ollowers even as the Evil One prompteth his own. Erelong shalt thou
behold him in evident loss both in this world and in the world to come.
He, indeed, is among those whom an afflictive torment doth await. He
dispatched an epistle to someone in that land, a writ of the workers of
iniquity, in which he mocked God and recorded that which filled all
created things with dismay. Say: Canst thou find anyone to protect thee
when the wrath of God, the All-Powerful, the Unconstrained, is visited
upon thee?

14 Thus have We informed thee of that which lieth concealed within the
hearts of men. Verily, thy Lord is the Almighty, the All-Knowing. Arise
for the triumph of this Cause, and gather together My loved ones. Help
them to see the truth in this Day when the feet of men have slipped. Say:
It behoveth every true believer to assist his Lord. He, verily, is your
helper, while the people have no one to turn to in this Day.

15 Then We seized Mihdi,(83) to whom We had promised divine chastisement
in Our Books and Scriptures. When Our awful majesty encompassed him, he
entreated: "May I not retrace my steps?"

16 A voice exclaimed: "Woe betide thee, O disbeliever in the Day of
Resurrection! This is the nethermost fire, and its flames have been made
to blaze for thee. Thou didst forsake all righteous deeds in thy vain and
futile life, and now thou hast none to shield thee from God. Thou art
indeed he who caused all hearts to be consumed and the Holy Spirit to
lament."

17 He pleaded: "Is there yet no refuge for me?"

18 "Nay, by my Lord, even shouldst thou seek recourse to every possible
means!"

19 Thereupon he cried out in such distress as to cause the people of the
graves to tremble, and was seized by the Hand of invincible power. A voice
then proclaimed: "Return unto the seat of wrath in the fire of hell;
wretched and evil be thine abode!"

20 Thus did We lay hold on him as We laid hold on those who preceded him.
Behold their houses which We have left to the spiders, and take heed, O ye
who are endued with understanding! He it is who opposed God, and for whom
the verses of wrath were revealed in the Book. Blessed is he who readeth
it and pondereth its contents, for a goodly end doth in truth await him.

21 Thus have We recounted unto thee the tale of the evil-doers, that thine
eyes may be solaced. As for thee, there lieth in store naught but a
blissful end.

SURIY-I-MULUK

He is the