18:1  All the praises be to Allah Who has sent down to His servant (Muhammad) the book (the Qur’an) and has not placed therein any crookedness.

18:2  (He has made it) right to give warning (to the disbelievers) of a severe punishment from Him, and to give glad tidings to the believers who work righteous deeds so that they shall have a good reward (Paradise),

18:3  (they shall) abide in it forever.

18:4  Also to warn those who say: “Allah has begotten a son.”

18:5  They don’t have knowledge about it, nor did their forefathers. Mighty is the word that comes out of their mouths. They say nothing but a lie.

18:6  Perhaps, you would kill yourself (O Muhammad) in grief over their footsteps, because they don’t believe in this narration (the Qur’an).

18:7  Surely! We have made the earth with all kinds of adornments in order that We may test them (mankind) and to see which of them are best in deeds.

18:8  And surely We shall reduce what is on it (the earth) to a bare dry soil.

18:9  Do you think that the people of the cave and the inscription (news or name writing of the people of the cave) were a wonder among Our Signs?

18:10  (Remember) when the young men fled (for refuge from their disbelieving folk) to the cave, they said: “Our Lord! Bestow on us Mercy from You and facilitate for us in our affair to the Right Way!”

18:11  Therefore We covered on their ears (causing them into deep sleep) in the cave for a number of years,

18:12  then We raised them up (from sleep) so that We might test which of the 2 parties (believers and disbelievers) was best at calculating the time period for which they had stayed.

18:13  We narrate to you (O Muhammad) their story with truth. Surely they were young men who believed in their Lord and We increased them in guidance.

18:14  And We made their hearts firm and strong when they stood up and said: “Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, we shall never call upon any deity other than Him; for if we do, then we shall utter something improper (in disbelief).

18:15  These are our people who have taken for deities other than Him (Allah). Why do they not bring for them a clear authority? And who does more wrong than the one who invents a lie against Allah?”

18:16  (They consulted with one another and said): “Now we have withdrawn from them and denounced those deities whom they worship except Allah, then seek refuge in the cave; our Lord will open a way for us from His Mercy and will make easy for us in our affair.”

18:17  And you might have seen the sun when it rose, it declines to the right from their cave; and when it set, it turns away from them towards the left while they lay in the middle of the cave. That is one of the signs of Allah. Whoever He guides is rightly guided; but whoever He sends astray, you will never find guiding friend (to lead to the Right Way) for him.

18:18  And you would have thought them awake, though they were asleep. And We turned them to the right and to the left sides, while their dog stretched out its 2 forelegs at the entrance (of the cave). Had you looked at them, you would have certainly turned back from them in flight and (their sight) certainly would have filled with awe of them.

18:19  Thus, We awakened them (from long deep sleep) so that they could question among them. A speaker from them said: “How long have you stayed here?” They said: “Perhaps we have stayed here for a day or part of a day.” They said: “Our Lord knows best how long we have stayed here. So send one of us with our silver coin to the city, and let him find out which is the purest food, and let him bring us some of it. Let him be careful and don’t let anyone know our whereabouts.

18:20  Surely if they learn about you, they will stone you (to death), or turn you back into their religion, and in that case you will never ever be successful.”

18:21  And thus We made their case known so that people might know that the Promise of Allah is true and that there is no doubt about the Hour (of Judgment). (Remember) when they (the people of the city) disputed among themselves about their case, they said: “Construct a building over them, their Lord knows best about them.” Those who won on their point said: “Surely we shall build a place of worship over them.”

18:22  Some say they were 3 and their dog was the 4th of them. Others say they were 5 and their dog was the 6th of them guessing at the unseen. Yet, others say they were 7 and their dog was the 8th of them. Say (O Muhammad): “My Lord knows best their number. None knows them but a few.” So don’t debate about them except with clear proof and don’t consult about them (people of Cave) with anyone.

18:23  And never say of anything: “Surely I shall do that tomorrow,”

18:24  except that (say): “If Allah wills!” And remember your Lord when you forget and say: “I hope that my Lord will guide me to a closer way of guidance than this.”

