18:21

ﱁAnd similarlyﱂWe made knownﱃabout themﱄthat they might knowﱅthatﱆ(the) Promiseﱇ(of) Allahﱈ(is) trueﱉand thatﱊ(about) the Hourﱋ(there is) noﱌdoubtﱍin itﱎWhenﱏthey disputedﱐamong themselvesﱑﱒabout their affairﱓand they saidﱔConstructﱕover themﱖﱗa structureﱘTheir Lordﱙknows bestﱚﱛabout themﱜSaidﱝthose whoﱞprevailedﱟinﱠtheir matterﱡSurely we will takeﱢover themﱣa place of worshipﱤ(21)

That is how We caused them to be discovered so that their people might know that Allah’s promise ˹of resurrection˺ is true and that there is no doubt about the Hour.1 When the people disputed with each other about the case of the youth ˹after their death˺,2 some proposed, “Build a structure around them. Their Lord knows best about them.” Those who prevailed in the matter said, “We will surely build a place of worship over them.”

18:22

ﱥThey sayﱦ(they were) threeﱧthe forth of themﱨtheir dogﱩand they sayﱪ(they were) fiveﱫthe sixth of themﱬtheir dog ﱭguessingﱮﱯabout the unseenﱰand they sayﱱ(they were) sevenﱲand the eight of themﱳﱴtheir dogﱵSayﱶMy Lordﱷknows bestﱸtheir numberﱹNoneﱺknows themﱻexceptﱼﱽa fewﱾSo (do) notﱿargueﲀabout themﲁexceptﲂ(with) an argumentﲃobviousﲄand (do) notﲅinquireﲆabout themﲇamong themﲈ(from) anyoneﲉ(22)

Some will say, “They were three, their dog was the fourth,” while others will say, “They were five, their dog was the sixth,” ˹only˺ guessing blindly. And others will say, “They were seven and their dog was the eighth.” Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “My Lord knows best their ˹exact˺ number. Only a few people know as well.” So do not argue about them except with sure knowledge,1 nor consult any of those ˹who debate˺ about them.

18:23

ﲊAnd (do) notﲋsayﲌof anythingﲍIndeed, Iﲎwill doﲏthatﲐtomorrowﲑ(23)

And never say of anything, “I will definitely do this tomorrow,”

18:24

ﲒExceptﲓIfﲔAllah willsﲕﲖAllah willsﲗAnd rememberﲘyour Lordﲙwhenﲚyou forgetﲛand sayﲜPerhapsﲝ[that]ﲞwill guide meﲟmy Lordﲠto a nearer (way)ﲡthanﲢthisﲣright wayﲤ(24)

without adding, “if Allah so wills!” But if you forget, then remember your Lord, and say, “I trust my Lord will guide me to what is more right than this.”

18:25

ﲥAnd they remainedﲦinﲧtheir caveﲨ(for) threeﲩhundredﲪyearsﲫand addﲬnineﲭ(25)

They had remained in their cave for three hundred years, adding nine.1

18:26

ﲮSayﲯAllahﲰknows bestﲱabout what (period)ﲲﲳthey remainedﲴFor Himﲵ(is the) unseenﲶ(of) the heavensﲷﲸand the earthﲹHow clearly He seesﲺ[of it]ﲻﲼAnd how clearly He hearsﲽNotﲾfor themﲿbesides Himﳀbesides Himﳁanyﳂprotectorﳃand notﳄHe sharesﳅ[in]ﳆHis Commandsﳇ(with) anyoneﳈ(26)

Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Allah knows best how long they stayed. With Him ˹alone˺ is ˹the knowledge of˺ the unseen of the heavens and the earth. How perfectly He hears and sees! They have no guardian besides Him, and He shares His command with none.”

18:27

ﳉAnd reciteﳊwhatﳋhas been revealedﳌto youﳍofﳎthe Bookﳏﳐ(of) your LordﳑNoneﳒcan changeﳓHis Wordsﳔand neverﳕyou will findﳖbesides Himﳗbesides Himﳘa refugeﳙ(27)

Recite what has been revealed to you from the Book of your Lord. None can change His Words, nor can you find any refuge besides Him.