The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ Nay, I swear by this city - 1 this land in which thou art free to dwell 2 And by the begetter and that which he begat, 3 that We have created the human being to face a great deal of hardship. 4 Does he, then, think that no one has power over him? 5 saying, 'I have consumed wealth abundant'? 6 What, does he think none has seen him? 7 Did We not grant him two eyes, 8 a tongue, and two lips? 9 and shown him the two highways [of good and evil]? 10 But he did not venture to scale the difficult steep. 11 And what have you understood, what the valley is! 12 It is freeing the neck, 13 Or feeding on a day of severe hunger 14 of an orphaned relative 15 Or to the indigent (down) in the dust. 16 Then he became one of those who believed, and recommended one another to perseverance and patience, and (also) recommended one another to pity and compassion. 17 These are the people of the right hand. 18 But they who disbelieved in Our signs - those are the companions of the left. 19 On them is fire closed over. 20