18:25  And (some say) they stayed in their cave 300 years (solar) and add 9 (lunar years).

18:26  (O Muhammad) say: “Allah knows best how long they stayed. With Him is (the knowledge of) the unseen of the heavens and the earth. How clearly He sees with it and how clearly He hears! They did not have any helper other than Him, and He does not share in His Decision and rule with anyone.”

18:27  And recite what has been revealed to you (O Muhammad) from the book (the Qur’an) of your Lord. None can change His Words and you will never find a refuge other than Him.

18:28  Keep yourself (O Muhammad) patiently with those who call their Lord in the morning and the evening seeking His pleasure, and don’t let your eyes overlook them desiring the beauty of the life of the world; don’t obey the one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance, who follows own lusts and whose affair has been lost.

18:29  (O Muhammad) say: “The truth is from your Lord. Whoever wills let him believe, and whoever wills, let him disbelieve.” Surely, We have prepared a fire for the wrongdoers; its walls will surround them (disbelievers). If they ask for help, they will be granted water like boiling oil that will burn faces. Terrible is the drink and evil is the resting place!

18:30  Surely! Those who believe and do righteous deeds, We shall not lose the reward of him who does good deeds.

18:31  Those are the ones for them there will be gardens of Eden; rivers flow beneath them; they will be decorated therein with bracelets of gold, and they will wear green garments of fine and thick silk. They will recline therein on raised thrones. How good is the reward, and how excellent is the resting place!

18:32  And (O Muhammad) put forward to them the example of 2 men: We had given 2 gardens of grapes to one of them, We had surrounded them with date-palms, and had made cultivated fields between them.

18:33  Both the gardens brought forth their produce and did not fail in the least. We (even) caused a river to gush forth in the middle of them.

18:34  And there was abundant produce for him and he said to his companion while he was talking to him: “I have more wealth than you and stronger (in respect of) men.”

18:35  And he entered his garden while he was unjust to himself. He said: “I don’t think that this garden will ever perish!

18:36  And I don’t think the Hour will ever come. Even if I am brought back to my Lord, surely I shall find better than this at the end.”

18:37  His companion said to him while he was talking to him: “Do you disbelieve in Him Who created you out of dust, then out of semen, then fashioned you into a man?

18:38  He is my Lord and I shall not associate anyone with my Lord.

18:39  When you entered your garden, why did you not say: ‘It is as Allah wills! There is no power but with Allah!’ If you see me, I have less wealth than you and children,

18:40  it may be that my Lord will give me something better than your garden, and may send a punishment from the sky on it, then turn it into a slippery earth.

18:41  Or its water will become deep-sunken (dry underground) so that you will never be able to find it.”

18:42  (It so happened that) his fruits were surrounded (with ruin). He began twisting his hands (with sorrow) over what he had spent on it while all (fruits) were destroyed on their nets, and he said: “I wish I had not associated anyone with my Lord!”

18:43  And he could neither find anyone to help him other than Allah, nor could he defend himself.

18:44  The real power (protection) comes from Allah, the true one worthy of worship. He (Allah) is the best for reward and the best for the final end

18:45  And (O Muhammad) put forward for them the example of the worldly life. It is like water (rain) which We send down from the sky and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it. (But later it) becomes dry stalks which the winds scatter. And Allah has power over everything.

18:46  Wealth and children are the adornment of the worldly life. But the lasting righteous deeds are better with your Lord for rewards and better hope.

18:47  And (remember) the Day when We shall cause the mountains to move, you will see the earth as a leveled plain (of waste), We shall gather them, and will not leave anyone of them behind.

18:48  And they will be set before your Lord in rows (and Allah will say): “Now indeed you have come to Us as We created you the first time. Nay, but you thought that We had never appointed a meeting for you.”

18:49  And the book (one’s record) will be placed (before them), and you will see the sinners fearful of what is (recorded) in it. They will say: “Woe to us! What is the matter with this book? Neither it leaves out a small thing nor a big thing but has recorded it with numbers!” They will find all that they did and placed before them. Your Lord will not treat anyone with injustice.

