The Town (Al-Balad)
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
۞ NAY! I call to witness this land 1 this land in which thou art free to dwell 2 and by parent and offspring, 3 Verily, We have created man in toil. 4 Does He think that no one will ever have control over him? 5 He says: “I have squandered enormous wealth.” 6 Does man think that no one saw him? 7 Did We not give him two eyes, 8 And a tongue and two lips? 9 And shown him the two ways (good and evil)? 10 But he could not scale the steep ascent. 11 What could let you know what the height is! 12 To free a neck (from the burden of debt or slavery), 13 or giving food on a day of hunger 14 to an orphan near of kin 15 and downtrodden destitute person, (so that he would be of) 16 And then being among those who believed and advised one another to patience and advised one another to compassion. 17 Their place will be on 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 is a Fire covered down. 20