In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
(1) All Praise be to God, Who sent down the Book to His Servant and ensured it stayed true without any changes.
(2) A straightforward Book to warn about a severe punishment from Him and to bring good news to believers who do good things that they'll get a fine reward.
(3) They get to enjoy it forever.
(4) It also warns those who say, "God has a son."
(5) They and their ancestors do not know of it. That is a big word coming out of their mouths. They're just telling a big lie.
(6) Don't let sadness consume you while chasing after those who don't believe in this message—you might end up hurting yourself.
(7) We have made everything on Earth look beautiful to see who behaves best among you.
(8) But eventually, We will turn it into dry land.
(9) Or did you think that the people of the cave and the inscription were Our only amazing signs?
(10) These young people went into a cave and prayed, saying, "God, give us mercy from Yourself and guide us in what we do."
(11) Then, We made them fall deep asleep in that cave for many years.
(12) Then, We woke them up to see which of the two groups could guess how long they had been asleep.
(13) We're telling you their story exactly as it happened. They were some young people who truly believed in their Lord, and because of that, We guided them even more.
(14) And We strengthened their hearts when they bravely said, "Our Lord is the One Who rules over everything in the heavens and the earth. We will never pray to anyone besides Him, or we would be saying a big, outrageous lie."
(15) They said to each other, "Those are our people who have taken other gods beside Him only if they bring clear evidence for these gods. Who could be more wrong than someone who makes up lies about God?
(16) And since you've stayed away from what they worship instead of God, head to the cave for safety. God will be Merciful to you and make your difficulty seem easy."
(17) Inside the cave, you would have seen the sunrise, moving away from them on one side, and set, moving away on the other side. It was one of God's miracles. Those whom God guides are genuinely blessed, while those who stray have no one to guide them.
(18) You would think they were awake, but they were asleep. We kept turning them from right to left, and their dog lay at the cave's entrance, stretching its forelegs. You would have been scared and run away if you had seen them.
(19) Nevertheless, We woke them up so they could chat. One of them asked, "How long have we been here?" They replied, "We've been here for just a day or part of a day." Then they said, "Your Lord knows better how long you've been here. Send one of you to the town with this money, find out what's good to eat, and bring some back. Be careful not to reveal yourselves.
(20) Indeed, if they discover you, they might stone you to death or force you to follow their beliefs. That won't end well for you."
(21) This is how God made their story known, so everyone could be sure that God's promise of life after death is true, and there's no doubt about the Day of Resurrection. When people argued about what to do with them after they had passed away, some suggested, "Let's build a building over them. God knows what's best for them." Those who prevailed in the matter said, "Absolutely, we'll build a special place to worship right over them."
(22) Some people will say, "They were three guys and their dog, that's four," while others will say, " It was five people, and the dog was number six," basically just making wild guesses. Then some say, "There were seven guys, and the dog was the eighth." But say, "Only God knows their actual count. Only a few people know as well." So don't waste time arguing unless you have the facts, and don't ask anyone for answers."
(23) Never confidently say, "I will do that tomorrow."
(24) Instead, say, "If it's God's will, I will do it." And when you forget, remember God and say, "Maybe God will guide me to make a better choice."
(25) And they stayed in their cave for a super long time, like three hundred years, adding nine.
(26) Say, "God knows exactly how long they were there. Only God knows everything about what happens in the heavens and the earth. He hears and sees perfectly! No one protects them except Him, and He doesn't share His rules with anyone."
(27) Recite what your Lord's Book says. No one can change His words, and you won't find true refuge with anyone else except Him.
(28) Stay patient and be around people who seek God's approval in the morning and evening. Don't be distracted by fancy stuff or follow someone who forgets about God and only cares about their desires. Keep your priorities straight.
(29) And tell them, "The truth is from your Lord. The choice is yours. Believe if you wish, or choose not to believe." We have prepared a Fire waiting for those who do wrong. It's like a wall of fire that wraps around them. When they cry out for help, they'll be met with water like molten brass, which scalds their faces. It's a terrible drink and a dreadful place.
(30) As for those who believe and do good deeds, We won't let their efforts go to waste.
(31) They'll have the Gardens of Bliss with rivers flowing beneath them. They'll wear golden bracelets and stylish silk and brocade outfits and relax on fancy couches. That's the best reward and the most beautiful place to rest.
(32) And tell them the story about the two friends. One had two vineyards, surrounded by palm trees and filled with crops.
(33) Both vineyards gave a great harvest without any losses, and even a river flowed through them.
(34) The owner of the vineyards bragged to his friend, "I'm richer and stronger than you."
(35) And he entered his vineyard, being unfair to himself, and said, "I don't think this will ever go away.
