18:1  Praise be to Allah Who has sent down upon His bondman the Book and has not made to it any crookedness

18:2  Most upright, to warn of strict violence from very close to Him, and to give good tidings to the believers who do very deeds of righteousness that they will have a fair reward

18:3  Staying therein forever

18:4  And to warn the ones who have said, " Allah has taken to Him a child."

18:5  In no way do they have any knowledge of it, (they) nor their fathers. An odious (Literally: great) word it is, coming out (Literally: going out) of their mouths; decidedly they say nothing except a lie

18:6  Yet, it may be that you will consume yourself of sorrow over their tracks (i.e., their tracks or footprints when they turn away) in case they do not believe in this discourse

18:7  Surely We have made whatever is on the earth for an adornment for it that We may try whichever of them is fairest in deeds

18:8  And We will indeed make whatever is on it arid dry soil

18:9  Or even do you reckon that the Companions of the Cave and Ar-Raqim (It is the name of a leaden plate, on which were written the names of the seven sleepers) were among Our signs a wonder

18:10  As the young men (Literally: the pages) took (their) abode in the cave, (and) so they said, "Our Lord, bring us mercy from very close to You, and dispose for us rectitude in our Command." (i.e., in Your Command to us; our: in our affair

18:11  Then We struck upon their ears for a (great) number of years in the cave

18:12  Thereafter We made them to rise again that We might know whichever of the two parties would best enumerate the span they had lingered

18:13  We, Ever We, narrate to you their tidings with the truth. Surely they were young men who believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance

18:14  And We braced (Literally: tied upon their hearts) their hearts as they rose up and said, "Our Lord is The Lord of the heavens and the earth; we will never invoke any god, apart from Him, for indeed, we had already spoken unjudiciously

18:15  These our people have taken to themselves (other) gods apart from Him. Had they come up with a most evident all-binding authority concerning their belief in them? So, who is more unjust than he who fabricates against Allah a lie

18:16  And as you have kept apart from them and what they worship excepting Allah, so take (your) abode in the cave, (then) your Lord will spread for you of His mercy and will dispose for you a convenient (place) of your Command." (i.e., the command of Allah to you; or: your affair

18:17  And you might have seen the sun when it rose, declining from their cave towards the right; and when it set, it went past them towards the left while they were in a broad fissure of (the cave). That was one of the signs of Allah. Whomever Allah guides, then he is right-guided, and whomever He leads away into error, then you will never find for him a right-minded patron

18:18  And you would have reckoned that they were awake (as) they were lying down, and We turned them about towards the right and towards the left, and their dog stretching out his two fore-legs (Literally: his two arms) on the threshold. If you had viewed them, indeed you would have turned away from them in flight and indeed been filled with horror of them

18:19  And thus We made them rise again that they might ask one another (Literally: among themselves). A speaker from among them said, "How long have you lingered?" They said, "We have lingered a day, or part (Literally: some "part" of a day) of a day." (Others) said, "Your Lord knows best how long you have lingered. So send one of you forth with this money to the city, then let him look for whichever of them has the purest (Literally: most cleansed) food, so let him come up to you with a provision thereof, and let him be courteous, and definitely let no man be aware of your (presence)

18:20  Surely in case they get the better of you, they will stone you or bring you back to their creed, and (then) you will never prosper at all."

18:21  And thus We made the (people of the city) discover them that they might know that the promise of Allah is true and that the Hour, there is no suspicion about it. As they were contending among themselves their Command, (The Command of Allah concerning Resurrection; or: their affair) (then) they said, "Build over them a structure; their Lord knows them best." (But) the ones who prevailed over their Command (Literally: overcame them in their Command; or: in their affair) said, "Indeed we will definitely build (Literally: take to ourselves) over them a mosque."

18:22  They will say, "Three, their dog (was) the fourth of them." And (others) will say, "Five, their dog (was) the sixth of them, " guessing at the Unseen. (Some others) will say, "Seven, and their dog (was) the eighth of them." Say, "My Lord knows best their right number; none knows them, except a few." So do not wrangle about them, except in outward wrangling, and do not ask any of them for a pronouncement on them

18:23  And definitely do not say, regarding anything, "Surely I am performing that tomorrow, "

18:24  Except (if you add), If Allah (so) decides." (i.e., say: insha'Allah) And remember your Lord when you forget, and say, "It may be that my Lord will guide me to something nearer to rectitude than this."

