The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ I swear by this city (Mecca) – 1 and thou art a lodger in this land; 2 And [by] the father and that which was born [of him], 3 that We have created the human being to face a great deal of hardship. 4 Does he think then that no one has power over him? 5 saying, 'I have consumed wealth abundant'? 6 Does he think that no one sees him? 7 Have We not appointed to him two eyes, 8 And a tongue and two lips, 9 Have We not shown him the ways of good and evil? 10 But he has not broken through the difficult pass. 11 And what have you understood, what the valley is! 12 It is the freeing of a slave 13 Or the giving of food in a day of hunger 14 to an orphan near of kin; 15 or to a destitute lying in dust; 16 and, then besides this, he be one of those who believed, and enjoined upon one another steadfastness and enjoined upon one another compassion. 17 These are the people of the right hand. 18 whereas those who are bent on denying the truth of Our messages - they are such as have lost themselves in evil, 19 On them is fire closed over. 20