Surah 18 the cave

(In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, Most Merciful)

 

All praise and glory is due to Allah,

who descended upon His Servant the Qur’an,

and has not made therein any deviance from the Truth.

It is straight forward to warn of the immense punishment from God

for UnBelief,

and, to give Good News to the Believers

who do righteous good deeds

that they will have a great reward in Paradise,

wherein they will dwell forever.

And, to caution those who say,

“God has begotten a son.”

They have no knowledge of this, nor have their fathers.

Grave is the statement that comes out of their mouths;

they are speaking nothing but falsehood.

Perhaps you might commit suicide over grief over them,

if they do not Believe in the Message, out of sadness.

And, without a doubt, 

God created all that is on earth as adornment for it,

that the angels may test them as to who is best in deed. 

 And, undeniably, 

God will create that which is upon it making it a fertile soil.

Have you wondered about the companions of the cave,

and the inscriptions therein,
 
that were among God's Signs and a miracle?

When the youth came back from the cave they said,

“Lord, grant us Your Mercy
 
and make our lives on Right Guidance.”

So, the angels placed over their ears a veil of sleep

for a number of years.

Then, they awakened them so that they might demonstrate

which of the

two parties was most exact in calculating

what they had held in time.

It is Allah, O Muhammad, who relates to you their story in Truth.

Really, they were youths who Believed in their Lord God,

and He gave them Guidance.

And, He strengthened their hearts when they stood up saying,

“Our Lord is the Lord of all the Heavens and the earth.

Never will we call upon any other deity besides Him,

or we will have certainly committed an enormous sin.

These, our people, have taken other gods besides Him.

Why don’t they show us some clear authority for this?

And, who is more unjust than the person
 
who invents lies against God?”

And when you have retreated from these types of people,

and that what they worship besides God, go back to the cave.

Your Lord will bestow His Mercy upon you,

and will make your situation easy for you.

And, you could see when the sun rose,

moving away from the cave on the right,

and when it set, passing away from them on the left,

while they were resting in an open space therein.

And, that was among God’s Signs. 

He whom God Guides is Rightly Guided.
  

But, He whom He leads astray –

never will you find for them a protecting friend,
 
nor any Helper besides Him.

While they were sleeping, you thought they were awake.

And, the angels turned them to their right side,
 
and to their left in their sleep,

while their dog stretched his front legs at the entrance of the cave.

And, if you looked at them, you would have turned away from them

to escape, and been filled with terror. 

And, also they awoke them so that they might be able to 

talk with one another.

One from among them said, “How long have you been here?”

They replied, “We have been here a day, or maybe less,
 
a part of a day.  Your Lord is Most Knowledgeable of how long

you have been here.”

And, they said,

“So, send one of you with this silver coin to the town

and let him seek out the best of food and bring some of it to you,

but let him be careful.  And, let no one know about you.

And, unquestionably, if they find out about you, they will harm

you, or return you to their beliefs.  

And, then you will never succeed then – or ever.”

And, most assuredly, the angels caused them to be found so that the

people who found them would know that God’s promise is the Truth,

and that about the Final Hour there is no question. 

When the people of the city argued among themselves about the

companions of the cave, it was said,  

“Construct a building over them.

For their God is most Knowledgeable about them.”

And, those who were overcome with Belief, said,

“We will surely make this a place of worship.”

Some of the people said there were three of them,

the fourth being their dog.  And, some will say there were five of them;

six including the dog – guessing about what they don’t really know. 

And, some will say there were seven of them;  

and the eighth being the dog.

Say, “My Lord is most Knowledgeable about how many there were.

No one knows except a few people.  So do not dispute about how

many there are unless you really know,

 and don’t ask from among the spectators either.”

And, never say, “I think I will do that tomorrow,”

except if you say, “if Allah so Wills.”

And, remember your Lord God when you forget, and say,

“Maybe my Lord will Guide me even closer than this to right conduct.”

And, the youth remained in the cave for three hundred years,

going beyond by nine.

