بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمٰنِ الرَّحيمِ
In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Surah 90: The Town (Al-Balad)
البلد
لا أُقسِمُ بِهٰذَا البَلَدِ
I solemnly swear by this town.
وَأَنتَ حِلٌّ بِهٰذَا البَلَدِ
The town where you live.
وَوالِدٍ وَما وَلَدَ
The begetting and the begotten.
لَقَد خَلَقنَا الإِنسٰنَ فى كَبَدٍ
We created the human being to work hard (to redeem himself).*
*90:4 See the Introduction and Appendix 7 for the purpose behind our creation.
أَيَحسَبُ أَن لَن يَقدِرَ عَلَيهِ أَحَدٌ
Does he think that no one will ever call him to account?
يَقولُ أَهلَكتُ مالًا لُبَدًا
He boasts, "I spent so much money!"
أَيَحسَبُ أَن لَم يَرَهُ أَحَدٌ
Does he think that no one sees him?
أَلَم نَجعَل لَهُ عَينَينِ
Did we not give him two eyes?
وَلِسانًا وَشَفَتَينِ
A tongue and two lips?
وَهَدَينٰهُ النَّجدَينِ
Did we not show him the two paths?
فَلَا اقتَحَمَ العَقَبَةَ
He should choose the difficult path.
وَما أَدرىٰكَ مَا العَقَبَةُ
Which one is the difficult path?
فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ
The freeing of slaves.
أَو إِطعٰمٌ فى يَومٍ ذى مَسغَبَةٍ
Feeding, during the time of hardship.
يَتيمًا ذا مَقرَبَةٍ
Orphans who are related.
أَو مِسكينًا ذا مَترَبَةٍ
Or the poor who is in need.
ثُمَّ كانَ مِنَ الَّذينَ ءامَنوا وَتَواصَوا بِالصَّبرِ وَتَواصَوا بِالمَرحَمَةِ
And being one of those who believe, and exhorting one another to be steadfast, and exhorting one another to be kind.
أُولٰئِكَ أَصحٰبُ المَيمَنَةِ
These have deserved happiness.
وَالَّذينَ كَفَروا بِـٔايٰتِنا هُم أَصحٰبُ المَشـَٔمَةِ
As for those who disbelieved in our revelations, they have incurred misery.
عَلَيهِم نارٌ مُؤصَدَةٌ
They will be confined in the Hellfire.