The Hidden Secret (Al-Muddath-thir)
In the name of Allah, most benevolent, ever-merciful
O you who covers himself [with a garment], 1 stand up, deliver your warning, 2 Thy Lord magnify, 3 purify your garments; 4 And all defilement shun! 5 Give not, thinking to gain greater 6 Exercise patience to please your Lord. 7 For when the trumpet shall sound, 8 that Day will be a hard and distressing Day. 9 It will not be easy for those who deny the truth. 10 Leave to Me the one, whom I have created all by Myself, 11 And then granted him resources in abundance. 12 And sons dwelling in his presence, 13 and made all things smooth for him; 14 Yet he wants that I should give him more. 15 Never! For he is an enemy to Our signs! 16 [and so] I shall constrain him to endure a painful uphill climb! 17 He reflected and then hatched a scheme. 18 Ruin seize him, how did he hatch a scheme? 19 May be then be accursed, how he plotted! 20 May he be condemned again for his schemes! He looked around, 21 then he frowned and scowled, 22 then he retreated and grew proud 23 And said, “This is nothing but magic learnt from earlier men.” 24 this is nothing but the word of a mere mortal!” 25 I shall make him suffer the torment of hell. 26 And what could make thee conceive what hell-fire is? 27 Naught doth it permit to endure, and naught doth it leave alone!- 28 It glows and burns the skin. 29 Over it are appointed nineteen. 30 We have not appointed any one but angels as keepers of Hell, and their number that We have fixed is to make it a means of contention for disbelievers, so that those who were given the Book may be certain, and the faith of the believers may have greater increase, and the people of the Book and believers may not be deceived, and the sceptics and infidels may say: "What does God mean by this parable?" That is how God leads whosoever He will astray, and guides whosoever He will. None knows the armies of your Lord save Him self. This is no more than reminder for mankind. 31