Say, “God is most Knowledgeable of how long

 they remained in the cave. 

He Knows all the unseen in the Heavens

and the earth.  How observant is He, and how Hearing!

They have none besides Him as a Protector,

and He does not share his lawmaking with anyone.”

And, recite what has been Revealed to you in God’s Noble Book.

There is no one who can amend His Words, nor will you

find any refuge besides Him.

And, be patient with those who call upon their Lord God

in the morning and in the evening, seeking their Lord’s Blessing.

And, don’t let those Signs pass by,

seeking worldly wealth and progeny.  And, don’t keep company

with those whose hearts are heedless of remembrance of God, who

follow their own pleasures in excess, 

and whose affairs are always in a state of neglect.

And say, “The Truth is from Your Lord God,

Let him Believe – whosoever will;

and, whosoever will, let him DisBelieve.”

But, the angels have prepared for those who do DisBelieve in God

the evil of The Fiery Blaze,

in Hellfire which fire will encompass them.

And, if they call for respite, they will be reprieved

 with gloomy oiled water, that burns their faces.

Worthless is the drink, and wretched is the resting place.

But, without a doubt, those who Believe in God, and do Righteous

good deeds - God will not allow 

their reward to be lost,

especially those people who do a lot of good deeds.

They will have Gardens of Perpetual Abode;

beneath which flowing rivers flow.

They will be embellished therein with golden bracelets,

wearing garments of green silk and brocade,

reclining on decorated couches.

Outstanding is this reward, and fine is the resting place.

And, give to them the example of the two men:

God gave to one of them two grape orchards,

and He made a border with palm trees,
 
and placed between them crops.

Each orchard produced its fruit in abundance.

And, God created a river, as well, flowing within them.

And, the first man had plentiful fruit, so he said to the other,

“I am wealthier than you,

and have an army that is greater in number.”

And, he entered his orchard in arrogance,
 
and with ungratefulness to Allah.

He said, “I do not think that this will ever end – ever.

And, I do not Believe that the Final Hour will ever come.

And, even if I should be taken back by my Lord,

I will undoubtedly find a better return than all of this.”

His friend said to him, “Do you DisBelieve in God who created you

from clay, then from a sperm drop, 

and then proportioned and balanced you as a man?

For me, He is God, my Lord,

and I do not associate others with my Lord God.

And, why didn’t you, when you entered your orchard, not

say, "This is what God has Willed.  

And, there is no strength but in Allah.

Although I don’t have as much wealth and progeny as you,

it may well be that my Lord will give something

even better than this orchard of yours,

 and will descend a calamity upon it from the skies,

and it will become nothing but flat, dusty ground,

or its water will sink into the earth,

 so you would never be able to search for it.”

And, the man’s fruits were encompassed by ruin,

and he looked into his hands, turning them in dismay,

while its trellises collapsed, saying, “I wish I had

never associated any other with my Lord God.”

And, there was no one to help him besides God,

nor could he protect himself.

There, the Judgment is completely with Allah, the Truth.

He is the Finest Reward, and The Best Outcome.

And, give them the example of this world’s life,

like rain God descends it down from the skies,

and the vegetation of the earth comes together with it life,

and then later it perishes, and becomes dry stalks,
 
dispersed by the wind.

And, God is over all things The Most Perfect in Ability.

Wealth and progeny are but adornments in this life.

But, long sustaining Righteous good deeds are better in His sight

for recompense sake, and better for one’s own Faith.

And, on Judgment Day when God takes away the mountains,

and you will see the earth foremost,

and He will gather everyone altogether,

and not leave behind anyone.

And, the angels will be in attendance before your Lord God in rows, saying,

“You have without a doubt come before Allah just as He created

you for the very first time. But, you maintained 

that We would never make this appointed time come.”

And, the records of your deeds will be open,

and you will see the evildoers fearful of what is in it,

and they will say, “O misery to us!  What is this book that leaves

nothing, big or small, but is enumerated therein?”

And, they will find what they did in life.

