The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
۞ I swear by yonder city 1 – this city wherein you have been rendered violable– 2 And by the begetter and that which he begat, 3 Certainly We have created man to be in distress. 4 Does he think that none has power over him! 5 He will say: 'I have destroyed a vast wealth' 6 Does he think that no one sees him? 7 Have We not given him two eyes, 8 One tongue, and two lips, 9 And shown unto him the two highways? 10 But he did not venture to scale the difficult steep. 11 And what have you understood, what the valley is! 12 To free a neck (from the burden of debt or slavery), 13 Or the giving of food in a day of privation 14 An orphan of near relationship 15 Or a poor man cleaving to the dust. 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 These are the people of the right. 18 And those who denied Our signs, are the people of the left. 19 On them will be Fire vaulted over (all round). 20