The Town (Al-Balad)
Allah - beginning with the name of - the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
۞ I swear by this city (Makkah); 1 And thou art an indweller of this city - 2 and [I call to witness] parent and offspring: 3 That We created man in toil and trouble. 4 Deemest he that none will overpower him? 5 He says, "I have spent wealth in abundance." 6 Does he think that no one has seen him? 7 Have We not given him two eyes, 8 and a tongue, and a pair of lips, 9 And shown unto him the two highways? 10 Yet he has not scaled the height. 11 What will explain to you what the ascent is? 12 It is the freeing of a slave; 13 Or the giving of food in a day of hunger 14 An orphan near of kin, 15 Or to the poor man lying in the dust. 16 and being, withal, of those who have attained to faith, and who enjoin upon one another patience in adversity, and enjoin upon one another compassion. 17 Those are the Companions 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 Upon them is a fire, in which they are imprisoned, closed and shut above them. 20