18:50  And (remember) when We said to the angels: “Prostrate to Adam,” all prostrated except Satan. He was one of the jinns; he disobeyed the command of its Lord. Will you then take him (Satan) and its progeny as your protectors rather than Me while they are enemies to you? What an evil is the exchange for the wrongdoers!

18:51  (Allah) did not make them (Satan and its offspring) to witness the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor their own creation, nor I (Allah) took the misleaders (of mankind) as helpers.

18:52  And (remember) the Day when He will say: “Call those partners of Mine whom you claimed.” They will cry to them but they will not answer them and We shall put a barrier between them.

18:53  And the sinners will see the fire and realize that they have to fall therein. And they will not find a way of escape from it.

18:54  And indeed We explained every example in this Qur’an for mankind (to understand). But human is quarrelsome of most things.

18:55  And nothing prevents mankind from believing and asking forgiveness of their Lord when the guidance (the Qur’an) has come to them, except that the way of the ancients come upon them or the punishment come upon them face to face.

18:56  We sent the Messengers except as bearers of glad tidings and warners. But the disbelievers disputed with false argument in order to refute the truth. They took My Verses with which they were warned, as a joke!

18:57  And who is more unjust than the one who, when reminded of the Verses of the Lord, turns away from them and forgets what deeds its own hands have done? (For these people) surely, We have set veils over their hearts so they don’t understand it (the Qur’an), and their ears are (covered) with deafness. If you (O Muhammad) call them to the guidance, even then they will never be guided.

18:58  And your Lord is Forgiving, the Owner of Mercy. If He calls them to account for what they have earned, He would have hastened the punishment for them. But they have their appointed time, beyond which they will never find an escape.

18:59  And We destroyed these towns with them (Ad, Thamud inhabitants) when they did wrong. We appointed a fixed time for their destruction.

18:60  And (remember) when Moses said to his young servant: “I will not give up (traveling) until I reach the junction of the 2 seas or (until) I spend years (in traveling).”

18:61  But when they reached the junction between them, they forgot (about) their fish (they were carrying), which made its way through the sea as in a tunnel.

18:62  So when they had passed further on, he (Moses) said to his young servant: “Bring us our breakfast; truly we have suffered this fatigue in our journey.”

18:63  He replied: “Do you remember when we were resting ourselves beside the rock? Indeed I forgot the fish, none but Satan made me forget to remember it. It took its way into the sea in a strange way!”

18:64  (Moses) said: “That is what we have been seeking.” So they went back retracing their footsteps.

18:65  Then they found one of Our servant (Khidr) whom We had bestowed Mercy from Us, and We had taught him knowledge from Us.

18:66  Moses requested him: “May I follow you so that you may teach me something of that knowledge which you have been taught (by Allah)?

18:67  He (Khidr) said: “Surely! You will never be able to have patience with me,

18:68  how can you have patience about that which is beyond your knowledge?”

18:69  (Moses) said: “You will find me patient if Allah wills, and I will not disobey your command.”

18:70  He (Khidr) said: “Then, if you follow me, don’t ask me about anything until I myself mention it to you.”

18:71  So they both proceeded, till when they embarked in a ship, Khidr made a hole in it. Moses said: “Have you made a hole in it to drown its people? Surely, you have done a bad thing.”

18:72  He (Khidr) said: “Did I not tell you that you would never be able to have patience with me?”

18:73  (Moses) said: “Don’t call me to account for what I forgot, and don’t be hard on me for my affair (with you).”

18:74  Then they both proceeded till they met a boy, then Khidr killed him. Moses said: “Have you killed an innocent person who killed none? Surely, you have committed an evil thing!”

18:75  (Khidr) said: “Did I not tell you that you would never be able to have patience with me?”

18:76  (Moses) said: “If I ever ask you about anything after this, don’t keep me in your company, (If I ask again then) surely you will have an excuse in my case.”

18:77  Then they both proceeded, till they came to the people of a town. They asked its people for food, but they refused to entertain them. Then they found in it a wall that was about to collapse, so Khidr set it up straight. Moses said: “If you had wished, surely you could have taken some wages for it!”

