Chapter 90

The CityAl-Balad (البلد)

20 verses • revealed at Meccan

1 لَآ أُقْسِمُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ
I do call to witness this City;-
2 وَأَنتَ حِلٌّۢ بِهَٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ
And thou art a freeman of this City;-
3 وَوَالِدٍ وَمَا وَلَدَ
And (the mystic ties of) parent and child;-
4 لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ فِى كَبَدٍ
Verily We have created man into toil and struggle.
5 أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّن يَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ
Thinketh he, that none hath power over him?
6 يَقُولُ أَهْلَكْتُ مَالًا لُّبَدًا
He may say (boastfully); Wealth have I squandered in abundance!
7 أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّمْ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ
Thinketh he that none beholdeth him?
8 أَلَمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عَيْنَيْنِ
Have We not made for him a pair of eyes?-
9 وَلِسَانًا وَشَفَتَيْنِ
And a tongue, and a pair of lips?-
10 وَهَدَيْنَٰهُ ٱلنَّجْدَيْنِ
And shown him the two highways?
11 فَلَا ٱقْتَحَمَ ٱلْعَقَبَةَ
But he hath made no haste on the path that is steep.
12 وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلْعَقَبَةُ
And what will explain to thee the path that is steep?-
13 فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ
(It is:) freeing the bondman;
14 أَوْ إِطْعَٰمٌ فِى يَوْمٍ ذِى مَسْغَبَةٍ
Or the giving of food in a day of privation
15 يَتِيمًا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ
To the orphan with claims of relationship,
16 أَوْ مِسْكِينًا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍ
Or to the indigent (down) in the dust.
17 ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْمَرْحَمَةِ
Then will he be of those who believe, and enjoin patience, (constancy, and self-restraint), and enjoin deeds of kindness and compassion.
18 أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْمَيْمَنَةِ
Such are the Companions of the Right Hand.
19 وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا هُمْ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْمَشْـَٔمَةِ
But those who reject Our Signs, they are the (unhappy) Companions of the Left Hand.
20 عَلَيْهِمْ نَارٌ مُّؤْصَدَةٌۢ
On them will be Fire vaulted over (all round).