The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
۞ Nay! I swear by this city. 1 and thou art a lodger in this land; 2 And by the begetter (i.e. Adam) and that which he begot (i.e. his progeny); 3 Verily, We have created man into [a life of] pain, toil and trial. 4 Does he think that none has power over him! 5 And he saith: I have destroyed vast wealth: 6 Thinketh he that none beholdeth him? 7 Have We not made for him two eyes 8 and a tongue and two lips? 9 Have We not shown him the ways of good and evil? 10 But he did not venture to scale the difficult steep. 11 And what do you know what that difficult steep is? 12 To free a neck (from the burden of debt or slavery), 13 or the feeding in times of famine 14 Of a related orphan, 15 Or a poor man cleaving to 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 Those are the companions of the right. 18 And those who disbelieve Our signs - they are the fellows of the lefthand. 19 On them will be Fire vaulted over (all round). 20