The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
۞ NAY! I call to witness this land 1 And thou art an indweller of this city - 2 and [I call to witness] parent and offspring: 3 Verily We have created man into toil and struggle. 4 Thinketh he that none hath power over him? 5 He says: “I have squandered enormous wealth.” 6 Does he think that no one sees him? 7 Have We not made for 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 will make you know the path that is steep? 12 (It is) the freeing of a slave, 13 or giving food upon a day of hunger 14 to an orphan near of kin 15 Or of a homeless needy person! 16 Then he became of those who believed and enjoined on each other steadfastness and enjoined on each other compassion. 17 These are the People of the Right Hand. 18 As for those who disbelieve in Our revelations, they are the people of the left 19 Over them shall be Fire closing round. 20