The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ I swear by this city -- 1 And you, [O Muhammad], are free of restriction in this city - 2 And by the begetter and that which he begat, 3 Verily We have created man into toil and hardship. 4 Does he think then that no one has power over him? 5 He says: “I have squandered enormous wealth.” 6 Does he believe that none has seen him? 7 Have We not appointed to him two eyes, 8 And a tongue and two lips, 9 And shown him the two highways? 10 But he hath made no haste on the path that is steep. 11 And what will explain to thee the path that is steep?- 12 It is freeing someone's neck from slavery; 13 or the feeding in times of famine 14 to an orphan near of kin 15 Or to the poor man lying in the dust. 16 Then he became of those who believed and enjoined on each other steadfastness and enjoined on each other compassion. 17 These are the fellows of the righthand. 18 And those who disbelieve Our signs - they are the fellows of the lefthand. 19 Fire will be an awning over them. 20