74. Al-Muddaththir (المدثر)

O you covered [in your cloak][1],

arise and warn,

and proclaim the greatness of your Lord,

and purify your garments,

and shun idol worshiping[1],

and do not do a favor for a greater return[1],

and be patient for the sake of your Lord.

When the Trumpet is sounded[1],

that Day will be a difficult day,

not easy for the disbelievers.

Leave me to deal with the one whom I created lonely[1],

and gave him abundant wealth,

and sons by his side,

and gave him a life of comfort and power,

yet he aspires that I should give him more.

By no means! For he has been stubborn against Our verses.

I will subject him to an unbearable punishment.

For he reflected and plotted [against the Qur’an][1].

May he perish, how he plotted!

Again, may he perish, how he plotted!

Then he looked around,

then he frowned and scowled,

then turned away with arrogance,

then said, “This is nothing but magic from the past.

This is nothing but the words of a man.”

Soon I will make him burn in the Scorching Fire[1].

How do you know what Scorching Fire is?

It leaves nothing and spares no one,

scorching the skin.

It is overseen by nineteen [angels].

We have only appointed angels as keepers of the Fire, and We have only made their number as a test for the disbelievers[1], so that those who were given the Scripture may have certainty and the believers may increase in faith; and neither those who were given the Scripture nor the believers may have any doubts; and so that those [hypocrites] in whose hearts is sickness and the disbelievers may say, “What does Allah mean by this number?” Thus Allah causes to stray whom He wills and guides whom He wills, and none knows the soldiers of your Lord but He. This is but a reminder to mankind.

No indeed! By the moon,

and by the night when it departs,

and by the dawn when it brightens,

Hellfire is indeed one of the greatest matters,

a warning to mankind,

to whoever among you chooses to advance or regress.

Every soul is held in pledge[1] for its deeds,

except the People of the Right[1],

who will be in gardens, asking one another

about the wicked:

“What brought you to Hell?”

They will say, “We were not among those who prayed,

nor did we feed the poor,

and we indulged in falsehood along with those who indulged in it,

and we denied the Day of Judgment,

until the certainty [of death] came to us.”

So the intercession of intercessors will not benefit them.

Then what is the matter with them that they turn away from the Reminder,

as if they were terrified wild asses,

fleeing from a lion?

In fact, each one of them desires that open [divine] letters be sent to each of them[1].

By no means! They rather do not fear the Hereafter.

No indeed! This [Qur’an] is a reminder.

So whoever wills may take heed.

But they will not take heed unless Allah so wills. He is most worthy to be feared and most worthy to forgive.