(36) And I don't think the Day of Judgment will ever come. And even if I have to return to my Lord, I believe He'll reward me with something even better than this."
(37) His friend responded while they were talking, "Do you forget to be grateful to the One Who created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop, and shaped you into a human being?
(38) But I'm devoted to God, my Lord, and I don't worship anyone else besides Him.
(39) And why didn't you say, when you entered your garden, 'This is God's will, and there's no power except through God'? Even though it seems like I have fewer riches and children than you.
(40) Maybe my Lord will give me something even better than your garden, or He might send a punishment from the sky, turning it into barren and dusty land.
(41) Or imagine if all the water in it disappeared into the ground, and you couldn't even find a drop!"
(42) Then his fields were utterly turned to ruins, and he began to wring his hands, regretting all the time and effort he had put into them. He cried, "Oh no! I wish I had never worshipped anyone besides my Lord."
(43) He felt so helpless, with no one to support him against God, and he couldn't even help himself.
(44) That is because God is the One in charge of everything. Support comes only from Him, and He always rewards in the best way possible.
(45) And tell them to think of this worldly life like plants on the ground. When rain comes from the sky, the plants grow well. But eventually, they dry up and get scattered by the wind. It's a reminder that God is Capable of everything.
(46) Money and children the adornments of this worldly life, but the things that last are the good stuff you do. Those good deeds are even better with your Lord and come with great rewards and hope.
(47) Picture this: one Day, all the big mountains will vanish, and the Earth will be wide open. Then, We will gather everyone together, and no one will be left behind.
(48) And imagine the Day when everyone will be lined up before their Lord. He'll say, "You have returned to Us, just like We created you the first time. Even though you insisted, We wouldn't set a time for your return."
(49) That's when the book of everyone's actions will be opened. The people who messed up will look at it and be super scared. They'll say, "Oh no, what's in this book? It lists every little thing we did, good or bad!" They'll realize that everything they did is right there in front of them. But remember, your Lord is always fair and never mistreats anyone.
(50) And remember when We once said to the angels, "Bow down to Adam,” and they all did except for Iblis. He was from the Jinn group and rebelled against his Lord’s command. Do you want to follow him and his descendants instead of Me, even though they are your enemies? That is the worst trade ever for those who do wrong.
(51) I didn't make them watch the creation of the heavens and the earth, and I didn't make them watch their creation either. I wouldn't have chosen the wrong ones as helpers.
(52) And imagine the Day when God says, “Call upon those partners you believed in,” then, they will call them, but no one will answer. And We will create a barrier between them, separating them."
(53) The wrongdoers will see the Fire and realize they're heading towards it, with no way to escape.
(54) And in the Quran, We've provided all kinds of examples for people, but most of the time, people keep arguing.
(55) People hesitate to believe and seek forgiveness from their Lord when guidance is given to them because they're waiting for some historical event to confirm it, or they want to see punishment right before them.
(56) And We only send messengers to deliver good news and warnings. However, those who don't believe try to twist the truth with lies to discredit it and make fun of My messages and the warnings they receive.
(57) Can you imagine someone doing worse than those who, when reminded of God's messages, turn away and forget about the mistakes they've made? We have put a curtain over their hearts, blocking them from understanding this Quran, and they can't hear the truth. They will never listen even if you invite them to the Right Way.
(58) Your Lord is All-Forgiving and Most Merciful. If He punished people right away for the wrong things they did, it would happen fast. But instead, there's a specific time set for it, and there's no escaping it.
(59) And We have destroyed cities when they insisted on doing wrong and reached a point of no return. And We had set a time for their destruction.
(60) And think about the story of Moses and his young helper. Moses told his helper, "I won't stop our journey until we reach where the two seas meet, even if it takes us ages."
(61) Then, when they finally reached that spot, they realized they had forgotten about their fish, and it mysteriously slipped away into the water.
(62) Feeling tired from their long journey, Moses told his helper, "Let's have some breakfast. We've been traveling for a while."
(63) His helper replied, "Remember when we took a break near that big rock? I completely forgot about the fish. I think Satan made me forget about it, and it ended up miraculously in the sea!"
(64) Moses said, "That's the place we were searching for!" So, they turned back and retraced their steps.
(65) Then, they met a servant of Ours 'known as Al-Khader' whom We gave mercy from Us and special knowledge.
(66) Moses was curious and asked, "Can I come with you and learn from the guidance and wisdom you've been given?"
(67) He warned, "It won't be easy to keep up with me. You might find it hard to be patient.
(68) And how can you stay calm when faced with stuff you don't know about?"
