The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
۞ I swear by yonder city 1 And you shall be made free from obligation in this city-- 2 and [I call to witness] parent and offspring: 3 We have certainly created man into hardship. 4 Deemest he that none will overpower him? 5 He boasts, "I have spent wealth abundant!" 6 Deemest he that none beholdeth him? 7 Have We not given him two eyes, 8 And a 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 do you know what that difficult steep is? 12 It is freeing the neck, 13 Or the feeding on a day of hunger. 14 Of a related orphan, 15 Or of a homeless needy person! 16 And to be of those who believe, and urge upon one another to persevere, and urge upon each other to be kind. 17 These are the people of the right. 18 whereas those who are bent on denying the truth of Our messages - they are such as have lost themselves in evil, 19 and the Fire will close in on them. 20