The Town (Al-Balad)
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
۞ Nay! I swear by this city 1 And thou shalt be allowed in yonder city 2 by the begetter, and that he begot, 3 Verily We have created man into toil and struggle. 4 Does he think that never will anyone overcome him? 5 He says: “I have squandered enormous wealth.” 6 Thinks he that none sees him? 7 Have We not given him two eyes, 8 One tongue, and two lips, 9 And showed him two highways (of good and evil)? 10 But he would not attempt the uphill road, 11 And what have you understood, what the valley is! 12 [It is] the freeing of one's neck [from the burden of sin,] 13 or the feeding in times of famine 14 Of a related orphan, 15 or to a needy person in distress; 16 and, then besides this, he be one of those who believed, and enjoined upon one another steadfastness and enjoined upon one another compassion. 17 Such are the Companions of the Right Hand. 18 And those who denied Our signs, are the people of the left. 19 over them is a Fire covered down. 20