The Town (Al-Balad)
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
۞ I swear by yonder city 1 – this city wherein you have been rendered violable– 2 And the parent and the offspring, 3 We verily have created man in an atmosphere: 4 Does man think that no one will ever have power over him? 5 He says (boastfully): "I have wasted wealth in abundance!" 6 Does man think that no one saw him? 7 Have We not appointed to him two eyes, 8 And a tongue, and a pair of lips?- 9 Have We not shown him the ways of good and evil? 10 But he could not scale the steep ascent. 11 How will you comprehend what the Steep ascent is? -- 12 It is freeing the neck, 13 Or feeding on a day of severe hunger 14 To an orphan near of kin. 15 Or of a homeless needy person! 16 then that he become of those who believe and counsel each other to be steadfast, and counsel each other to be merciful. 17 These are the people of 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 The Fire will be shut over them (i.e. they will be enveloped by the Fire without any opening or window or outlet. 20