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ʿalayhā tisʿata ʿashara
There are nineteen [keepers] over it.
— Ali Quli Qarai
74Al-MuddathirالمدثرVerse 30 of 56
The Cloaked One74. Al-Muddathirالمدثر
al-Muddaththir
The Cloaked One
MeccanVerse 30 of 56
74Al-MuddathirالمدثرVerse 30 of 56
The Cloaked One
There are nineteen [keepers] over it.
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah al-Mudaththir – Verses 26-30
26. I will cast him soon into Hell.
27. And you are unaware of the Hell.
28. Hellfire neither spares nor leaves anything [unconsumed].
29. It totally alters the skin!
30. Over it are appointed nineteen angels of torment.
The preceding blessed Verses treated of the denial of the Holy Qur’an and the Prophetic call of Muhammad (S) by one of the chiefs of the polytheists. The blessed Verses in question make a reference to his horrible chastisement on the Day of Resurrection, saying that God Almighty will cast him soon into Hell burning him in the Fire. The Arabic nominal form saqar denotes alteration and melting down under the scorching heat of the sun. It is one of the attributes of the Hell, frequently mentioned in the Qur’anic Verses. The attribute alludes to the frightening torments awaiting the people of Hell. It is also suggested that it is the name of one of the horrible and lower stages of Hell.
Treating of the severity of the torments in store for the people of Hell, the blessed Verse 27 poses a question:
The question indicates that the torments in it will be so severe that they are imaginable in the same manner that the significance and the greatness of the Bounties in Paradise are unimaginable. The blessed Verse 28
may reflect that unlike the worldly fire that affects one part of the body leaving other parts unscathed, for instance it affects the body leaving intact the soul, Hellfire consumes man in its entirety leaving nothing behind. It is also suggested that Hellfire neither takes the life of the people of Hell nor does it keep them alive, but they are entangled at all times in a state between life and death, as reflected elsewhere in the Holy Qur’an:
The blessed Verse 29 provides another depiction of such burning Fire of Divine Wrath:
such that it shall be visible from afar. The Arabic clause lawwahatun li-’l-bashar indicates that the Fire blackens the complexion blacker than the dark of the night. The Arabic nominal form bashar herein implies complexion or it may serve as an instance of synecdoche alluding to mankind. The Arabic feminine present participial form lawwaha, cognate with lawh ("tablet") implies becoming clear and apparent, though it also connotes altering and making changes.
The blessed Verse 30,
reflects that they are not appointed to be compassionate, but they are supposed to severely chastise them. Although the blessed Verse solely makes mention of the number
without any explicit reference to the angels appointed to inflict chastisement, but the following Verse clearly reflects that the angels in charge of inflicting chastisement is intended herein. It is worthy of note that we human beings are bounded by the restrictions of the mundane world, are not fully aware of the precise nature of Resurrection, Paradise, and Hell, but what our knowledge consists of generalities. Thus, it is reported in traditions that each of these nineteen angels is so powerful that it may easily cast a large tribe into Hell.
The frailty of the thoughts of people like Abu Jahl is reflected herein that upon hearing the blessed Verse in question, he said derisively unto the Quraysh tribe:
"May your mothers mourn your death! Do you not hear what the man is saying?"
Pointing at the Noble Prophet (S), he said:
"He is saying that nineteen guardians guard the Hell, though each of the guardians may not be overcome by ten brave men of your large tribe." 14
These light headed enemies of the Islamic faith intended to impede the Light of Truth and rescue themselves from imminent perdition through such derisive remarks.
Footnotes