And, your Lord does no injustice to anyone.

And, when He said to the angels, “Bow down before Adam."

They bowed down, but not Iblis. 

He was of the jinn and moved away from his Lord’s command.

Then, will you take him and his ancestors as friends other than God

while Iblis is your avowed enemy?

Evil it is for the wrongdoers as a substitute.  God did not make them

witness to the creation of the Heavens 

and the earth, or witness to their own creation.

And, God would not take those who misguide people as helpers.

And, on Judgment Day, when He asks you to produce those

you claim were His assistants, they will call upon them,

but they will not respond to them.

And, He will place between them ruin.

And, the evildoers will see The Fiery Blaze of Hellfire,

and the angels will

be certain that they are to descend therein.

And, they will not find an escape elsewhere.

And, God certainly explained in detail every kind of example;

but, mankind is prone to dissension.

And, nothing prevented the people from Believing once the Truth

reached them; nor from asking Forgiveness from their Lord God.

But, unfortunately, there befalls them the precedent

of the former DisBelieving peoples,

or the punishment that should appear before them.

And, God didn’t send the Messengers,
 
but as bearers of good tidings,

and warners.  And, those who don’t Believe argue by using lies

to invalidate the Truth, and have taken God's Verses,

and that of which they were warned, in mockery.

And, who is more undeserving

 than the one who is reminded by God’s Verses,

and turns away from them,  

or forgets what bad deeds his own hands have put forth?

And, God has placed veils over their hearts,

less they understand The Truth,  

and they are truly UnHearing to the Truth.

And, even if you welcome them to Guidance –

they will never be Guided, then – or ever.

And, your Lord God is the Most Forgiving,

Full of Mercy.

If He were to confer blame upon them for their misdeeds,

He would hasten for them the punishment of Hellfire.

However, for them is the meeting

from which there is no escape in Hell.

And, their towns – they were ruined when they sinned,

and for each, their ruin was at a decreed time.

And, when Moses said to a young servant, “I will not cease until

I reach the meeting of the two seas,

 or, perhaps I may continue on for a long time.”

But, when they reached the intersection of them,

the boy left their fish;

and they made their way back into the sea, slipping away. 

So, when they went on for a while, passing a junction,
 
he said to the boy, "Bring to us our morning meal.  

We have certainly endured much fatigue in this journey.”

He replied, “Didn’t you see when we rested on the rock?

I forgot the fish.  And, none made me to forget it but Iblis –

even that I should mention it.  And, they, amazingly,

made their way back into the sea.”

Moses said, “Well, then that is what we were looking for.”

So, they returned back, retracing their own footsteps.

And, they found a follower from among God's Followers

to whom He had bestowed of His Mercy, and

He taught him of His Knowledge.  Moses said to him,
 
"May I follow you so that you may teach

me from what you have been taught of what you think is

sound judgment?”

He replied, “In reality, you will not have any tolerance with me." 

How can you have tolerance for something  

you do not have any knowledge of?”

Moses said, “You will find me to be patient, if it is Allah’s Will.

And, I will not disobey you in any way.”

He said, “Alright, but if you follow me, don’t ask me about anything

until I offer an explanation.”  So, they set out together,

and they embarked on a ship, 

when the man tore it apart.

Moses said, “Why have you done this, to drown the people?

You certainly have done a horrible thing.”

He said, “Didn’t I say that you would never
 
have tolerance for me?”

Moses said, “Do not guilt me for what I forgot,

and do not cover me with what I said with suffering.”

And, they went out until they came upon a boy child,

and the man caused him to perish.

Moses said, “Have you destroyed an innocent soul
 
for other than a soul?

You have most certainly done an unforgiveable thing." 

And, he said, "Didn't I tell you that you would not

have any tolerance for me?”

Moses said, “If I ask you about anything else after this,

then don’t keep me as a companion to you.

You have received from me an excuse.”

So, they set out again, until they came upon some townspeople

in a town, and they asked them for some food,

but they refused to give them any hospitality.

