Setting
Surah The City [Al-Balad] in English
لَآ أُقْسِمُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ ﴿١﴾
I swear by yonder city
وَأَنتَ حِلٌّۢ بِهَٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ ﴿٢﴾
And thou shalt be allowed in yonder city -
وَوَالِدٍۢ وَمَا وَلَدَ ﴿٣﴾
And by the begetter and that which he begat,
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ فِى كَبَدٍ ﴿٤﴾
Assuredly We have created man in trouble.
أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّن يَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌۭ ﴿٥﴾
Deemest he that none will overpower him?
يَقُولُ أَهْلَكْتُ مَالًۭا لُّبَدًا ﴿٦﴾
He saith: 'I have wasted riches plenteous.
أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّمْ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ ﴿٧﴾
Deemest he that none beholdeth him?
أَلَمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عَيْنَيْنِ ﴿٨﴾
Have We not, made for him two eyes
وَلِسَانًۭا وَشَفَتَيْنِ ﴿٩﴾
And a tongue and two lips,
وَهَدَيْنَٰهُ ٱلنَّجْدَيْنِ ﴿١٠﴾
And shown Unto him the two highways?
فَلَا ٱقْتَحَمَ ٱلْعَقَبَةَ ﴿١١﴾
Yet he attempteth not the steep,
وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلْعَقَبَةُ ﴿١٢﴾
And what shall make thee understand that which the steep is?
فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ ﴿١٣﴾
It is freeing the neck,
أَوْ إِطْعَٰمٌۭ فِى يَوْمٍۢ ذِى مَسْغَبَةٍۢ ﴿١٤﴾
Or, feeding, in a day of privation,
يَتِيمًۭا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ ﴿١٥﴾
An orphan, of kin,
أَوْ مِسْكِينًۭا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍۢ ﴿١٦﴾
Or a poor man cleaving to the dust.
ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْمَرْحَمَةِ ﴿١٧﴾
Then he became of those who believed and enjoined on each other steadfastness and enjoined on each other compassion.
أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْمَيْمَنَةِ ﴿١٨﴾
These are the fellows of the righthand.
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا هُمْ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْمَشْـَٔمَةِ ﴿١٩﴾
And those who disbelieve Our signs - they are the fellows of the lefthand.
عَلَيْهِمْ نَارٌۭ مُّؤْصَدَةٌۢ ﴿٢٠﴾
Over them shall be Fire closing round.