The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
۞ I swear by yonder city 1 in which you are now living 2 And the begetter and whom he begot. 3 We verily have created man in an atmosphere: 4 Does he think that none has power over him! 5 He says: “I have squandered enormous wealth.” 6 Does he then think that no one sees him? 7 Have We not made for him two eyes? 8 And a tongue and two lips, 9 and guided him on the two paths (of good and evil)? 10 But he has made no effort to pass on the path that is steep. 11 What will explain to you what the ascent is? 12 To free a neck (from the burden of debt or slavery), 13 Or feeding on a day of severe hunger 14 to an orphan near of kin; 15 Or to the indigent (down) in the dust. 16 And then being among those who believed and advised one another to patience and advised one another to compassion. 17 These 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 shall be Fire closing round. 20