The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
۞ I CALL THIS earth to witness -- 1 And you shall be made free from obligation in this city-- 2 And by the giver of birth, and whom he fathered, 3 We have certainly created man into hardship. 4 Does he, then, think that no one has power over him? 5 He boasts, "I have spent wealth abundant!" 6 Does he think that none has observed him? 7 Have We not given him two eyes, 8 and a tongue, and two lips, 9 and guided him on the two paths (of good and evil)? 10 But he could not scale the steep ascent. 11 And what do you know what that difficult steep is? 12 It is freeing someone's neck from slavery; 13 And to feed in the day of hunger. 14 To the orphan with claims of relationship, 15 Or the poor in distress; 16 and being, withal, of those who have attained to faith, and who enjoin upon one another patience in adversity, and enjoin upon one another compassion. 17 Those are the Companions of the Right Hand. 18 But they who disbelieved in Our signs - those are the companions of the left. 19 Over them shall be Fire closing round. 20