The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
۞ No, I swear by this country (Mecca), 1 And thou art an indweller of this city - 2 And [by] the father and that which was born [of him], 3 We created the human in fatigue. 4 Does he think that none has power over him! 5 saying, 'I have consumed wealth abundant'? 6 Thinks he that none sees him? 7 Have We not appointed to him two eyes, 8 One tongue, and two lips, 9 And shown him the two ways (good and evil)? 10 Yet he has not scaled the height. 11 How will you comprehend what the Steep ascent is? -- 12 (It is) the setting free of a slave, 13 Or, feeding, in a day of privation, 14 The orphan near in relationship, 15 or to a destitute lying in dust; 16 and being, withal, of those who have attained to faith, and who enjoin upon one another patience in adversity, and enjoin upon one another compassion. 17 These are the people of the right hand. 18 As for those who rejected Our Signs, they are the People of the Left Hand. 19 On them will be Fire vaulted over (all round). 20