Surah Al-Balad البلد

لَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡبَلَدِ ١

I swear by this city––

وَأَنتَ حِلُّۢ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡبَلَدِ ٢

and you [Prophet] are an inhabitant of this city––

وَوَالِدٖ وَمَا وَلَدَ ٣

[I swear] by parent and offspring,

لَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ فِي كَبَدٍ ٤

that We have created man for toil and trial.

أَيَحۡسَبُ أَن لَّن يَقۡدِرَ عَلَيۡهِ أَحَدٞ ٥

Does he think that no one will have power over him?

يَقُولُ أَهۡلَكۡتُ مَالٗا لُّبَدًا ٦

‘I have squandered great wealth,’ he says.

أَيَحۡسَبُ أَن لَّمۡ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ ٧

Does he think no one observes him?

أَلَمۡ نَجۡعَل لَّهُۥ عَيۡنَيۡنِ ٨

Did We not give him eyes,

وَلِسَانٗا وَشَفَتَيۡنِ ٩

a tongue, lips,

وَهَدَيۡنَٰهُ ٱلنَّجۡدَيۡنِ ١٠

and point out to him the two clear ways [of good and evil]?

فَلَا ٱقۡتَحَمَ ٱلۡعَقَبَةَ ١١

Yet he has not attempted the steep path.

وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلۡعَقَبَةُ ١٢

What will explain to you what the steep path is?

فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ ١٣

It is to free a slave,

أَوۡ إِطۡعَٰمٞ فِي يَوۡمٖ ذِي مَسۡغَبَةٖ ١٤

to feed at a time of hunger

يَتِيمٗا ذَا مَقۡرَبَةٍ ١٥

an orphaned relative

أَوۡ مِسۡكِينٗا ذَا مَتۡرَبَةٖ ١٦

or a poor person in distress,

ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلۡمَرۡحَمَةِ ١٧

and to be one of those who believe and urge one another to steadfastness and compassion.

أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡمَيۡمَنَةِ ١٨

Those who do this will be on the right-hand side,

وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا هُمۡ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡمَشۡـَٔمَةِ ١٩

but those who disbelieve in Our revelations will be on the left-hand side,

عَلَيۡهِمۡ نَارٞ مُّؤۡصَدَةُۢ ٢٠

and the Fire will close in on them.