Al-Balad

Translation by

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

landing

Al-Balad

لَا أُقْسِمُ بِهَٰذَا الْبَلَدِ ﴿1﴾

I do swear by this city ˹of Mecca˺—

وَأَنْتَ حِلٌّ بِهَٰذَا الْبَلَدِ ﴿2﴾

even though you ˹O Prophet˺ are subject to abuse in this city—

وَوَالِدٍ وَمَا وَلَدَ ﴿3﴾

and by every parent and ˹their˺ child!

لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ فِي كَبَدٍ ﴿4﴾

Indeed, We have created humankind in ˹constant˺ struggle.

أَيَحْسَبُ أَنْ لَنْ يَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ ﴿5﴾

Do they think that no one has power over them,

يَقُولُ أَهْلَكْتُ مَالًا لُبَدًا ﴿6﴾

boasting, “I have wasted enormous wealth!”?

أَيَحْسَبُ أَنْ لَمْ يَرَهُ أَحَدٌ ﴿7﴾

Do they think that no one sees them?

أَلَمْ نَجْعَلْ لَهُ عَيْنَيْنِ ﴿8﴾

Have We not given them two eyes,

وَلِسَانًا وَشَفَتَيْنِ ﴿9﴾

a tongue, and two lips;

وَهَدَيْنَاهُ النَّجْدَيْنِ ﴿10﴾

and shown them the two ways ˹of right and wrong˺?

فَلَا اقْتَحَمَ الْعَقَبَةَ ﴿11﴾

If only they had attempted the challenging path ˹of goodness instead˺!

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْعَقَبَةُ ﴿12﴾

And what will make you realize what ˹attempting˺ the challenging path is?

فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ ﴿13﴾

It is to free a slave,

أَوْ إِطْعَامٌ فِي يَوْمٍ ذِي مَسْغَبَةٍ ﴿14﴾

or to give food in times of famine

يَتِيمًا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ ﴿15﴾

to an orphaned relative

أَوْ مِسْكِينًا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍ ﴿16﴾

or to a poor person in distress,

ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْمَرْحَمَةِ ﴿17﴾

and—above all—to be one of those who have faith and urge each other to perseverance and urge each other to compassion.

أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْمَيْمَنَةِ ﴿18﴾

These are the people of the right.

وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِنَا هُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْمَشْأَمَةِ ﴿19﴾

As for those who deny Our signs, they are the people of the left.1

عَلَيْهِمْ نَارٌ مُؤْصَدَةٌ ﴿20﴾

The Fire will be sealed over them.