And, they found a wall therein about to collapse,

so the man fixed it. And, Moses said to him,

“If you wanted to, you could have asked for payment for that.”

He replied, “This is a parting between you and I now.

I will let you know about the meaning on the matters in which

you had no tolerance for.

As for the ship you saw, it was owned by a poor fisherman.

I meant to cause it ruin because after them

was a king who seized every ship thereafter without their consent.

And, as for the boy child, his parents were Believers

and we were afraid that the child would overcome them

with sin and DisBelief.

So, we planned to substitute one purer in Faith,

and closer to Mercy.

And, as for the wall,
 
it was owned by two orphan youths in the town,

and beneath the wall was a treasure for them,

and their father was of the righteous.

So, your Lord decided that they reach the age of majority,

and remove their treasure, as Mercy from your Lord God.

And, I didn’t do it out of my own accord.

This is the meaning of that which you had no tolerance for.”

And, they ask you about he with the two horns.

Tell them, “I will recite to you a report about him.”

In reality, God created him upon the earth,

and He gave to him means.

So, he followed a path

until, when he reached the sunset,

 he discovered it as a spring of dark mud,

and also found near it people.

And, Allah said, “O he of two horns, either reprimand

them or else adopt a way of kindness toward them.”

He said, “As for he who sins, the angels will admonish them.

Later, he will be returned to his Lord with a terrible punishment.”

But, as for the one who Believes, and does Righteous good deeds,

he will have a reward of the best kind, Paradise, and

we will speak to him from God's Throne with kindness.”

Then, he followed a path

until, when he came to the sunrise, he found

a people therefrom from which he had not made any protection.

Thus, was the matter of he with two horns.

And, the angels covered all that he possessed in Knowledge.

Then, he followed another path,

until he reached a pass between two mountains

and he found next to them a people
 
who could hardly understand him.

They said, “O man of two horns, the savage tribes

 are corrupters throughout the land.

So, may we pay you a sum so you might make
 
between us a barrier?”

He replied, “That which my Lord God gives me is

better than what you offer, but assist me with manpower;

I will create between you and them a dam.

Bring to me sheets of iron.” – And, he leveled them

between the two mountain sides.

Then he said, “Blow,” until he made it light afire.

Then he said, “Bring to me molten copper so I may pour it over it.”

So, the savage tribes were unable to pass over the mountains,

nor were they in any manner able to penetrate it.

The man of two horns said, “This is Mercy from my Lord,

but when the promise of my Lord draws near,

He will level the dam,

and the promise of my Lord is always the Truth.”

And, the angels will leave them to their own on that day,

flooding over each other,

and the Horn will be blown on Judgment Day,

and God will assemble them altogether in one gathering.

And, the angels will give to the DisBelievers Hellfire – on display -

those who eyes were covered over from remembrance of God,

unable to Hear the Truth of Allah.

So, do the DisBelievers think that they can take God's followers

as friends instead of Him?

Without a doubt, the angels have prepared

 for the DisBelievers the abode of Hellfire.

Say, “Shall we tell you about the greatest losers with regards

to their misdeeds?”

They are those whose best efforts are lost in this life,

while they think they are doing something good.”

They are the ones who don’t Believe in the

verses of their Lord God,

or their meeting in the Hereafter with Him,

so their deeds are valueless, and He will not give them

any weight on the Day of Resurrection.

That is their just admonishment – Hellfire –

for what they rejected, and because they took God's Signs

and His Messengers in mockery.

But, those who Believed, and did Righteous good deeds in life –

they will have the highest position in the Gardens of Paradise

as an accommodation, where they will eternally abide therein.

And, they will not wish from it any change.

Say, “If the seas were ink for writing the Words of my Lord, the

seas would be consumed before the Words of my Lord were 

exhausted, even if He increased it by another one like it.”

Say, “I am but a man like you, to whom has been Revealed

that your God is The One True God.

So, whoever wishes for the meeting with his Lord God –

let him perform Righteous good deeds,

and do not associate any others with God in his worship.”

Amen