The Town (Al-Balad)
Allah - beginning with the name of - the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
۞ Nay! I swear by this city. 1 – this city wherein you have been rendered violable– 2 and [I call to witness] parent and offspring: 3 Verily We have created man into toil and hardship. 4 Thinketh he that none hath power over him? 5 He saith: I have wasted riches plenteous. 6 Does he believe that none has seen him? 7 Have We not given him two eyes, 8 and a tongue, and a pair of lips, 9 and guided him on the two highways? 10 But he could not scale the steep ascent. 11 Would that you knew what Aqaba is! 12 It is the freeing of a slave 13 or the feeding in times of famine 14 To the orphan with claims of relationship, 15 Or the poor in distress; 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. 18 whereas those who are bent on denying the truth of Our messages - they are such as have lost themselves in evil, 19 Upon them is a fire, in which they are imprisoned, closed and shut above them. 20