The Hidden Secret (Al-Muddath-thir)
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
O you who covers himself [with a garment], 1 Arise and deliver thy warning! 2 Glorify your Lord, 3 And thine raiment purify. 4 Pollution shun! 5 And do not through giving seek thyself to gain, 6 Exercise patience to please your Lord. 7 Finally, when the Trumpet is sounded, 8 Surely that day will be a day of anguish, 9 Not of ease, for disbelievers. 10 Leave Me and him whom I created alone, 11 And gave him abundant wealth 12 And children to be by his side! 13 And made things easy for them. 14 Yet he wants that I should give him more. 15 By no means! Verily he hath been unto Our signs a foe. 16 I shall oblige him to (climb a slippery mountain in the Hell-fire called As-Sa'ud, or to) face a severe torment! 17 He planned and plotted. 18 death seize him, how he determined! 19 Again accursed be he, how evilly did he decide! 20 Then he looked, 21 Then he frowned and he looked in a bad tempered way; 22 then he retreated and waxed proud, 23 And said: "This is nothing but the magic of old, 24 This is nothing but the word of mortal man!" 25 I shall surely roast him in Sakar; 26 And what do you know what Hell is? 27 It leaves nothing, nor does it spare; 28 Blackening the skins. 29 Over it are nineteen (angels as guardians and keepers of Hell). 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