The Town (Al-Balad)
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ No, I swear by this country (Mecca), 1 and thou art a lodger in this land; 2 And by the begetter (i.e. Adam) and that which he begot (i.e. his progeny); 3 Assuredly We have created man in trouble. 4 Thinketh he, that none hath power over him? 5 saying, 'I have consumed wealth abundant'? 6 Does he think that no one has seen him? 7 Did We not give him two eyes, 8 One tongue, and two lips, 9 And did We not show him the two highroads (of good and evil)? 10 But he would not attempt the uphill road, 11 And what can make you know what is [breaking through] the difficult pass? 12 [It is] the freeing of one's neck [from the burden of sin,] 13 Or feeding on a day of severe hunger 14 An orphan, of kin, 15 and downtrodden destitute person, (so that he would be of) 16 and being, withal, of those who have attained to faith, and who enjoin upon one another patience in adversity, and enjoin upon one another compassion. 17 They are those on the Right Hand (the dwellers of Paradise), 18 But those who reject Our Signs, they are the (unhappy) Companions of the Left Hand. 19 who will be engulfed in the fire. 20