The Town (Al-Balad)
Allah - beginning with the name of - the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
۞ I swear by this city -- 1 this land in which thou art free to dwell 2 and [I call to witness] parent and offspring: 3 Verily, We have created man into [a life of] pain, toil and trial. 4 Does man think that no one will ever have power over him? 5 He says: “I have squandered enormous wealth.” 6 Does he, then, think that no one sees him? 7 Have We not appointed to him two eyes, 8 And a tongue and two lips, 9 and shown him the two paths? 10 But he hath made no haste on the path that is steep. 11 What will explain to you what the ascent is? 12 The freeing of a slave, 13 Or to feed in times of famine 14 of an orphaned relative 15 or some needy person in distress, 16 Then he became of those who believed and enjoined on each other steadfastness and enjoined on each other compassion. 17 Those are the companions of the right. 18 But those who disbelieved in Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), they are those on the Left Hand (the dwellers of Hell). 19 Upon them is a fire, in which they are imprisoned, closed and shut above them. 20