The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful
۞ I swear by this city (Makkah); 1 and thou art a lodger in this land; 2 And by the giver of birth, and whom he fathered, 3 Certainly We have created man to be in distress. 4 Thinketh he, that none hath power over him? 5 He says, "I have spent wealth in abundance." 6 Thinketh he that none beholdeth him? 7 Have We not given him two eyes, 8 And a tongue and two lips, 9 and guided him on the two highways? 10 But he has not attempted the ascent. 11 How will you comprehend what the Steep ascent is? -- 12 It is freeing the neck, 13 Or, feeding, in a day of privation, 14 to an orphaned relative 15 Or of a homeless needy person! 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 who do so 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 Over them will be fire closed in. 20