The Town (Al-Balad)
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
۞ I swear by yonder city 1 And thou shalt be allowed in yonder city 2 And by the begetter (i.e. Adam) and that which he begot (i.e. his progeny); 3 indeed, We created man in trouble. 4 Does he think that no one has power over him? 5 He may say (boastfully); Wealth have I squandered in abundance! 6 Does he think that no one sees him? 7 Have We not made for him a pair of eyes? 8 And a tongue and two lips, 9 and guided him on the two highways? 10 But he did not venture to scale the difficult steep. 11 How will you comprehend what the Steep ascent is? -- 12 (It is) Freeing a neck (slave, etc.) 13 Or feeding on a day of severe hunger 14 An orphan, of kin, 15 or to a destitute lying in dust; 16 and to be one of those who believe and urge one another to steadfastness and compassion. 17 They are those on the Right Hand (the dwellers of Paradise), 18 And (as for) those who disbelieve in our communications, they are the people of the left hand. 19 over them is a Fire covered down. 20