18:25  And they lingered in their cave three hundred years, and to that they increased nine (more)

18:26  Say, " Allah knows best how long they lingered. To Him (belongs) the Unseen of the heavens and the earth. How well He beholds, and how well He hears!" In no way do they have any patron apart from Him, and He does not associate in His judgment anyone

18:27  And recite what has been revealed to you of the Book of your Lord; none can alter (Literally: none can be an falterer) His Words; and apart from Him, you will never find any shielding

18:28  And (suffer) yourself to (endure) patiently with the ones who invoke their Lord in the early morning and nightfall, willing to seek His Face, and do not let your eyes go past them, (i.e., overlook them) willing (to gain) the adornment of the present life; (Literally: the lowly life, i.e., the life of this world) and do not obey him whose heart We have made heedless of Our Remembrance, and who closely follows his own prejudices, and to whom the Command (i.e., the Command of Allah to him, or: his affair) has been all excess (i.e., He has been most disbelieving)

18:29  And say, "The Truth is from your Lord; so whoever decides, then let him believe, and whoever decides, then let him disbelieve." Surely We have readied for the unjust a Fire whose canopy encompasses them; and in case they call for succor, they will be succored with water like molten metal that will scald their faces. Miserable is the drink, and odious is it (as) a resting place

18:30  Surely the ones who have believed and done deeds of righteousness, surely We do not waste the reward of him who does fair deeds

18:31  Those will have (as their recompense) Gardens of Adn (Eden) (where) Rivers run from beneath them. They will be ornamented therein with bracelets of gold, and they will wear green clothes of sarcenet and brocade, reclining therein upon couches. How favorable is the requital, and how fair is (it as) a resting-place

18:32  And strike for them a similitude: two men. To one of them We made two gardens of vineyards and encircled (both of) them with palm-trees, and between them We made a plantation

18:33  Both of these gardens brought forth their crop and did not fail (Literally: did not do injustice in any thing) in any of it, and amidst them both We caused a river to erupt forth

18:34  And he had (all kinds of) produce. So he said to his companion, as he was conversing with him, "I am more than you in wealth, and mightier in man-power."

18:35  And he entered his garden, (while) he (thus) was unjust to himself. He said, "In no way do I expect that this will decay at all

18:36  And in no way do I expect that the Hour is coming up; and indeed in case I am turned back to my Lord, indeed I will definitely find a more charitable (i.e., better) recourse than (this)."

18:37  His companion said to him, as he was conversing with him, "Do you disbelieve in Him Who created you of dust, thereafter of a sperm (drop), thereafter molded you as a man

18:38  But He is Allah, my Lord, and I do not associate with my Lord any one

18:39  And if you had said as you entered your garden, cWhatever Allah decides (will be); there is no power except with Allah, (i.e., say: ma sha " " Allah La hawla wala quwwata illa billah) (it would have been better for you.) In case you see me that I am less than you in wealth and children

18:40  Yet, it may be that my Lord will bring me a more charitable (thing) than your garden and send on it a reckoned (bolt) from the heaven so that in the morning it will be a slippery dry soil

18:41  Or that in the morning its water will be deep-sunken so that you will never be able to seek it out."

18:42  And his produce was (all) encompassed; so (in the morning) he became (remorseful), wringing his hands (Literally: turning his two palms about) for what he had expended upon it-and it was devastated upon its trellises- and saying, "Oh would that I had not associated with my Lord any one!"

18:43  And he had no community to vindicate him, apart from All'ah, and in no way could he vindicate (himself)

18:44  There over patronage belongs (only) to Allah, The Truth; He is The Most Charitable for requital, and The Most Charitable for consequence

18:45  And srike for them the similitude of the present life: (Literally: the lowly life, the life of this world) (it is) as Water that We send down from the heaven, (and) so the growth of the earth mixes up with it, and then it becomes chaff that the winds winnow. And Allah has (always) been Supreme Determiner over everything

18:46  Wealth and sons are the adornment of the present life; and the enduring deeds of righteousness are more charitable in the Providence of your Lord for requital, and more charitable in aspiration

18:47  And on the Day We will make the mountains to travel, and you see the earth coming forth, and We muster them so that We do not leave out any one of them

18:48  And they are set before your Lord in ranks, "Indeed you have readily come to Us as We created you the first time; no indeed, you asserted that We would never make for you an appointment."

