The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace
۞ I swear by this city (Makkah); 1 And thou art an indweller of this city - 2 And the begetter and whom he begot. 3 Certainly We have created man to be in distress. 4 Does man think that no one will ever have power over him? 5 He will say: 'I have destroyed a vast wealth' 6 Deemest he that none beholdeth him? 7 Have We not given him two eyes, 8 and a tongue, and a pair of lips, 9 and guided him on the two highways? 10 Yet he has not scaled the height. 11 And what have you understood, what the valley is! 12 (It is:) freeing the bondman; 13 or, in a day of famine, the feeding of 14 of an orphan near of kin, 15 or to a destitute lying in dust; 16 Then he became one of those who believed, and recommended one another to perseverance and patience, and (also) recommended one another to pity and compassion. 17 These are the fellows of the righthand. 18 And those who denied Our signs, are the people of the left. 19 [with] fire closing in upon them. 20