The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
۞ No, I swear by this country (Mecca), 1 And you shall be made free from obligation in this city-- 2 And by the giver of birth, and whom he fathered, 3 Verily, We have created man into [a life of] pain, toil and trial. 4 Does man think that no one will ever have power over him? 5 He may say (boastfully); Wealth have I squandered in abundance! 6 Does he think that no one sees him? 7 Have We not given him two eyes, 8 One tongue, and two lips, 9 and shown him the two paths? 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) the freeing of a slave, 13 Or the feeding on a day of hunger. 14 Of a related orphan, 15 and downtrodden destitute person, (so that he would be of) 16 And moreover to be of those who accepted faith, and who urged patience to one another and who urged graciousness to one another. 17 These are the people of the right. 18 whereas those who are bent on denying the truth of Our messages - they are such as have lost themselves in evil, 19 Over them shall be Fire closing round. 20