The Hidden Secret (Al-Muddath-thir)
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
O YOU ENFOLDED in your mantle (of reform), 1 stand up, deliver your warning, 2 Thy Lord magnify, 3 Thy raiment purify, 4 and shun uncleanness, 5 And do not favour others in order to receive more. 6 And for the sake of your Lord, patiently endure. 7 And [warn all men that] when the trumpet-call [of resurrection] is sounded, 8 Truly, that Day will be a Hard Day. 9 Not of ease, for disbelievers. 10 Let Me alone with him whom I created lonely. 11 And gave him abundant wealth 12 And sons always present by his side, 13 and to whose life I gave so wide a scope: 14 Yet he desires that I should give more. 15 Never will he receive more. He has been hostile to Our revelations. 16 We shall make him suffer the torment of hell without relief. 17 For he had thought and calculated. 18 and woe to him; how he plotted! 19 And again perish he! How maliciously he devised! 20 Then looked he, 21 and then he frowns and glares, 22 and he turned his back and behaved arrogantly 23 Then said he: "This is nothing but magic, derived from of old; 24 this is nothing but the word of a mere mortal!” 25 Anon shall I roast him into the Scorching Fire. 26 and what will teach thee what is Sakar? 27 It neither leaves, nor spares. 28 It shrivelleth the man. 29 Over it are nineteen [powers]. 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