The Town (Al-Balad)
Allah - beginning with the name of - the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
۞ NAY! I call to witness this land 1 and you are dwelling in this city -- 2 or by the great father and his wonderful son (Abraham and Ishmael) 3 We have certainly created man into hardship. 4 Does He think that no one will ever have control over him? 5 He may say (boastfully); Wealth have I squandered in abundance! 6 Does he think that no one has seen him? 7 Did We not give him two eyes, 8 and a tongue, and two lips, 9 and shown him the two highways [of good and evil]? 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 one's neck [from the burden of sin,] 13 or giving food on a day of hunger 14 To an orphan, having relationship, 15 Or the poor 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 They are the people of the right hand (and will succeed). 18 As for those who rejected Our Signs, they are the People of the Left Hand. 19 Upon them is a fire, in which they are imprisoned, closed and shut above them. 20