Quran Verses about The People of the Cave

أَمۡ حَسِبۡتَ أَنَّ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلۡكَهۡفِ وَٱلرَّقِيمِ كَانُواْ مِنۡ ءَايَٰتِنَا عَجَبًا ٩

Am ḥasibta anna aṣḥābal-kahfi war-raqīmi kānū min āyātinā ʿajabā.

Or have you thought that the companions of the cave and the inscription were, among Our signs, a wonder?¹

إِذۡ أَوَى ٱلۡفِتۡيَةُ إِلَى ٱلۡكَهۡفِ فَقَالُواْ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحۡمَةٗ وَهَيِّئۡ لَنَا مِنۡ أَمۡرِنَا رَشَدٗا ١٠

Idh awal-fityatu ilal-kahfi faqālū rabbanā ātinā mil ladunka raḥmataw wa hayyiʾ lanā min amrinā rashadā.

[Mention] when the youths retreated to the cave and said, "Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and prepare for us from our affair right guidance."

فَضَرَبۡنَا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاذَانِهِمۡ فِي ٱلۡكَهۡفِ سِنِينَ عَدَدٗا ١١

Faḍarabnā ʿalā ādhānihim fil-kahfi sinīna ʿadadā.

So We cast [a cover of sleep] over their ears within the cave for a number of years.

ثُمَّ بَعَثۡنَٰهُمۡ لِنَعۡلَمَ أَيُّ ٱلۡحِزۡبَيۡنِ أَحۡصَىٰ لِمَا لَبِثُوٓاْ أَمَدٗا ١٢

Thumma baʿathnāhum linaʿlama ayyul-ḥizbayni aḥṣā limā labithū amadā.

Then We awakened them that We might show which of the two factions was most precise in calculating what [extent] they had remained in time.

نَّحۡنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيۡكَ نَبَأَهُم بِٱلۡحَقِّۚ إِنَّهُمۡ فِتۡيَةٌ ءَامَنُواْ بِرَبِّهِمۡ وَزِدۡنَٰهُمۡ هُدٗى ١٣

Naḥnu naquṣṣu ʿalayka nabaʾahum bil-ḥaqq, innahum fityatun āmanū birabbihim wa zidnāhum hudā.

It is We who relate to you, [O Muḥammad], their story in truth. Indeed, they were youths who believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance.

وَرَبَطۡنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ إِذۡ قَامُواْ فَقَالُواْ رَبُّنَا رَبُّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ لَن نَّدۡعُوَاْ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ إِلَٰهٗاۖ لَّقَدۡ قُلۡنَآ إِذٗا شَطَطًا ١٤

Wa rabaṭnā ʿalā qulūbihim idh qāmū faqālū rabbunā rabbus-samāwāti wal-arḍi lan nadʿuwa min dūnihī ilāhā, laqad qulnā idhan shaṭaṭā.

And We bound [i.e., made firm] their hearts when they stood up and said, "Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. Never will we invoke besides Him any deity. We would have certainly spoken, then, an excessive transgression.

هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ قَوۡمُنَا ٱتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ ءَالِهَةٗۖ لَّوۡلَا يَأۡتُونَ عَلَيۡهِم بِسُلۡطَٰنِۭ بَيِّنٖۖ فَمَنۡ أَظۡلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفۡتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبٗا ١٥

Hāʾulāʾi qawmunattakhadhū min dūnihī ālihah, lawlā yaʾtūna ʿalayhim bisulṭāni bayyin, faman aẓlamu mimmaniftarā ʿalallāhi kadhibā.

These, our people, have taken besides Him deities. Why do they not bring for [worship of] them a clear evidence? And who is more unjust than one who invents about Allāh a lie?"

وَإِذِ ٱعۡتَزَلۡتُمُوهُمۡ وَمَا يَعۡبُدُونَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ فَأۡوُۥٓاْ إِلَى ٱلۡكَهۡفِ يَنشُرۡ لَكُمۡ رَبُّكُم مِّن رَّحۡمَتِهِۦ وَيُهَيِّئۡ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَمۡرِكُم مِّرۡفَقٗا ١٦

Wa idhiʿtazaltumūhum wa mā yaʿbudūna illallāha faʾwū ilal-kahfi yanshur lakum rabbukum mir raḥmatihī wa yuhayyiʾ lakum min amrikum mirfaqā.

[The youths said to one another], "And when you have withdrawn from them and that which they worship other than Allāh, retreat to the cave. Your Lord will spread out for you of His mercy and will prepare for you from your affair facility."

