The Town (Al-Balad)
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Most Merciful
۞ I do call to witness this City;- 1 And thou art an indweller of this city - 2 And (the mystic ties of) parent and child;- 3 Verily We have created man into toil and struggle. 4 Does he think then that no one has power over him? 5 saying, 'I have consumed wealth abundant'? 6 Deemest he that none beholdeth him? 7 Have We not made for him a pair of eyes? 8 and a tongue, and a pair of lips, 9 And shown him the two highways? 10 But he has made no effort to pass on the path that is steep. 11 and what shall teach thee what is the steep? 12 It is freeing someone's neck from slavery; 13 or giving food on a day of hunger 14 An orphan, of kin, 15 or a needy man in misery; 16 then that he become of those who believe and counsel each other to be steadfast, and counsel each other to be merciful. 17 They are those on the Right Hand (the dwellers of Paradise), 18 and [as for] those who are bent on denying the truth of Our revelations, they are the people of the left hand, 19 with the Fire closed above them. 20