The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ I swear by this city (Makkah); 1 And thou art a freeman of this City;- 2 And (the mystic ties of) parent and child;- 3 Verily We have created man into toil and struggle. 4 Does man think that no one will ever have power over him? 5 He will say: 'I have destroyed a vast wealth' 6 Does he think that no one has seen him? 7 Did We not give him two eyes, 8 a tongue, and two lips, 9 And shown him the two highways? 10 But he did not venture to scale the difficult steep. 11 And what will make you comprehend what the uphill road is? 12 (It is:) freeing the bondman; 13 Or feeding on a day of severe hunger 14 The orphan near in relationship, 15 or of a needy [stranger] lying 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 Those are the Companions 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 Fire will be an awning over them. 20