The Cave · Surah 18

And we intended that their Lord should change him for them for one better in purity and nearer to mercy

And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and there was beneath it a treasure belonging to them, and their father had been righteous, and thy Lord intended that they should come to their full strength and should bring forth their treasure as a mercy from their Lord; and I did it not upon my own command. Such is the interpretation of that wherewith thou couldst not bear

They will ask thee of Dhu'l-Qarneyn. Say: I shall recite unto you a remembrance of him

Lo! We made him strong in the land and gave him unto every thing a road

And he followed a road

Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness

He said: As for him who doeth wrong, we shall punish him, and then he will be brought back unto his Lord, Who will punish him with awful punishment

But as for him who believeth and doeth right, good will be his reward, and We shall speak unto him a mild command

Then he followed a road

Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom

So (it was). And We knew all concerning him

Then he followed a road

Till, when he came between the two mountains, he found upon their hither side a folk that scarce could understand a saying

They said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Lo! Gog and Magog are spoiling the land. So may we pay thee tribute on condition that thou set a barrier between us and them

He said: That wherein my Lord hath established me is better (than your tribute). Do but help me with strength (of men), I will set between you and them a bank

Give me pieces of iron - till, when he had levelled up (the gap) between the cliffs, he said: Blow! - till, when he had made it a fire, he said: Bring me molten copper to pour thereon

And (Gog and Magog) were not able to surmount, nor could they pierce (it)

He said: This is a mercy from my Lord; but when the promise of my Lord cometh to pass, He will lay it low, for the promise of my Lord is true

And on that day we shall let some of them surge against others, and the Trumpet will be blown. Then We shall gather them together in one gathering

On that day we shall present hell to the disbelievers, plain to view

Those whose eyes were hoodwinked from My reminder, and who could not bear to hear

Do the disbelievers reckon that they can choose My bondmen as protecting friends beside Me? Lo! We have prepared hell as a welcome for the disbelievers

Say: Shall We inform you who will be the greatest losers by their works

Those whose effort goeth astray in the life of the world, and yet they reckon that they do good work

Those are they who disbelieve in the revelations of their Lord and in the meeting with Him. Therefor their works are vain, and on the Day of Resurrection We assign no weight to them

That is their reward: hell, because they disbelieved, and made a jest of Our revelations and Our messengers

Lo! those who believe and do good works, theirs are the Gardens of Paradise for welcome

Wherein they will abide, with no desire to be removed from thence

Say: Though the sea became ink for the Words of my Lord, verily the sea would be used up before the words of my Lord were exhausted, even though We brought the like thereof to help

Say: I am only a mortal like you. My Lord inspireth in me that your Allah is only One Allah. And whoever hopeth for the meeting with his Lord, let him do righteous work, and make none sharer of the worship due unto his Lord