The Hidden Secret (Al-Muddath-thir)
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
O YOU ENFOLDED in your mantle (of reform), 1 arise and give warning! 2 Glorify your Lord, 3 and purify your clothing, 4 And uncleanliness avoid 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 When the Trumpet shall be sounded, 8 That, at that time, shall be a difficult day, 9 and it will not be easy for the unbelievers. 10 Let Me alone with him whom I created lonely. 11 And to whom I granted extensive wealth 12 And gave him sons present before him. 13 and made all things smooth for him; 14 Yet he desires that I should give more. 15 Never will he receive more. He has been hostile to Our revelations. 16 I will cover him with arduous torment. 17 For he thought and he plotted;- 18 So may he be destroyed [for] how he deliberated. 19 Again, ruin seize him, how did he hatch a scheme? 20 Then looked he, 21 And frowned and puckered his brow, 22 Then he turned back and was big with pride, 23 He said, 'This is naught but a trumped-up sorcery; 24 Naught is this but the word of Man. 25 Soon I will cast him into hell. 26 What do you think Hell-fire is? 27 It lets nothing remain and leaves nothing [unburned], 28 scorching the flesh; 29 Over it are Nineteen. 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