The Hidden Secret (Al-Muddath-thir)
In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate
O thou wrapped up (in the mantle)! 1 arise, and warn! 2 And your Lord (Allah) magnify! 3 purify your garments; 4 And stay away from idols. 5 and do not think that by doing such deeds, you have done a great favor to God. 6 For the sake of thy Lord, be patient! 7 When the Horn is blown, 8 that Day will be a hard and distressing Day. 9 Dolorous for the unbelievers. 10 Leave him to Me whom I created alone, 11 And then granted him resources in abundance. 12 and sons to be by his side, 13 and to whose life I gave so wide a scope: 14 and yet, he greedily desires that I give him even more! 15 Nay! For lo! he hath been stubborn to Our revelations. 16 We shall make him suffer the torment of hell without relief. 17 He reflected and then hatched a scheme. 18 And woe to him! How he plotted!- 19 Again (self-)destroyed is he, how he planned! - 20 and then he looks [around for new arguments,] 21 then frowned and scowled; 22 Then he turned back and was haughty; 23 and says, "All this is mere spellbinding eloquence handed down [from olden times]! 24 This is naught but the word of a mortal. 25 I will drive him into Saqar. 26 Would that you really knew what hell is! 27 It lets nothing remain and leaves nothing [unburned], 28 Scorching the skin. 29 Above it are nineteen. 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