The Town (Al-Balad)
Allah - beginning with the name of - the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
۞ Nay! I swear by this city. 1 And you are free to live upon it, -- 2 or by the great father and his wonderful son (Abraham and Ishmael) 3 Verily We have created man into toil and struggle. 4 Does He think that no one will ever have control over him? 5 And he saith: I have destroyed vast wealth: 6 Does he think that no one has seen 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 Yet he attempteth not the steep, 11 And what could make thee conceive what it is, that steep uphill road? 12 (It is) Freeing a neck (slave, etc.) 13 Or the giving of food in a day of hunger 14 an orphaned relative 15 or to a needy person in distress; 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 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 Upon them is a fire, in which they are imprisoned, closed and shut above them. 20