The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace
۞ I CALL THIS earth to witness -- 1 and you are a lodger in this country. 2 by the begetter, and that he begot, 3 Verily, We have created man in toil. 4 Does man think that no one will ever have power over him? 5 He says: “I have squandered enormous wealth.” 6 Thinketh he that none beholdeth him? 7 Have We not appointed to him two eyes, 8 and a tongue, and a pair of lips, 9 And showed him two highways (of good and evil)? 10 But he has not broken through the difficult pass. 11 And what will explain to thee the path that is steep?- 12 (It is) the freeing of a slave, 13 Or, feeding, in a day of privation, 14 to an orphaned relative 15 or some needy person in distress, 16 so that he becomes one of those who believe, charge each other to be patient, and charge each other to be merciful. 17 Such are they that have attained to righteousness; 18 and [as for] those who are bent on denying the truth of Our revelations, they are the people of the left hand, 19 [with] fire closing in upon them. 20