18:49  And the Book will be laid down (i.e. placed in one's hand). So you will see the criminals (feeling) timorous about what is in it, and they say, "oh woe to us! How is it with this Book, that it leaves out (nothing), small or great, except that it has enumerated it?" And they will find whatever they did present, and your Lord does no injustice to any one

18:50  And as We said to the Angels, "Prostrate (yourselves) to Adam." So they prostrated themselves, except Iblas. He was one of the jinn, so he (was immoral and) rebelled against his Lord's Command. Do you then take him to yourselves and his offspring to be (your) patrons, apart from Me, and they are an enemy to you? Miserable is it (as) an exchange for the unjust (ones)

18:51  In no way did I make them to witness the creation of the heavens and the earth, neither the creation of themselves; and in no way would I take to Me the leaders into error (i.e., misleaders) as supporters

18:52  And on the Day He will say, "Call out My associates whom you asserted." So they will call on them, yet they will not respond to them; and We will make a chasm between them

18:53  And the criminals will see the Fire; so they expect that they are falling into it and will find no turning (of refuge) from it

18:54  And indeed We have already propounded for mankind in this Qur'an all manner of similitude, and man has (always) been in most (things) (interested) in disputes (Literally: the most disputing of things)

18:55  And in no way did anything prevent mankind from believing (Literally: made them not to believe) as the guidance came to them and asking their Lord to forgive them, except that the enactment (for) the earliest (people) should come up to them, or that the torment should come up to them face to face

18:56  And in no way do We send the Emissaries except as constant bearers of good tidings and constant warners; and the ones who have disbelieved dispute with untruth that they may rebut thereby the Truth. And they have taken to themselves My signs and what they are warned of in mockery

18:57  And who is more unjust than he who, being reminded of the signs of his Lord, (yet) veers away from them and forgets what his (two) hands have forwarded? Surely We have made lids on their hearts so that they do not comprehend it, and in their ears an obstruction. And in case you call them to guidance, (then), they will never be guided at all

18:58  And your Lord is The Ever-Forgiving, The Owner of mercy. If He should take them to task for what they have earned, He would (quickly) hasten for them the torment; no indeed, (but) they have an appointment, apart from which they will never find any safe retreat

18:59  And those towns, We caused them to perish as soon as they did injustice, and We made for their perishing an appointment

18:60  And as Musa (Moses) said to his page, "I will not leave off until I reach the junction of the two seas, or I will pass epochs away."

18:61  Then, as soon as they reached the junction between the two (seas), they forgot their whale; (Or: large fish) so it took for itself its way into the sea, burrowing

18:62  Then, as soon as they passed over, he said to his page, "Bring us our dinner; (Or: early meal, breakfast) indeed we have already encountered fatigue from this, our journey."

18:63  He said, "Have you seen (that) as we sought our abode on the rock, then surely I forgot the whale (Or: large fish) and in no way did anything make me forget it except Ash-Shaytan (The all-vicious, i.e., the Devil) so that I should not remember it, and it took its way into the sea in a wondrous (manner)."

18:64  He said, "That is what we were seeking!" So they (both) turned back upon their tracks retracing them

18:65  Then they (both) found one of Our bondmen (Literally: bondman from among Our bondmen) to whom We had brought mercy from Our Providence, and had taught him knowledge from very close to Us

18:66  Musa (Moses) said to him, "Shall I closely follow you on condition that you teach me of what you have been taught, right mindedness?"

18:67  Said he "Surely you will never be able to (endure) with me patiently."

18:68  And how should you (endure) patiently what you have not encompassed in your cognizance?"

18:69  He said, "You will find me, in case Allah (so) decides, patient; and I will not disobey you in any command (of yours)."

18:70  Said he, "So in case you closely follow me, then do not ask me about anything until I (myself) effect a mention of it to you."

18:71  So they (both) went off until, when they embarked in the ship, he pierced it. He said, "Have you pierced it so as to drown its population (i.e., a passengers). Indeed you have already come with a grave thing."

18:72  Said he, "Did I not say that surely you would never be able to (endure) with me patiently?"

18:73  He said, "Do not take me to task that I forgot, nor oppress me with a command (too) difficult (for me)."

18:74  So they (both) went off until, when they (both) met a youth, then he killed him. He said, "Have you killed a most cleansed self without (his having killed another) self? Indeed you have already come with a (highly) maleficent thing."

18:75  Said he, "Did I not say to you that surely you would never be able to (endure) with me patiently?"

18:76  He said, "In case I ask you about anything after (this), then keep me in (your) company (no more); you have already had (Literally: reached) excuse (sufficient) on my part." (Literally: from close to me

18:77  So they (both) went off until, when they came up to the population of a city, they asked its population for food, yet they refused to receive them hospitably (i.e. as guests). Then they found therein a wall that would have collapsed down, so he set it up. He said, "If you so decided, indeed you could have taken to yourself a reward for it."

