The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ NAY! I call to witness this land 1 And you are free to live upon it, -- 2 And by the begetter and that which he begat, 3 Certainly We have created man to be in distress. 4 Does he think that no one has power over him? 5 He says, “I destroyed vast wealth.” 6 What, does he think none has seen him? 7 Have We not made for him a pair of eyes?- 8 And a tongue and two lips, 9 And pointed out to him the two conspicuous ways? 10 But he could not scale the steep ascent. 11 And what do you know what that difficult steep is? 12 (It is) to free a slave, 13 or giving food upon a day of hunger 14 of an orphaned relative 15 or a needy man in misery; 16 Then he became one of those who believed, and recommended one another to perseverance and patience, and (also) recommended one another to pity and compassion. 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 On them is fire closed over. 20