The Town (Al-Balad)
Allah - beginning with the name of - the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
۞ Nay, I swear by this city - 1 And you shall be made free from obligation in this city-- 2 by the begetter, and that he begot, 3 Verily We have created man into toil and hardship. 4 Does he think that no one can overpower him? 5 He says: “I have squandered enormous wealth.” 6 Does he think that no one sees him? 7 Did We not grant him two eyes, 8 And a tongue, and a pair of lips?- 9 And shown unto him the two highways? 10 Yet he has not scaled the height. 11 How will you comprehend what the Steep ascent is? -- 12 [It is] the freeing of one's neck [from the burden of sin,] 13 Or giving food in a day of hunger (famine), 14 to an orphan near of kin; 15 Or to the indigent (down) in the dust. 16 so that he becomes one of those who believe, charge each other to be patient, and charge each other to be merciful. 17 They are the people of the right hand (and will succeed). 18 As for those who rejected Our Signs, they are the People of the Left Hand. 19 Upon them is a fire, in which they are imprisoned, closed and shut above them. 20