18:78  Said he, "This is the parting between me and you. I will soon (fully) inform you regarding the interpretation of what you were unable to (endure) patiently

18:79  As for the ship, then it belonged to (certain) indigent persons who did (their business) upon the sea. Then I willingly damaged it, (and) beyond them was a king who was taking away every ship by force

18:80  And as for the youth, then his parents (Literally: his two fathers) were believers; so we were apprehensive he would oppress them with (his) in ordinance and disbelief

18:81  So we willingly (intended) that their Lord would give them (both) in exchange a more charitable (person) in cleansing (i.e., a better, purer son) than he and nearer in tenderness

18:82  And as for the wall, then it belonged to two orphan youths in the city, and beneath it was a hoarding belonging to them; and their father was a righteous (man). So your Lord willed that they should reach full age and take out their hoarding as a mercy from your Lord; and in no way did I perform it upon my own command. This is the interpretation of what you were unable to (endure) patiently."

18:83  And they ask you concerning Thulqarnayn (i.e., the two-horned king). Say, "I will soon recite to you a mention of him."

18:84  Surely We established him in the earth, and We brought him means to (accomplish) everything

18:85  So he followed up (another) means

18:86  Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, (The western part of the then known world) he found it setting in a muddy spring, and he found a people at it. We said, "O Thulqarnayn, either you will torment (them) or you will take to yourself towards them a fair (way)."

18:87  He said, "As for him who did injustice, we will eventually torment him; thereafter he will be turned back to his Lord; then He will torment him with a highly maleficent torment

18:88  And as for him who believes and does righteousness, then he will have as recompense the fairest (reward), and we soon will say to him, of our command, cEase."

18:89  Thereafter he followed up (another) means

18:90  Until, when be reached the rising of the sun, he found it rising upon a people for whom We had not made a screen there from

18:91  Thus it was, and We already encompassed in cognizance what was close to him

18:92  Thereafter he followed up (another) means

18:93  Until, when he reached between the two barriers, he found close to them a people who almost did not comprehend speech

18:94  They said, "O Thulqarnayn! Surely Yajuj and Majuj (God and Magog) are corruptors in the earth; so shall we make for you a tribute on condition that you make a barrier between us and them?" (Literally: between us and between them

18:95  He said, "That wherein my Lord has established me is more charitable; (i.e., what I have from my lord is better than your tribute) so help me with (your) power, so that I will make up a rampart between you and between them

18:96  Bring me ingots of iron." Until, when he had leveled up between the two cliffs, he said, "Blow!" Until, when he made it a fire, he said, "Bring me, that I may pour out molten brass on it."

18:97  So, in no way were they able to surmount it, and in no way were they able to bore it

18:98  He said, "This is a mercy from my Lord. Then when the promise of my Lord comes, He will make it pounded (into dust); and the promise of my Lord has (always) been true."

18:99  And upon that Day We will leave some of them surge against others; (Literally: Some of them against some others) and the Trumpet will be blown; then We will gather them in (one) gathering

18:100  And We will set Hell before the disbelievers upon that Day in (plain) setting

18:101  (Those) whose eyes were covered (Literally: in a covering) against My Remembrance, and they were incapable of hearing

18:102  So, do the ones who have disbelieved reckon that they may take to themselves My bondmen as patrons, apart from Me? Surely We have readied Hell for the disbelievers 'hospitality

18:103  Say, "Shall we fully inform you who will be the greatest losers in their deeds?"

18:104  The ones whose endeavor errs away in the present life, (Literally: the lowly life, i.e., the life of this world) and they reckon that they are doing fair work

18:105  Those are they who have disbelieved in the signs of their Lord, and the meeting with Him, so their deeds have (been) frustrated. Then on the Day of the Resurrection We will not set up for them any weight (i.e., their deeds will not be counted in the Balance with good deeds)

18:106  That is their recompense: Hell, for that they disbelieved and took to themselves My signs and My Messengers in mockery

18:107  Surely the ones who have believed and done deeds of righteousness, the Gardens of Paradise will (duly) be their hospitality

18:108  Eternally therein, they seek no transfer out of them

18:109  Say, "If the sea were (a constant) supply (Some interpret the word as "ink") for the Words of my Lord, indeed the sea would be depleted before the Words of my Lord are depleted, (even) if We come with a replenishment the like of it."

18:110  Say, "Surely I am only a mortal the like of you: it is revealed to me that surely your God is only One God. So whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord, then let him do righteous deed (s) and not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord