The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ I CALL THIS earth to witness -- 1 And thou art a freeman of this City;- 2 or by the great father and his wonderful son (Abraham and Ishmael) 3 Certainly We have created man to be in distress. 4 Does he think that no one has power over him? 5 He says: "I have wasted a great deal of wealth." 6 Does he think that none has observed him? 7 Did We not assign unto him two eyes 8 And a tongue and two lips, 9 and shown him the two paths? 10 But he did not venture to scale the difficult steep. 11 and what shall teach thee what is the steep? 12 It is the freeing of a slave 13 or the feeding, upon a day of [one's own] hunger, 14 to an orphaned relative 15 Or to the indigent (down) in the dust. 16 the believers who cooperate with others in patience (steadfastness) and kindness. 17 Such are the Companions of the Right Hand. 18 But those who reject Our Signs, they are the (unhappy) Companions of the Left Hand. 19 On them is fire closed over. 20