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 And the begetter and that which he begat, 3 Verily We have created man into toil and struggle. 4 Does he think then that no one has power over him? 5 He says, "I have spent wealth in abundance." 6 Thinketh he that none beholdeth him? 7 Have We not appointed to him two eyes, 8 And a tongue and two lips? 9 and shown him the two highways [of good and evil]? 10 But he would not attempt the uphill road, 11 And what do you know what that difficult steep is? 12 It is the setting free of a slave 13 or giving food upon a day of hunger 14 The orphan near in relationship, 15 and downtrodden destitute person, (so that he would be of) 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 Those are the Companions of the Right Hand. 18 And (as for) those who disbelieve in our communications, they are the people of the left hand. 19 On them is fire closed over. 20