Surah Al-Kahf (The Cave) in English

1. وكذلك أعثرنا عليهم ليعلموا أن وعد الله حق وأن الساعة لا ريب فيها إذ يتنازعون بينهم أمرهم فقالوا ابنوا عليهم بنيانا ربهم أعلم بهم قال الذين غلبوا على أمرهم لنتخذن عليهم مسجدا

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   So it was that We let them come upon them, that they might know that Allah’s promise is true, and that there is no doubt in the Hour. As they disputed among themselves about their matter, they said, ‘Build a building over them. Their Lord knows them best.’ Those who had the say in their matter said, ‘We will set up a place of worship over them.’

   wa-ka-dhālika ʾaʿtharnā ʿalayhim li-yaʿlamū ʾanna waʿda llāhi ḥaqqun wa-ʾanna s-sāʿata lā rayba fīhā ʾidh yatanāzaʿūna baynahum ʾamrahum fa-qālū bnū ʿalayhim bunyānan rabbuhum ʾaʿlamu bihim qāla lladhīna ghalabū ʿalā ʾamrihim la-nattakhidhanna ʿalayhim masjidan

2. سيقولون ثلاثة رابعهم كلبهم ويقولون خمسة سادسهم كلبهم رجما بالغيب ويقولون سبعة وثامنهم كلبهم قل ربي أعلم بعدتهم ما يعلمهم إلا قليل فلا تمار فيهم إلا مراء ظاهرا ولا تستفت فيهم منهم أحدا

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   They will say, ‘[They are] three; their dog is the fourth of them,’ and say, ‘[They are] five, their dog is the sixth of them,’ taking a shot at the invisible. They will say, ‘[They are] seven, their dog is the eighth of them.’ Say, ‘My Lord knows best their number, and none knows them except a few.’ So do not dispute concerning them, except for a seeming dispute, and do not question about them any of them.

   sa-yaqūlūna thalāthatun rābiʿuhum kalbuhum wa-yaqūlūna khamsatun sādisuhum kalbuhum rajman bi-l-ghaybi wa-yaqūlūna sabʿatun wa-thāminuhum kalbuhum qul rabbī ʾaʿlamu bi-ʿiddatihim mā yaʿlamuhum ʾillā qalīlun fa-lā tumāri fīhim ʾillā mirāʾan ẓāhiran wa-lā tastafti fīhim minhum ʾaḥadan

3. ولا تقولن لشيء إني فاعل ذلك غدا

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   Do not say about anything, ‘I will indeed do it tomorrow,’

   wa-lā taqūlanna li-shayʾin ʾinnī fāʿilun dhālika ghadan

4. إلا أن يشاء الله واذكر ربك إذا نسيت وقل عسى أن يهدين ربي لأقرب من هذا رشدا

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   without [adding], ‘God willing.’ And when you forget, remember your Lord, and say, ‘Maybe my Lord will guide me to [something] more akin to rectitude than this.’

   ʾillā ʾan yashāʾa llāhu wa-dhkur rabbaka ʾidhā nasīta wa-qul ʿasā ʾan yahdiyani rabbī li-ʾaqraba min hādhā rashadan

5. ولبثوا في كهفهم ثلاث مائة سنين وازدادوا تسعا

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   They remained in the Cave for three hundred years, and added nine more [to that number].

   wa-labithū fī kahfihim thalātha miʾatin sinīna wa-zdādū tisʿan

6. قل الله أعلم بما لبثوا له غيب السماوات والأرض أبصر به وأسمع ما لهم من دونه من ولي ولا يشرك في حكمه أحدا

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   Say, ‘Allah knows best how long they remained. To Him belongs the Unseen of the heavens and the earth. How well does He see! How well does He hear! They have no guardian besides Him, and none shares with Him in His judgement.’

   quli llāhu ʾaʿlamu bi-mā labithū lahū ghaybu s-samāwāti wa-l-ʾarḍi ʾabṣir bihī wa-ʾasmiʿ mā lahum min dūnihī min waliyyin wa-lā yushriku fī ḥukmihī ʾaḥadan

7. واتل ما أوحي إليك من كتاب ربك لا مبدل لكلماته ولن تجد من دونه ملتحدا

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   Recite what has been revealed to you from the Book of your Lord. Nothing can change His words, and you will never find any refuge besides Him.

   wa-tlu mā ʾūḥiya ʾilayka min kitābi rabbika lā mubaddila li-kalimātihī wa-lan tajida min dūnihī multaḥadan