Al Balad

1 I swear by this city, Makkah -

1 In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Nay, I swear by this city -

1 In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. I swear by this city (Makkah);

2 And you, [O Muhammad], are free of restriction in this city -

2 And thou art an indweller of this city -

2 And you are free (from sin, and to punish the enemies of Islam on the Day of the conquest) in this city (Makkah).

3 And [by] the father and that which was born [of him],

3 And the begetter and that which he begat,

3 And by the begetter (i.e. Adam عليه السلام) and that which he begot (i.e. his progeny).

4 We have certainly created man into hardship.

4 We verily have created man in an atmosphere:

4 Verily, We have created man in toil.

5 Does he think that never will anyone overcome him?

5 Thinketh he that none hath power over him ?

5 Does he think that none can overcome him?

6 He says, "I have spent wealth in abundance."

6 And he saith: I have destroyed vast wealth:

6 He says (boastfully): "I have wasted wealth in abundance!"

7 Does he think that no one has seen him?

7 Thinketh he that none beholdeth him ?

7 Does he think that none sees him?

8 Have We not made for him two eyes?

8 Did We not assign unto him two eyes

8 Have We not made for him two eyes,

9 And a tongue and two lips?

9 And a tongue and two lips,

9 And a tongue and two lips?

10 And have shown him the two ways?

10 And guide him to the parting of the mountain ways ?

10 And shown him the two ways (good and evil)?

11 But he has not broken through the difficult pass.

11 But he hath not attempted the Ascent -

11 But he has not attempted to pass on the path that is steep (i.e. the path which will lead to goodness and success).

12 And what can make you know what is [breaking through] the difficult pass?

12 Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Ascent is! -

12 And what will make you know the path that is steep?

13 It is the freeing of a slave

13 (It is) to free a slave,

13 (It is) freeing a neck (slave)

14 Or feeding on a day of severe hunger

14 And to feed in the day of hunger.

14 Or giving food in a day of hunger (famine),

15 An orphan of near relationship

15 An orphan near of kin,

15 To an orphan near of kin.

16 Or a needy person in misery

16 Or some poor wretch in misery,

16 Or to a Miskin (poor) cleaving to dust (out of misery).

17 And then being among those who believed and advised one another to patience and advised one another to compassion.

17 And to be of those who believe and exhort one another to perseverance and exhort one another to pity.

17 Then he became one of those who believed (in the Islamic Monotheism) and recommended one another to perseverance and patience, and (also) recommended one another to pity and compassion.

18 Those are the companions of the right.

18 Their place will be on the right hand.

18 They are those on the Right Hand (i.e. the dwellers of Paradise),

19 But they who disbelieved in Our signs - those are the companions of the left.

19 But those who disbelieve Our revelations, their place will be on the left hand.

19 But those who disbelieved in Our Ayat (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), they are those on the Left Hand (the dwellers of Hell).

20 Over them will be fire closed in.

20 Fire will be an awning over them.

20 The Fire will be shut over them (i.e. they will be enveloped by the Fire without any opening or window or outlet.