Surah Al-Kahf Verses 51–100

I did not make them witness to the creation of the heavens and the earth or to the creation of themselves, and I would not have taken the misguiders as assistants.

And [warn of] the Day when He will say, "Call My 'partners' whom you claimed," and they will invoke them, but they will not respond to them. And We will put between them [a valley of] destruction.

And the criminals will see the Fire and will be certain that they are to fall therein. And they will not find from it a way elsewhere.

And We have certainly diversified in this Qur’ān for the people from every [kind of] example; but man has ever been, most of anything, [prone to] dispute.

And nothing has prevented the people from believing when guidance came to them and from asking forgiveness of their Lord except that there [must] befall them the [accustomed] precedent of the former peoples⁷⁹⁴ or that the punishment should come [directly] before them.

And We send not the messengers except as bringers of good tidings and warners. And those who disbelieve dispute by [using] falsehood to [attempt to] invalidate thereby the truth and have taken My verses, and that of which they are warned, in ridicule.

And who is more unjust than one who is reminded of the verses of his Lord but turns away from them and forgets what his hands have put forth? Indeed, We have placed over their hearts coverings, lest they understand it, and in their ears deafness. And if you invite them to guidance - they will never be guided, then - ever.

And your Lord is the Forgiving, the possessor of mercy. If He were to impose blame upon them for what they earned, He would have hastened for them the punishment. Rather, for them is an appointment from which they will never find an escape.

And those cities - We destroyed them when they wronged, and We made for their destruction an appointed time.

And [mention] when Moses said to his boy [i.e., servant], "I will not cease [traveling] until I reach the junction of the two seas or continue for a long period."

But when they reached the junction between them, they forgot their fish, and it took its course into the sea, slipping away.

So when they had passed beyond it, [Moses] said to his boy, "Bring us our morning meal. We have certainly suffered in this, our journey, [much] fatigue."

He said, "Did you see when we retired to the rock? Indeed, I forgot [there] the fish. And none made me forget it except Satan - that I should mention it. And it took its course into the sea amazingly."

[Moses] said, "That is what we were seeking." So they returned, following their footprints.

And they found a servant from among Our servants [i.e., al-Khiḍr] to whom We had given mercy from Us and had taught him from Us a [certain] knowledge.

Moses said to him, "May I follow you on [the condition] that you teach me from what you have been taught of sound judgement?"

He said, "Indeed, with me you will never be able to have patience.

And how can you have patience for what you do not encompass in knowledge?"

[Moses] said, "You will find me, if Allāh wills, patient, and I will not disobey you in [any] order."

He said, "Then if you follow me, do not ask me about anything until I make to you about it mention [i.e., explanation]."

So they set out, until when they had embarked on the ship, he [i.e., al-Khiḍr] tore it open. [Moses] said, "Have you torn it open to drown its people? You have certainly done a grave thing."

[Al-Khiḍr] said, "Did I not say that with me you would never be able to have patience?"

[Moses] said, "Do not blame me for what I forgot and do not overwhelm me in my matter with difficulty."

So they set out, until when they met a boy, he [i.e., al-Khiḍr] killed him. [Moses] said, "Have you killed a pure soul for other than [having killed] a soul? You have certainly done a deplorable thing."

[Al-Khiḍr] said, "Did I not tell you that with me you would never be able to have patience?"

[Moses] said, "If I should ask you about anything after this, then do not keep me as a companion. You have obtained from me an excuse."

So they set out, until when they came to the people of a town, they asked its people for food, but they refused to offer them hospitality. And they found therein a wall about to collapse, so he [i.e., al-Khiḍr] restored it. [Moses] said, "If you wished, you could have taken for it a payment."

[Al-Khiḍr] said, "This is parting between me and you. I will inform you of the interpretation of that about which you could not have patience.

As for the ship, it belonged to poor people working at sea. So I intended to cause defect in it as there was after them a king who seized every [good] ship by force.

And as for the boy, his parents were believers, and we feared that he would overburden them by transgression and disbelief.

So we intended that their Lord should substitute for them one better than him 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 for them, and their father had been righteous. So your Lord intended that they reach maturity and extract their treasure, as a mercy from your Lord. And I did it not of my own accord. That is the interpretation of that about which you could not have patience."

And they ask you, [O Muḥammad], about Dhul-Qarnayn. Say, "I will recite to you about him a report."

Indeed, We established him upon the earth, and We gave him from everything a way [i.e., means].

So he followed a way

Until, when he reached the setting of the sun [i.e., the west], he found it [as if] setting in a body of dark water,⁷⁹⁵ and he found near it a people. We [i.e., Allāh] said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, either you punish [them] or else adopt among them [a way of] goodness."

He said, "As for one who wrongs,⁷⁹⁶ we will punish him. Then he will be returned to his Lord, and He will punish him with a terrible punishment [i.e., Hellfire].

But as for one who believes and does righteousness, he will have a reward of the best [i.e., Paradise], and we [i.e., Dhul-Qarnayn] will speak to him from our command with ease."

Then he followed a way

Until, when he came to the rising of the sun [i.e., the east], he found it rising on a people for whom We had not made against it any shield.

Thus.⁷⁹⁷ And We had encompassed [all] that he had in knowledge.

Then he followed a way

Until, when he reached [a pass] between two mountains, he found beside them a people who could hardly understand [his] speech.

They said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, indeed Gog and Magog⁷⁹⁸ are [great] corrupters in the land. So may we assign for you an expenditure that you might make between us and them a barrier?"

He said, "That in which my Lord has established me is better [than what you offer], but assist me with strength [i.e., manpower]; I will make between you and them a dam.

Bring me bars of iron" - until, when he had leveled [them] between the two mountain walls, he said, "Blow [with bellows]," until when he had made it [like] fire, he said, "Bring me, that I may pour over it molten copper."

So they [i.e., Gog and Magog] were unable to pass over it, nor were they able [to effect] in it any penetration.

[Dhul-Qarnayn] said, "This is a mercy from my Lord; but when the promise of my Lord⁷⁹⁹ comes [i.e., approaches], He will make it level, and ever is the promise of my Lord true."

And We will leave them that day⁸⁰⁰ surging over each other, and [then] the Horn will be blown, and We will assemble them in [one] assembly.

And We will present Hell that Day to the disbelievers, on display -