۞ وَتَرَى ٱلشَّمۡسَ إِذَا طَلَعَت تَّزَٰوَرُ عَن كَهۡفِهِمۡ ذَاتَ ٱلۡيَمِينِ وَإِذَا غَرَبَت تَّقۡرِضُهُمۡ ذَاتَ ٱلشِّمَالِ وَهُمۡ فِي فَجۡوَةٖ مِّنۡهُۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِنۡ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِۗ مَن يَهۡدِ ٱللَّهُ فَهُوَ ٱلۡمُهۡتَدِۖ وَمَن يُضۡلِلۡ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُۥ وَلِيّٗا مُّرۡشِدٗا ١٧

Wa tarash-shamsa idhā ṭalaʿat tazāwaru ʿan kahfihim dhātal-yamīni wa idhā gharabat taqriḍuhum dhātash-shimāli wa hum fī fajwatim minh, dhālika min āyātillāh, may yahdillāhu fahuwal-muhtad, wa may yuḍlil falan tajida lahū waliyyam murshidā.

And [had you been present], you would see the sun when it rose, inclining away from their cave on the right, and when it set, passing away from them on the left, while they were [lying] within an open space thereof. That was from the signs of Allāh. He whom Allāh guides is the [rightly] guided, but he whom He sends astray - never will you find for him a protecting guide.

وَتَحۡسَبُهُمۡ أَيۡقَاظٗا وَهُمۡ رُقُودٞۚ وَنُقَلِّبُهُمۡ ذَاتَ ٱلۡيَمِينِ وَذَاتَ ٱلشِّمَالِۖ وَكَلۡبُهُم بَٰسِطٞ ذِرَاعَيۡهِ بِٱلۡوَصِيدِۚ لَوِ ٱطَّلَعۡتَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ لَوَلَّيۡتَ مِنۡهُمۡ فِرَارٗا وَلَمُلِئۡتَ مِنۡهُمۡ رُعۡبٗا ١٨

Wa taḥsabuhum ayqāẓaw wa hum ruqūd, wa nuqallibuhum dhātal-yamīni wa dhātash-shimāl, wa kalbuhum bāsiṭun dhirāʿayhi bil-waṣīd, lawiṭṭalaʿta ʿalayhim lawallayta minhum firāraw wa lamuliʾta minhum ruʿbā.

And you would think them awake, while they were asleep. And We turned them to the right and to the left, while their dog stretched his forelegs at the entrance. If you had looked at them, you would have turned from them in flight and been filled by them with terror.

وَكَذَٰلِكَ بَعَثۡنَٰهُمۡ لِيَتَسَآءَلُواْ بَيۡنَهُمۡۚ قَالَ قَآئِلٞ مِّنۡهُمۡ كَمۡ لَبِثۡتُمۡۖ قَالُواْ لَبِثۡنَا يَوۡمًا أَوۡ بَعۡضَ يَوۡمٖۚ قَالُواْ رَبُّكُمۡ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثۡتُمۡ فَٱبۡعَثُوٓاْ أَحَدَكُم بِوَرِقِكُمۡ هَٰذِهِۦٓ إِلَى ٱلۡمَدِينَةِ فَلۡيَنظُرۡ أَيُّهَآ أَزۡكَىٰ طَعَامٗا فَلۡيَأۡتِكُم بِرِزۡقٖ مِّنۡهُ وَلۡيَتَلَطَّفۡ وَلَا يُشۡعِرَنَّ بِكُمۡ أَحَدًا ١٩

Wa kadhālika baʿathnāhum liyatasāʾalū baynahum, qāla qāʾilum minhum kam labithtum, qālū labithnā yawman aw baʿḍa yawm, qālū rabbukum aʿlamu bimā labithtum fabʿathū aḥadakum biwariqikum hādhihī ilal-madīnati falyanẓur ayyuhā azkā ṭaʿāman falyaʾtikum birizqim minhu walyatalaṭṭaf wa lā yushʿiranna bikum aḥadā.

And similarly,¹ We awakened them that they might question one another. Said a speaker from among them, "How long have you remained [here]?" They said, "We have remained a day or part of a day." They said, "Your Lord is most knowing of how long you remained. So send one of you with this silver coin of yours to the city and let him look to which is the best of food and bring you provision from it and let him be cautious. And let no one be aware of you.

إِنَّهُمۡ إِن يَظۡهَرُواْ عَلَيۡكُمۡ يَرۡجُمُوكُمۡ أَوۡ يُعِيدُوكُمۡ فِي مِلَّتِهِمۡ وَلَن تُفۡلِحُوٓاْ إِذًا أَبَدٗا ٢٠

Innahum iy yaẓharū ʿalaykum yarjumūkum aw yuʿīdūkum fī millatihim wa lan tufliḥū idhan abadā.

Indeed, if they come to know of you, they will stone you or return you to their religion. And never would you succeed, then - ever."

وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَعۡثَرۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ لِيَعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ وَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقّٞ وَأَنَّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ لَا رَيۡبَ فِيهَآ إِذۡ يَتَنَٰزَعُونَ بَيۡنَهُمۡ أَمۡرَهُمۡۖ فَقَالُواْ ٱبۡنُواْ عَلَيۡهِم بُنۡيَٰنٗاۖ رَّبُّهُمۡ أَعۡلَمُ بِهِمۡۚ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ غَلَبُواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَمۡرِهِمۡ لَنَتَّخِذَنَّ عَلَيۡهِم مَّسۡجِدٗا ٢١

Wa kadhālika aʿtharnā ʿalayhim liyaʿlamū anna waʿdallāhi ḥaqquw wa annas-sāʿata lā rayba fīhā idh yatanāzaʿūna baynahum amrahum, faqālubnū ʿalayhim bunyānā, rabbuhum aʿlamu bihim, qālal-ladhīna ghalabū ʿalā amrihim lanattakhidhanna ʿalayhim masjidā.

And similarly, We caused them to be found that they [who found them] would know that the promise of Allāh is truth and that of the Hour there is no doubt. [That was] when they¹ disputed among themselves about their affair and [then] said, "Construct over them a structure. Their Lord is most knowing about them." Said those who prevailed in the matter, "We will surely take [for ourselves] over them a masjid."²

سَيَقُولُونَ ثَلَٰثَةٞ رَّابِعُهُمۡ كَلۡبُهُمۡ وَيَقُولُونَ خَمۡسَةٞ سَادِسُهُمۡ كَلۡبُهُمۡ رَجۡمَۢا بِٱلۡغَيۡبِۖ وَيَقُولُونَ سَبۡعَةٞ وَثَامِنُهُمۡ كَلۡبُهُمۡۚ قُل رَّبِّيٓ أَعۡلَمُ بِعِدَّتِهِم مَّا يَعۡلَمُهُمۡ إِلَّا قَلِيلٞۗ فَلَا تُمَارِ فِيهِمۡ إِلَّا مِرَآءٗ ظَٰهِرٗا وَلَا تَسۡتَفۡتِ فِيهِم مِّنۡهُمۡ أَحَدٗا ٢٢

Sayaqūlūna thalāthatur rābiʿuhum kalbuhum wa yaqūlūna khamsatun sādisuhum kalbuhum rajmam bil-ghayb, wa yaqūlūna sabʿatuw wa thāminuhum kalbuhum, qul rabbī aʿlamu biʿiddatihim mā yaʿlamuhum illā qalīl, falā tumāri fīhim illā mirāʾan ẓāhiraw wa lā tastafti fīhim minhum aḥadā.

They [i.e., people] will say there were three, the fourth of them being their dog; and they will say there were five, the sixth of them being their dog - guessing at the unseen; and they will say there were seven, and the eighth of them was their dog. Say, [O Muḥammad], "My Lord is most knowing of their number. None knows them except a few. So do not argue about them except with an obvious argument¹ and do not inquire about them among [the speculators] from anyone."

وَلَا تَقُولَنَّ لِشَاْيۡءٍ إِنِّي فَاعِلٞ ذَٰلِكَ غَدًا ٢٣

Wa lā taqūlanna lishayʾin innī fāʿilun dhālika ghadā.

And never say of anything, "Indeed, I will do that tomorrow,"

إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُۚ وَٱذۡكُر رَّبَّكَ إِذَا نَسِيتَ وَقُلۡ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَهۡدِيَنِ رَبِّي لِأَقۡرَبَ مِنۡ هَٰذَا رَشَدٗا ٢٤

Illā ay yashāʾallāh, wadhkur rabbaka idhā nasīta wa qul ʿasā ay yahdiyani rabbī liʾaqraba min hādhā rashadā.

Except [when adding], "If Allāh wills." And remember your Lord when you forget [it] and say, "Perhaps my Lord will guide me to what is nearer than this to right conduct."

وَلَبِثُواْ فِي كَهۡفِهِمۡ ثَلَٰثَ مِاْئَةٖ سِنِينَ وَٱزۡدَادُواْ تِسۡعٗا ٢٥

Wa labithū fī kahfihim thalātha miʾatin sinīna wazdādū tisʿā.

And they remained in their cave for three hundred years and exceeded by nine.¹

قُلِ ٱللَّهُ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثُواْۖ لَهُۥ غَيۡبُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ أَبۡصِرۡ بِهِۦ وَأَسۡمِعۡۚ مَا لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ مِن وَلِيّٖ وَلَا يُشۡرِكُ فِي حُكۡمِهِۦٓ أَحَدٗا ٢٦

Qulillāhu aʿlamu bimā labithū, lahū ghaybus-samāwāti wal-arḍ, abṣir bihī wa asmiʿ, mā lahum min dūnihī miw waliyyiw wa lā yushriku fī ḥukmihī aḥadā.

Say, "Allāh is most knowing of how long they remained. He has [knowledge of] the unseen [aspects] of the heavens and the earth. How Seeing is He and how Hearing! They have not besides Him any protector, and He shares not His legislation with anyone."