The Hidden Secret (Al-Muddath-thir)
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
O THOU [in thy solitude] enfolded! 1 Arise and warn, 2 and magnify the glory of your Lord, 3 And keep your clothes clean. 4 And all abomination shun! 5 do not bestow a favour in the expectation of receiving more in return; 6 And for the good-will of thy Lord be thou patient. 7 Then, when the Trumpet is sounded (i.e. its second blowing); 8 So that is a tough day. 9 and it will not be easy for the unbelievers. 10 Leave to Me the one, whom I have created all by Myself, 11 and designated for him ample wealth, 12 and sons that stand in witness. 13 And made several preparations for him. 14 After all that he desires that I should give more; 15 Not at all! Surely, he has been disobedient to Our verses. 16 I will constrain him to a hard ascent. 17 For lo! he did consider; then he planned - 18 and thus he destroys himself, the way he meditates: 19 Again, ruin seize him, how did he hatch a scheme? 20 and then he looks [around for new arguments,] 21 and then he frowns and glares, 22 then he retreated and waxed proud, 23 and said: “This (Qur'an) is merely a sorcery of yore; 24 This is naught but the word of a mortal. 25 I will cast him into the fire of Hell. 26 And what knoweth thou that which the Scorching Fire? 27 It neither leaves, nor spares. 28 It shrivelleth the man. 29 Over it are appointed 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