The Hidden Secret (Al-Muddath-thir)
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace
O THOU [in thy solitude] enfolded! 1 stand up, deliver your warning, 2 And your Lord do magnify, 3 Thy raiment purify, 4 and defilement flee! 5 And do not through giving seek thyself to gain, 6 And for the sake of your Lord, be patient. 7 For when the trumpet is sounded, 8 it will be a hard day 9 For the disbelievers - not easy. 10 Leave Me with him whom I created alone, 11 And then granted him resources in abundance. 12 And children to be by his side! 13 and whom I have provided with every resource, 14 Yet he desireth that I should give more. 15 No! Indeed, he has been toward Our verses obstinate. 16 I will constrain him to a hard ascent. 17 For lo! he did consider; then he planned - 18 death seized him, how was his determining! 19 Then may he be destroyed [for] how he deliberated. 20 Then he looked, 21 Then frowned he and scowled. 22 Then turned he back, and grew stiff-necked. 23 He said, 'This is naught but a trumped-up sorcery; 24 This is nothing but the word of mortal man!" 25 [Hence,] I shall cause him to endure hell-fire [in the life to come]! 26 And what knoweth thou that which the Scorching Fire? 27 It spares not, neither leaves alone 28 it scorches (even) the skin. 29 Over it are nineteen [angels]. 30 For We have caused none but angelic powers to lord over the fire [of hell]; and We have not caused their number to be aught but a trial for those who are bent on denying the truth - to the end that they who have been granted revelation aforetime might be convinced [of the truth of this divine writ]; and that they who have attained to faith [in it] might grow yet more firm in their faith; and that [both] they who have been granted the earlier revelation and they who believe [in this one] might be freed of all doubt; and that they in whose hearts is disease and they who deny the truth outright might ask, "What does [your] God mean by this parable?" In this way God lets go astray him that wills [to go astray,] and guides aright him that wills [to be guided]. And none can comprehend thy Sustainers forces save Him alone: and all this is but a reminder to mortal man. 31