Sūrah al-Muddaththir

O you enwrapped in the shawl! Arise and enhance the warning. Proclaim the greatness of your Lord only, cleanse the apparel of your soul, keep away from the filth of polytheism and [see that] you do not discontinue your endeavour regarding it to be more than enough, and with perseverance wait for the decision of your Lord.

Because when the trumpet is sounded, that day will be very severe. It will not be easy for these disbelievers. Leave to Me whom I created alone and bestowed abundant wealth spread about and sons abiding in his presence and well smoothed out for him the path of success and achievement. Then he expects that [when he has received so much in this world] I shall increase more for him [in the next]. Certainly not! He has turned out to be an enemy of Our revelations. [Therefore,] soon I shall make him climb a mounting slope.

[This wrongdoer,] he pondered and schemed. So, may God’s curse be on him; what has he schemed! Again may God’s curse be on him, what has he schemed. Then he looked [around him]. Then he frowned and scowled. Then he turned and scorned. Then said: “This is nothing but a magic [of eloquent words; the same] which is being handed down from the past. [This is no divine inspiration;] it is but the word of a mortal.”

[This wrongdoer,] I shall soon cast him into Hell. And what do you know what Hell is? It will neither show mercy nor spare [anyone], scorching the skin. Deputed over it are nineteen.¹

– We have deputed none but angels over Hell and have mentioned their number only to make it a test for the disbelievers. So that the People of the Book have conviction, the believers may increase in their faith, the People of the Book and the believers remain in no doubt about it and those [among the People of the Book] who have the ailment [of jealousy] in their hearts as well as the disbelievers [make fun of this and] say: “What does God mean by this mention?” In this way, God [according to His law] leads astray whomsoever He pleases and guides whomsoever He pleases. [They should never have any misconception about their knowledge; the fact is that] no one knows the armies of your Lord except Him. And this account is just a reminder for people.²

[This is not a matter to be made fun of or asked to be hastened.] Certainly not! The moon bears witness and the night also when it turned its back and the morning too when it shines forth that this matter of the Day of Judgement is from among the great matters narrated to warn a human being, for every person among you who wants to advance forward [to accept it] or backs away [after denying it]. Every soul [on that day] shall be held in pledge for its deeds except the people of the right hand. They will be in gardens. They will be inquiring from each other about these wrongdoers. They will ask them: “What has brought you into Hell?” They will reply: “[To our misfortune,] we were not among those who prayed nor did we feed the poor and used to quibble with these quibblers and used to deny the Day of Reckoning until there came the moment of certainty.”

At that time, no intercession of their intercessors will be of any use to them. So, what then is the matter with them that they are turning away from this reminder, as though they are frenzied asses fleeing for fear of a lion? Each one of them, in fact, desires that [instead of a prophet sent forth,] he be handed open scrolls [directly from God]. Certainly not! [This has never happened nor will it ever happen in the future]; in fact, the truth is that they have no fear of the Day of Judgement. [Do not go after them,] never! This is only a reminder. So, let him who wants, take heed – and they will not take any heed unless God [according to His law] so wants – [then let him who wants, take heed]. He alone is pious and worthy of being forgiven by his Lord.