Al-Muddaththir

And from his narration on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas that he said regarding the interpretation of Allah's saying (O thou enveloped in your cloak): '(O thou enveloped in your cloak) addressing the Prophet (pbuh) who had enveloped himself in his cloak to sleep

(Arise and warn!) warn people and call them to profess Allah's divine Oneness.

(Your Lord magnify) Exonerate your Lord from what the idol worshippers say about Him,

(Your raiment purify) from filth; it is also said this means: and shorten your raiment; and it is also said this means: purify your heart from betrayal, treachery and exasperation; i.e. be pure of heart,

(Pollution shun!) shun all sins and do not go near them.

(And show not favour, seeking worldly gain!) such that you give a little and receive instead what is more and better in the life of the world; it is also said this means: do not deem the works you do for Allah to be too much.

(For the sake of thy Lord, be patient!) Be patient in the worship and obedience of your Lord.

(For when the trumpet shall sound) which is the sound of the Trumpet announcing the Resurrection,

(Surely that day) i.e. the Day of Judgement (will be a day of anguish) will be a severe day,

(Not of ease, for disbelievers) i.e. its horrors and torment are not easy for the disbelievers.

(Leave Me) O Muhammad ((to deal) with him whom I created lonely) without wealth, children or spouse, this is a threat from Allah to al-Walid Ibn al-Mughirah al-Makhzumi.

(And then) afterwards (bestowed upon him ample means) of all kinds, and his wealth kept increasing until he had in his possession 9,000 measures of silver,

(And sons abiding in his presence) never out of his sight. He had ten sons.

(And made (life) smooth for him) he had his wealth piled up just as one piles up couches on top of each other.

(Yet he) i.e. al-Walid (desireth that I should give more) wealth while disobeying and disbelieving in Me.

(Nay!) I will not give him more. And since then his wealth kept decreasing. (For lo! He) i.e. al-Walid Ibn al-Mughirah (hath been stubborn to Our revelations) to Our Scripture and Messenger; he turned away from them in disbelief.

(On him I shall impose a fearful doom) I shall make him climb a smooth rock in the Fire such that whenever he puts his hands on it, he wwould melt, and then he will be restored to how he used to be; it is also said that Allah will make him climb a rock of copper which pulls him from the front and hits him from the back.

(For lo! He) i.e. al-Walid Ibn al-Mughirah (did consider) within himself the matter of Muhammad (pbuh); (then he planned) to say that he is a wizard

((Self) destroyed is he) cursed is he, (how he planned!) his saying about Muhammad (pbuh)

(Again (self) destroyed is he) again cursed is he, (how he planned!) his saying about Muhammad (pbuh)

(Then looked he) he considered again his saying that the Prophet was a wizard; it is also said that this means: then he considered the words of the prophetic Companions when they said to him: �Come and join that which is good, O Ibn al-Mughirah!�,

(Then frowned he and showed displeasure.

Then turned he away) from the Companions of the Prophet (pbuh) and returned to his family (in pride) too proud to accept faith and listen to them.

(And said: This) which Muhammad (pbuh) says (is naught else than magic from of old) magic which he took from Musaylimah the liar in al-Yamamah and he is now relating it to us; it is also said that this means: what he says is taken from Jabr and Yasar;

(This) which Muhammad (pbuh) says, is (naught else than speech of mortal man) the speech of Jabr and Yasar.

(Him) al-Walid Ibn al-Mughirah (shall I fling) in the Hereafter (unto the burning) unto the fourth gate of the Fire.

(Ah, what will convey unto thee) O Muhammad (what that burning is!

It leaveth naught) any of their flesh except that it devours it; (It spareth naught) and it devours them when they are restored again to their former shape.

(It shriveleth the man) it disfigures their bodies and darkens their faces.

(Above it) above the Fire (are nineteen) angels; they are the keepers of the Fire.

