The Hidden Secret (Al-Muddath-thir)
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
O thou shrouded in thy mantle, 1 Arise and warn 2 Thy Lord magnify, 3 And keep your clothes clean. 4 And uncleanliness avoid 5 Nor expect, in giving, any increase (for thyself)! 6 And persevere in the way of your Lord. 7 And [warn all men that] when the trumpet-call [of resurrection] is sounded, 8 That will be- that Day - a Day of Distress,- 9 Not easy upon the disbelievers. 10 Leave him to Me whom I created alone, 11 And then bestowed upon him ample means, 12 and sons to be by his side, 13 whose life I have made run smoothly 14 Yet he desires that I should give more. 15 Never! For he is an enemy to Our signs! 16 I will constrain him to a hard ascent. 17 Behold, [when Our messages are conveyed to one who is bent on denying the truth,] he reflects and meditates [as to how to disprove them] 18 So let him be cursed! How he plotted! 19 What an evil plan he has made! 20 He looked (at others); 21 And frowned and puckered his brow, 22 then he retreated and waxed proud, 23 Then said he: "This is nothing but magic, derived from of old; 24 This is naught but the word of a mortal. 25 I will cast him into hell. 26 What could make you conceive what hell-fire is? 27 It neither spares, nor releases, 28 It shrivelleth the man. 29 Over it are nineteen keepers. 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