The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ I CALL THIS earth to witness -- 1 And thou art a freeman of this City;- 2 And the parent and the offspring, 3 That We created man in toil and trouble. 4 What, does he think none has power over him, 5 He says: “I have squandered enormous wealth.” 6 Does he, then, think that no one sees him? 7 Have We not given him two eyes, 8 a tongue, and two lips? 9 and guided him on the two highways? 10 But he could not scale the steep ascent. 11 Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Ascent is! - 12 (It is) the freeing of a slave, 13 Or feeding on a day of severe hunger 14 of an orphan near of kin, 15 or some needy person in distress, 16 so that he becomes one of those who believe, charge each other to be patient, and charge each other to be merciful. 17 These are the fellows of the righthand. 18 whereas those who are bent on denying the truth of Our messages - they are such as have lost themselves in evil, 19 On them is fire closed over. 20