18:78  (Khidr) said: “This is the parting (time) between me and you. (First) I will tell you the interpretation of those (acts) over which you could not have patience.

18:79  As for the ship, it belonged to poor people working in the sea. I intended to damage it as there was a king after them who was seizing every ship by force.

18:80  As for the boy, his parents were believers, and we feared lest he would oppress them by rebellion and disbelief.

18:81  So we intended that their Lord should exchange for them one (son) better than him in righteousness and near to mercy.

18:82  As for the wall, it belonged to 2 orphan boys in the town and there was a treasure for them under it. Since their father was a righteous man, your Lord intended that they should attain their age of full strength and then take out their treasure as a Mercy from your Lord. I did not do them by my own will. That is the interpretation of (those actions) over which you could not hold patience.”

18:83  And (O Muhammad) they ask you about Dhul-Qarnain. Say: “I shall recite to you something of him.”

18:84  Surely, We established him in the earth and gave him means of everything.

18:85  So he followed a way (towards the west)

18:86  until, when he reached the setting place of the sun, he found it setting in a spring of black muddy water. He found a people near it. We said: “O Dhul-Qarnain! Either you punish them, or treat them with kindness.”

18:87  He said (to people): “Whoever will do wrong, we shall punish him; then he will be brought back to the Lord, who will punish with a terrible punishment.

18:88  As for him who believes and does righteous deeds, he shall have the best reward (Paradise), and we (Dhul-Qarnain) shall speak to him with mild words.”

18:89  Then he followed another way (towards the east)

18:90  until, when he reached the rising place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had not provided any shelter against it (the sun).

18:91  (He left them) as it was! And We knew whatever information was with him (Dhul-Qarnain).

18:92  Then he followed (another) way

18:93  until, when he reached between 2 mountains where he found (near) them a people who almost did not understood a word.

18:94  They said: “O Dhul-Qarnain! Surely! (The people of) Gog and Magog are doing mischief in the land. Shall we pay to you a tribute in order that you make a barrier between us and them?”

18:95  He said: “What my Lord has granted me is better (than your tribute). Just help me with strength (manpower) and I will erect a barrier between you and them.

18:96  Give me pieces (blocks) of iron.” Until when he leveled the gap between the 2 mountain-cliffs, he said: “Blow,” until when he had made it (red iron) fire, he said: “Bring me molten copper to pour over it.”

18:97  So they (Gog and Magog) could not scale it nor could they dig through.

18:98  (Dhul-Qarnain) said: “This is a Mercy from my Lord. But when the Promise of my Lord will come, He shall make it flat (leveled). Promise of my Lord is true.”

18:99  And that Day (when Gog and Magog will come out), We shall leave some of people to surge like waves on others. The trumpet will be blown and We shall collect them (the creatures) all together.

18:100  On that Day We shall present hell to the disbelievers with plain view,

18:101  (to) those whose eyes had been under a covering from My Reminder (this Qur’an), and who could not bear to hear it.

18:102  Do the disbelievers then think that they can take My Servants as protectors besides Me? Surely, We have prepared hell as an entertainment for the disbelievers.

18:103  Say (O Muhammad): “Should We inform you of the greatest losers in respect of deeds?

18:104  Those whose efforts have been wasted in the worldly life while they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds

18:105  they are those who disbelieve in the Verses of their Lord and the meeting with Him (Hereafter). So their deeds will be in vain, We shall not assign any weight (reward) on the Day of Resurrection for them.

18:106  Thus their recompense will be hell; because they disbelieved, took My Verses and My Messengers as a joke.

18:107  Surely! Those who believe and do righteous deeds, they will be entertained with the gardens of Paradise.

18:108  They will reside in it forever. They will never desire for removal from there.”

18:109  Say (O Muhammad to mankind): “If the sea were ink for (writing) the Words of my Lord, the sea would be exhausted before the Words of my Lord would be exhausted, even if We brought (another sea) like it for its aid.”

18:110  Say (O Muhammad): “I am but a human like you. It has been revealed to me that your deity is One (Allah). So whoever has hopes for the meeting with the Lord, let him do righteous deeds and don’t associate anyone as a partner in the worship of the Lord.”