The Hidden Secret (Al-Muddath-thir)
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
O thou enveloped! 1 Arise and warn! 2 And thy Lord do thou magnify! 3 And thine raiment purify. 4 And uncleanliness avoid 5 do not bestow a favour in the expectation of receiving more in return; 6 and for the sake of your Lord, be patient. 7 For when the trumpet shall sound, 8 So that is a tough day. 9 Far from easy for those without Faith. 10 LEAVE Me alone [to deal] with him whom I have created alone, 11 and to whom I have granted resources in abundance, 12 and sons to be by his side, 13 And made life smooth and comfortable for him! 14 and who still greedily desires that I should bestow upon him more. 15 Never. He is refractory of Our signs. 16 [and so] I shall constrain him to endure a painful uphill climb! 17 Verily he considered, and devised. 18 So may he be destroyed [for] how he deliberated. 19 Then may he be destroyed [for] how he deliberated. 20 Then he looked round; 21 and then he frowns and glares, 22 then he retreated, and waxed proud. 23 Then he said: This is naught but enchantment, narrated (from others); 24 This is naught but the word of a mortal. 25 [Hence,] I shall cause him to endure hell-fire [in the life to come]! 26 Would that you really knew what hell is! 27 It leaves naught nor does it spare aught. 28 Blackening the skins. 29 Over it are nineteen. 30 We have made only angels as the keepers of the fire (for they are the strongest in carrying out Our commands). Our informing (people) of the numbers of these angels is a trial for the disbelievers. It gives more certainty to the people of the Book and strengthens the faith of the believers. The people of the Book and the believers have no doubt about it. We have fixed the number to make the disbelievers and those whose hearts are sick say, "What does God mean by such a parable?" Thus, God guides and causes to go astray whomever He wants. No one knows about the army of your Lord except He Himself. This parable is a reminder for mankind. 31