The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
۞ I swear by yonder city 1 And you are free (from sin, to punish the enemies of Islam on the Day of the conquest) in this city (Makkah). 2 And the parent and the offspring, 3 Verily We have created man into toil and struggle. 4 Does man think that no one will ever have power over him? 5 He boasts, "I have spent wealth abundant!" 6 Does he, then, think that no one sees him? 7 Have We not given him two eyes, 8 And a tongue and a pair of lips? 9 And have shown him the two ways? 10 But he would not try to ascend the steep uphill road... 11 And what could make thee conceive what it is, that steep uphill road? 12 (It is) the setting free of a slave, 13 Or to feed in times of famine 14 of an orphan near of kin, 15 Or to the indigent (down) in the dust. 16 and, then besides this, he be one of those who believed, and enjoined upon one another steadfastness and enjoined upon one another compassion. 17 They are those on the Right Hand (the dwellers of Paradise), 18 As for those who rejected Our Signs, they are the People of the Left Hand. 19 and the Fire will close in on them. 20