Sura 74

Surah 74. The Cloaked One, The Man Wearing A Cloak

74:1. O thou wrapped up (in the mantle - 1 kings 19:19)!
74:2. Arise and deliver thy warning!
74:3. And thy Lord do thou magnify!
74:4. And thy garments keep free from stain (Eccl. 9:8; Rev. 16:15)!
74:5. And all abomination shun!
74:6. Nor expect, in giving, any increase (for thyself)!
74:7. But, for thy Lord's (Cause), be Patient and Constant!
74:8. Finally, when the Trumpet is sounded (Revelation 10:7; 16:17),
74:9. That will be - that Day - a Day of Distress,-
74:10. Far from easy for those without Faith.
74:11. Leave Me alone, (to deal) with the (creature) whom I created (bare and) alone!-
74:12. To whom I granted resources in abundance,
74:13. And sons to be by his side!-
74:14. To whom I made (life) smooth and comfortable!
74:15. Yet is he greedy - that I should add (yet more);-
74:16. By no means! For to Our Signs he has been contradictory!
74:17. Soon will I visit him with a mountain of calamities!
74:18. For he thought and he plotted;-
74:19. And woe to him! How he plotted!-
74:20. Yea, Woe to him: how he plotted!-
74:21. Then he looked round;
74:22. Then he frowned and he scowled;
74:23. Then he turned back and was haughty;
74:24. Then said he: "This is nothing but magic, derived from of old;
74:25. This is nothing but the word of a mortal!"
74:26. Soon will I cast him into Hell-Fire!
74:27. And what will explain to thee what Hell-Fire is?
74:28. Nothing doth it permit to endure, and nothing doth it leave alone!-
74:29. Darkening and changing the colour of man!
74:30. Over it are Nineteen.
74:31. And We have set none but angels as Guardians of The Fire; and We have fixed their number only as a trial for Unbelievers,- in order that the People of The Book may arrive at certainty, and the Believers may increase in Faith,- and that no doubts may be left for the People of The Book and the Believers, and that those in whose hearts is a disease and the Unbelievers may say, "What symbol doth "I AM" intend by this?" Thus doth "I AM" leave to stray whom He pleaseth, and guide whom He pleaseth: and none can know the "Forces" of thy Lord, except He and this is no other than a warning to mankind.
74:32. Nay, verily: by the Moon,
74:33. And by the Night as it retreateth,
74:34. And by the Dawn as it shineth forth,-
74:35. This is only one of the mighty (portents),
74:36. A warning to mankind,-
74:37. To any of you that chooses to press forward, or to follow behind;-
74:38. Every soul will be (held) in pledge for its deeds.
74:39. Except the Companions of the Right Hand (Matthew 25:33).
74:40. (They will be) in Gardens (of Delight): they will question each other,
74:41. And (ask) of the Sinners:
74:42. "What led you into Hell Fire?"
74:43. They will say: "We were not of those who consulted God (Sura 42:38);
74:44. Nor were we of those who fed the destitute;
74:45. But we used to talk vanities with vain talkers;
74:46. And we used to deny The Day of Judgment,
74:47. Until there came to us (The Hour) that is certain."
74:48. Then will no intercession of (any) intercessors profit them.
74:49. Then what is the matter with them that they turn away from advice?-
74:50. As if they were affrighted asses,
74:51. Fleeing from a lion!
74:52. No doubt, each one of them wants to be given scrolls (of revelation) spread out!
74:53. By no means! But they fear not the Hereafter,
74:54. Nay, this surely is a warning:
74:55. Let any who will, keep it in remembrance!
74:56. But none will keep it in remembrance except as "I AM" wills: He is the Lord of Righteousness, and the Lord of Forgiveness.

JAH