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 Thy Lord magnify 3 And keep your clothes clean. 4 and defilement flee! 5 do not bestow a favour in the expectation of receiving more in return; 6 and be patient unto thy Lord. 7 For when the trumpet is sounded, 8 That shall be - that Day - a day hard. 9 and for the disbelievers, in particular, it will not be at all easy. 10 Leave Me alone, (to deal) with the (creature) whom I created (bare and) alone!- 11 and designated for him ample wealth, 12 and sons to be by his side, 13 and for whom I have smoothed the way (to power and riches), 14 Yet he desireth that I should give more. 15 No! Indeed, he has been toward Our verses obstinate. 16 I shall soon constrain him to a hard ascent. 17 Verily, he thought and plotted; 18 death seized him, how was his determining! 19 Then may he be destroyed [for] how he deliberated. 20 Then he looked, 21 Then frowned he and showed displeasure. 22 Then turned his back and waxed proud, 23 and says, "All this is mere spellbinding eloquence handed down [from olden times]! 24 "This is nothing but the word of a human being!" 25 Him shall I fling unto the burning. 26 And what could make thee conceive what hell-fire is? 27 It leaves and spares no one and nothing. 28 it scorches the skin; 29 and it has nineteen angelic keepers. 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