The Town (Al-Balad)
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ Nay! I swear by this city 1 And you, [O Muhammad], are free of restriction in this city - 2 And by the begetter (i.e. Adam) and that which he begot (i.e. his progeny); 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 destroyed vast wealth.” 6 Does he think that no one sees him? 7 Have We not made for him a pair of eyes? 8 and a tongue, and a pair of lips, 9 and shown him the two paths? 10 But he has made no effort to pass on the path that is steep. 11 And what have you understood, what the valley is! 12 The freeing of a slave, 13 Or feeding on a day of severe hunger 14 to an orphaned relative 15 or a needy man in misery; 16 And to be of those who believe, and urge upon one another to persevere, and urge upon each other to be kind. 17 These are the fellows of the righthand. 18 But they who disbelieved in Our signs - those are the companions of the left. 19 who will be engulfed in the fire. 20