The Town (Al-Balad)
Allah - beginning with the name of - the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
۞ I swear by this city, Makkah - 1 And thou art an indweller of this city - 2 and [I call to witness] parent and offspring: 3 We verily have created man in an atmosphere: 4 Deemest he that none will overpower him? 5 He says (boastfully): "I have wasted wealth in abundance!" 6 Does he think that no one sees him? 7 Did We not assign unto him two eyes 8 and a tongue, and two lips, 9 And shown him the two ways (good and evil)? 10 But he did not venture to scale the difficult steep. 11 And what could make thee conceive what it is, that steep uphill road? 12 It is freeing someone's neck from slavery; 13 or, in a day of famine, the feeding of 14 To an orphan near of kin. 15 or to a needy person in distress; 16 And then being among those who believed and advised one another to patience and advised one another to compassion. 17 They are those on the Right Hand (the dwellers of Paradise), 18 whereas those who are bent on denying the truth of Our messages - they are such as have lost themselves in evil, 19 Upon them is a fire, in which they are imprisoned, closed and shut above them. 20