The Town (Al-Balad)
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
۞ I swear by this city -- 1 this land in which thou art free to dwell 2 And the begetter and whom he begot. 3 Verily, We have created man in toil. 4 Does man think that no one will ever have power over him? 5 (He boasts and shows off) saying, "I have spent a great deal of money (for the cause of God)". 6 Does he think that no one sees him? 7 Have We not given him two eyes, 8 and a tongue, and two lips, 9 and shown him the two highways [of good and evil]? 10 But he could not scale the steep ascent. 11 Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Ascent is! - 12 It is the freeing of a slave 13 the giving of food upon the day of hunger 14 To an orphan, having relationship, 15 Or a poor man cleaving to the 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 Their place will be on the right hand. 18 and [as for] those who are bent on denying the truth of Our revelations, they are the people of the left hand, 19 over them is a Fire covered down. 20