Setting
Surah The City [Al-Balad] in English
لَآ أُقْسِمُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ ﴿١﴾
I swear by this city (Makkah);
وَأَنتَ حِلٌّۢ بِهَٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ ﴿٢﴾
And you are free (from sin, to punish the enemies of Islam on the Day of the conquest) in this city (Makkah).
وَوَالِدٍۢ وَمَا وَلَدَ ﴿٣﴾
And by the begetter (i.e. Adam) and that which he begot (i.e. his progeny);
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ فِى كَبَدٍ ﴿٤﴾
Verily, We have created man in toil.
أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّن يَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌۭ ﴿٥﴾
Thinks he that none can overcome him?
يَقُولُ أَهْلَكْتُ مَالًۭا لُّبَدًا ﴿٦﴾
He says (boastfully): \"I have wasted wealth in abundance!\"
أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّمْ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ ﴿٧﴾
Thinks he that none sees him?
أَلَمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عَيْنَيْنِ ﴿٨﴾
Have We not made for him a pair of eyes?
وَلِسَانًۭا وَشَفَتَيْنِ ﴿٩﴾
And a tongue and a pair of lips?
وَهَدَيْنَٰهُ ٱلنَّجْدَيْنِ ﴿١٠﴾
And shown him the two ways (good and evil)?
فَلَا ٱقْتَحَمَ ٱلْعَقَبَةَ ﴿١١﴾
But he has made no effort to pass on the path that is steep.
وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلْعَقَبَةُ ﴿١٢﴾
And what will make you know the path that is steep?
فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ ﴿١٣﴾
(It is) Freeing a neck (slave, etc.)
أَوْ إِطْعَٰمٌۭ فِى يَوْمٍۢ ذِى مَسْغَبَةٍۢ ﴿١٤﴾
Or giving food in a day of hunger (famine),
يَتِيمًۭا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ ﴿١٥﴾
To an orphan near of kin.
أَوْ مِسْكِينًۭا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍۢ ﴿١٦﴾
Or to a Miskin (poor) afflicted with misery.
ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْمَرْحَمَةِ ﴿١٧﴾
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.
أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْمَيْمَنَةِ ﴿١٨﴾
They are those on the Right Hand (the dwellers of Paradise),
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا هُمْ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْمَشْـَٔمَةِ ﴿١٩﴾
But those who disbelieved in Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), they are those on the Left Hand (the dwellers of Hell).
عَلَيْهِمْ نَارٌۭ مُّؤْصَدَةٌۢ ﴿٢٠﴾
The Fire will be shut over them (i.e. they will be enveloped by the Fire without any opening or window or outlet.