The Hidden Secret (Al-Muddath-thir)
In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate
O YOU ENFOLDED in your mantle (of reform), 1 Arise and warn! 2 and magnify the glory of your Lord, 3 And thine inner self purify! 4 and shun uncleanness, 5 Do not bestow favours in expectation of return, 6 but unto thy Sustainer turn in patience. 7 And when the trumpet is blown, 8 That, at that time, shall be a difficult day, 9 Far from easy for those without Faith. 10 Leave Me alone with he whom I created 11 and designated for him ample wealth, 12 and sons standing before him, 13 And made life smooth and comfortable for him! 14 Then he desires that I should add more. 15 Not at all! Surely, he has been disobedient to Our verses. 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 reflected, and then determined 18 (Self-)destroyed is he, how he planned! 19 And once more let him be cursed, how he plotted! 20 May he be condemned again for his schemes! He looked around, 21 Then he frowned and scowled; 22 Then turned he away in pride 23 Then he said: "This is nothing but magic from that of old; 24 This is not but the word of a human being." 25 I will soon fling him into hell. 26 Would that you really knew what hell is! 27 It leaveth naught; it spareth naught 28 scorching the flesh; 29 there are nineteen [angels] in charge of it -- 30 We have appointed none but angels as the keepers of the Fire, and We have not made their number but as a trial for the unbelievers so that those who have been endowed with the Book will be convinced and the believers' faith will increase, and neither those who have been endowed with the Book nor the believers will fall into any doubt. As for those in whose hearts there is a sickness as well as the unbelievers, they will say: “What did Allah aim at by this strange parable?” Thus does Allah let whomsoever He pleases to go astray, and directs whomsoever He pleases to the Right Way. And none knows the hosts of your Lord but He. (And Hell has only been mentioned here) that people may take heed. 31