The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ Nay! I swear by this city 1 And thou art a freeman of this City;- 2 And the begetter and whom he begot. 3 Verily We have created man into toil and hardship. 4 Does man think that no one will ever have power over him? 5 He saith: I have wasted riches plenteous. 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 guided him on the two highways? 10 But he has not broken through the difficult pass. 11 Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Ascent is! - 12 It is freeing someone's neck from slavery; 13 Or giving food in a day of hunger (famine), 14 to an orphan near of kin 15 Or the poor in distress; 16 And to be of those who believe, and urge upon one another to persevere, and urge upon each other to be kind. 17 They are those on the Right Hand (the dwellers of Paradise), 18 But they who disbelieved in Our signs - those are the companions of the left. 19 On them is fire closed over. 20