(We have appointed) We set on the dwellers of the Fire (only angels) the keepers of the Fire (to be wardens of the Fire, and their number have We made) and We have not mentioned the fewness of the keepers of the Fire save (to be a stumbling block) except in order to be a calamity (for those who disbelieve) the disbelievers of Mecca: Abu'l-Ashadd Ibn Usayd Ibn Kildah who said: �I will take care of seventeen angels, nine on my back and eight on my chest; therefore you should take care of the other two�; (that those to whom the scripture) the Torah, i.e. 'Abdullah Ibn Salam and his followers, for it is written in the Torah that the number of the keepers of the Fire is nineteen (hath been given may have certainty, and that believers may increase in faith) when they know that what is in their Scripture is similar to that which is in the Torah; (and that those to whom the Scripture hath been given) 'Abdullah Ibn Salam and his followers, when they see that there is no difference between what is in the Qur'an and that which is in the Torah (and believers) also for the same reason (may not doubt; and that those in whose hearts there is disease) doubt and hypocrisy, (and disbelievers) the Jews and Christians; and it is said: the disbelievers of Mecca, (may say: What meaneth Allah by this similitude) when he mentioned the small number of angels who are in charge of the Fire? (Thus Allah sendeth astray) through this similitude (whom He will) whomever deserves it, (and whom He will) and whomever deserves (He guideth) by means of this similitude. (None knoweth the hosts of your Lord) among the angels (save Him. This is) i.e. Saqar, the fourth gate of the Fire (naught else than a Reminder unto mortals) an admonition to people in order to warn them.

(Nay, by the Moon) Allah swore by the moon

(And the night when it withdraweth

And the dawn when it shineth forth.

Lo! this is) i.e. Saqar (one of the greatest (portents)) this is one of the gates of the Fire; other gates include: Jahannam, Laza, al-Hutamah, al-Sa'ir, al-Jahim, and al-Hawiyah.

(As a warning unto men) it is also said this means: Muhammad (pbuh) is a warner unto mankind. This leads us to the beginning of the surah and Allah's saying (Arise and warn), this latter part being mentioned last when it is the first part of the sequence,

(Unto him of you who will advance) towards goodness (or hang back) from evil and therefore holds back from it; it is also said this means: or hang back from goodness and therefore disbelieve; this being a threat to them.

(Every soul) every disbelieving soul (is a pledge) in the Fire for eternity (for its own deeds) which it has earned in its state of disbelief;

(Save these who will stand on the right hand) who are the dwellers of Paradise who are not the same.

Rather, they are (In Gardens they will ask one another

Concerning the guilty) they will ask the dwellers of the Fire:

O so-and-so (What hath brought you to this burning?

They will answer) the dwellers of the Fire will answer: (We were not of those who prayed) the five daily prayers, i.e. we were not among the Muslims.

(Nor did we feed the wretched) we did not encourage giving alms to the needy nor were we among those who gave the poor-due or alms.

(We used to wade (in vain dispute) with (all) waders) we used to indulge with the adherents of falsehood,

(And we used to deny the Day of Judgement) and we used to say that the Day of Reckoning will never happen,

(Till the inevitable came unto us) until death came to us.

(The mediation of no mediators will avail them then) Allah says: the intercession of the angels, prophets and righteous ones will not benefit them.

(Why now turn they away from) disbelieve in (the Admonishment) the Qur'an

(As they were frightened asses

Fleeing from a lion) and it is said: from marksmen: and it is said: from a group of men?

(Nay, but everyone of them desireth that he should be given open pages (from Allah)) a book wherein is written his crimes and repentance, for they said: �bring us a book in which is written our crimes and repentance and we will believe in you�.

(Nay, verily) he will not be given this. (They fear not the Hereafter) they do not fear the torment of the Hereafter.

(Nay, verily) O Muhammad. (Lo! this is an Admonishment) whoever wishes to take admonition from the Qur'an, will be admonished.

(So whosoever will may heed) may take admonition.

(And they will not heed unless Allah willeth (it). He is the fount of fear) He deserves to be feared such that He is not disobeyed. (He is the fount of Mercy) He is capable of forgiving those who repent, for He is the possessor of forgiveness when the Day of Resurrection takes place'.