The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ Nay, I swear by this city - 1 this land in which thou art free to dwell 2 or by the great father and his wonderful son (Abraham and Ishmael) 3 We have certainly created man into hardship. 4 Thinketh he that none hath power over him? 5 He shall say: I have wasted much wealth. 6 What, does he think none has seen him? 7 Have We not made for him a pair of eyes? 8 a tongue, and two lips? 9 and shown him the two highways [of good and evil]? 10 But he did not venture to scale the difficult steep. 11 And what shall make thee understand that which the steep is? 12 It is freeing someone's neck from slavery; 13 Or the giving of food in a day of hunger 14 to an orphaned relative 15 or to a destitute lying in dust; 16 And then being among those who believed and advised one another to patience and advised one another to 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 On them is fire closed over. 20