The Town (Al-Balad)
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
۞ Nay! I swear by this city 1 in which you are now living 2 And (the mystic ties of) parent and child;- 3 Verily We have created man into toil and struggle. 4 Does he, then, think that no one has power over him? 5 He says (boastfully): "I have wasted wealth in abundance!" 6 Thinketh he that none beholdeth him? 7 Did We not give him two eyes, 8 And a tongue, and a pair of lips?- 9 and shown him the two highways [of good and evil]? 10 Yet he has not assaulted the steep; 11 And what do you know what that difficult steep is? 12 It is freeing someone's neck from slavery; 13 And to feed in the day of hunger. 14 To an orphan near of kin. 15 or a needy man in misery; 16 Then he became of those who believed and enjoined on each other steadfastness and enjoined on each other compassion. 17 Those are the Companions of the Right Hand. 18 whereas those who are bent on denying the truth of Our messages - they are such as have lost themselves in evil, 19 over them is a Fire covered down. 20