The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
۞ I swear by this city (Mecca) – 1 And thou art a freeman of this City;- 2 And by oath of your forefather Ibrahim, and by you – his illustrious son! 3 Certainly We have created man to be in distress. 4 Does He think that no one will ever have control over him? 5 (He boasts and shows off) saying, "I have spent a great deal of money (for the cause of God)". 6 Does he then think that no one sees him? 7 Have We not given him two eyes, 8 and a tongue and two lips? 9 and shown him the two highways [of good and evil]? 10 Yet he has not assaulted the steep; 11 And what do you know what that difficult steep is? 12 It is freeing the neck, 13 the giving of food upon the day of hunger 14 to an orphan near of kin; 15 Or the poor in distress; 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 They are the people of the right hand (and will succeed). 18 And those who disbelieve Our signs - they are the fellows of the lefthand. 19 On them will be Fire vaulted over (all round). 20