(69) Moses added, "I'll be patient and follow your instructions, as long as it's God's will, and I won't disobey your orders."
(70) Al-Khader advised, "Alright, but if you're coming with me, please don't ask me about anything until I choose to explain it to you."
(71) They started their journey, and then, once they got on a ship, Al-Khader made a hole in it. Moses said, "Did you do this to sink the ship and drown everyone? That's a terrible move!"
(72) He replied, "Did I not warn you that you wouldn't be able to stay patient with me?"
(73) Moses realized his mistake and said, "Please forgive me for forgetting, and do not make things hard for me."
(74) As they kept going, they met a boy, and Al-Khader sadly ended his life. Moses spoke up, "Did you just kill an innocent person who didn't hurt anyone? You have certainly done a horrible thing.”
(75) He replied, "Didn't I say you wouldn't be able to stay patient with me?"
(76) Moses said, "If I ask you anything else after this, please don't hang around with me. You've got my word on that."
(77) So, they continued their journey and arrived in a town, looking for food. Sadly, the people there refused to help them. But they noticed a wall about to fall, and Al-Khader fixed it. Moses couldn't help but wonder, "You could have charged for that, you know."
(78) Al-Khader explained, "This is where we part ways, and I'll tell you the reason for what you're curious about.
(79) Now, about the boat, it belonged to some poor folks who made a living by fishing. I intentionally damaged it because a king was taking everyone's boats by force after them.
(80) As for the boy, his parents were believers, but we were worried he might cause them trouble by being disrespectful and not believing.
(81) So, we hoped their Lord would replace him with someone better, who would be more kind and closer to mercy.
(82) And as for the wall. It belonged to two orphaned boys from the town, and beneath the wall, there was a treasure hidden that belonged to them. Their father was a good person. Your Lord wanted them to grow up before getting their treasure as an act of mercy from your Lord. I didn't do this on my own; this is your explanation of something you couldn't handle."
(83) And they are asking you about Thul-Qarnayn. Say, "I'll share a story about him as a reminder."
(84) We have given him a lot of resources and opportunities, and he used them wisely.
(85) So, he kept going on his journey.
(86) When he reached where the sun seemed to him to set in a hot, murky sea and found people there, We said, "Thul-Qarnayn, you can either punish them or treat them kindly."
(87) He said, "As for those who don't believe, we will punish them, and they'll be returned to their Lord, and He will punish them severely.
(88) But those who believe and do good deeds will get the best rewards, and we'll give them easy tasks."
(89) Then he used his skills and followed a path.
(90) Until he reached where the sun rose, he found people struggling in the scorching sun without shade.
(91) That's how it happened, and We knew all about him.
(92) Then, he continued using his skills and following his journey.
(93) Finally, he arrived at a narrow gap between two mountains and saw some people who had difficulty understanding his words.
(94) They said, "O Thul-Qarnayn! Gog and Magog are causing chaos around here. Can we pay you to help us build a wall between us and them?"
(95) He replied, "What my Lord has given me is better, but if you can help with your strength and some workers, we can build a wall to protect you from them.
(96) Get me some strong iron blocks." So, after creating a passage between two mountains and heating the iron, he said, "Blow on it. Bring me some melted copper to pour over it."
(97) As a result, the bad guys known as Gog and Magog couldn't climb or break through it.
(98) He said, "This is a mercy from my Lord. But when my Lord's promise comes, He'll level it to the ground, and my Lord always keeps His promises."
(99) On that Day, they'll be in chaos, mixing like waves in the sea. Then, a trumpet will be blown, and We'll gather them all up.
(100) And on that Day, We'll show Hell to those who don't believe.
(101) They are the ones who turned a blind eye to My Reminder and didn't listen.
(102) Do the non-believers think they can have My servants as their lords instead of Me? We've got Hell waiting for those who don't believe.
(103) Say, “Can I tell you who the biggest losers are in their actions?
(104) They are the ones whose efforts were a waste in this world because they thought they were doing good but weren't. "
(105) These people reject the signs from their Lord and the idea of meeting Him one Day. Because of this, their actions will have no value, and on the Day of Resurrection, they won't be weighed with importance.
(106) Their punishment is Hell because they didn't believe and made fun of My signs and messengers.
(107) But those who believe in God and do good things will be welcomed into the beautiful Gardens of Paradise.
(108) They'll get to stay there forever and won't even want to leave.
(109) Say, “Imagine this: If all the water in the sea were turned into ink and used to write down the words of my Lord, it would run out before His words would!”
(110) Say, “I'm just a regular person like you, and I'm here to tell you that there's Only One God. So, whoever wishes to meet his Lord one day, then let him do good things and not worship anyone else along with Him."