The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
۞ NAY! I call to witness this land 1 And thou art an indweller of this city - 2 And by the giver of birth, and whom he fathered, 3 that We have created man into a life of toil and trial. 4 Does he think that never will anyone overcome him? 5 He says, "I have spent enormous wealth." 6 Thinketh he that none beholdeth him? 7 Have We not given him two eyes, 8 And a tongue, and a pair of lips?- 9 and guided him on the two paths (of good and evil)? 10 But he could not scale the steep ascent. 11 How will you comprehend what the Steep ascent is? -- 12 (It is:) freeing the bondman; 13 or the feeding, upon a day of [one's own] hunger, 14 to an orphan near of kin 15 or a needy man in misery; 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 These are the people of the right. 18 But those who disbelieved in Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), they are those on the Left Hand (the dwellers of Hell). 19 Over them shall be Fire closing round. 20