The Hidden Secret (Al-Muddath-thir)
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
O THOU [in thy solitude] enfolded! 1 Arise and warn! 2 And thine Lord magnify! 3 And thine inner self purify! 4 And all defilement shun! 5 And give not a thing in order to have more (or consider not your deeds of Allah's obedience as a favour to Allah). 6 And for the good-will of thy Lord be thou patient. 7 Then, when the Trumpet is sounded (i.e. its second blowing); 8 it will be a hard day 9 Dolorous for the unbelievers. 10 Leave to Me the one, whom I have created all by Myself, 11 and designated for him ample wealth, 12 And sons always present by his side, 13 And I adjusted affairs for him adjustably; 14 and who still desires more. 15 Never will he receive more. He has been hostile to Our revelations. 16 I shall inflict on him hardship, 17 For he had thought and calculated. 18 And woe to him! How he plotted!- 19 Again, may he be cursed how he plotted; 20 Then he looked round; 21 Then he frowned and he looked in a bad tempered way; 22 then he retreated, and waxed proud. 23 Then he said: "This is nothing but magic from that of old; 24 "This is nothing but the word of a human being!" 25 I shall surely roast him in Sakar; 26 And what knoweth thou that which the Scorching Fire? 27 It does not allow anyone to live, and neither does it leave anyone to die; 28 it scorches (even) the skin. 29 and it has nineteen angelic 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