The Hidden Secret (Al-Muddath-thir)
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
O thou enveloped in thy cloak, 1 Arise and warn! 2 proclaim the greatness of your Lord, 3 And your garments 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 For when the trumpet shall sound, 8 that Day will be a hard and distressing Day. 9 Far from easy for those without Faith. 10 Leave him to Me, the one whom I created single. 11 and designated for him ample wealth, 12 And children present [with him] 13 and for whom I have smoothed the way (to power and riches), 14 Yet he desires that I should give more. 15 By no means! He has been stubbornly hostile to Our revelation: 16 We shall make him suffer the torment of hell without relief. 17 For he had thought and calculated. 18 Ruin seize him, how did he hatch a scheme? 19 Again, may he be cursed how he plotted; 20 Then he looked round; 21 then he frowned and scowled, 22 Then he turned back and was big with pride, 23 and said: “This (Qur'an) is merely a sorcery of yore; 24 "This is nothing but the word of a mortal!" 25 Soon I will cast him into hell. 26 What could make you conceive what hell-fire is? 27 It spares nothing; it leaves nothing intact; 28 Burning the skins! 29 Over it are nineteen (angels guarding). 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