until he reached a place between two mountains. He found people there who could hardly understand any words.

94. They said, "Dhul-Qarnayn, Gog and Magog are causing trouble on earth. Can we give you a payment to build a wall between us and them?"

95. He replied, "What my Lord has enabled me to do is better than any payment. So help me with your strength, and I'll build a barrier between you and them.

96. Bring me blocks of iron." When he had filled the gap between the two mountains, he said, "Blow on the fire!" When the iron became red-hot, he said, "Bring me molten copper to pour over it."

97. So Gog and Magog couldn't climb over it, nor could they break through it.

98. Dhul-Qarnayn said, "This is a mercy from my Lord. But when my Lord's promise comes true, He will level it to the ground. My Lord's promise is always true."

99. On that Day, We will let them surge against each other like waves. The trumpet will be blown, and We will gather them all together.

100. On that Day, We will clearly show Hellfire to those who disbelieved.

101. Those whose eyes were covered from remembering Me, and who were unable to hear.

102. Do those who disbelieve think they can take My servants as protectors instead of Me? We have prepared Hell as a welcome for those who reject faith.

103. Say, "Should we tell you who will lose the most because of their actions?"

104. They are the ones whose efforts were wasted in this worldly life, even though they thought they were doing good.

105. These are the people who rejected the verses of their Lord, and they denied meeting Him, so their deeds became worthless. On the Day of Judgment, We will not give them any weight.

106. Hell will be their reward, because they disbelieved and made fun of My verses and My messengers.

107. But those who believe and do good deeds will have the Gardens of Paradise as their resting place.

108. They will stay there forever, never wishing to leave.

109. Say, "If the ocean were ink for writing the words of my Lord, the ocean would run out before the words of my Lord ended — even if We brought another ocean like it to help."

110. Say, "I am only a human being like you. It has been revealed to me that your God is only One God. So whoever hopes to meet his Lord, let him do good deeds and never worship anyone else along with his Lord."