Al Balad

1 I swear by this city, Makkah -

1 I do call to witness 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 a freeman 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 mystic ties of) parent and child; -

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 Verily We have created man into toil and struggle.

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 He may say (boastfully); Wealth have I squandered in abundance!

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 Have We not made for him a pair of eyes? -

8 Have We not made for him two eyes,

9 And a tongue and two lips?

9 And a tongue, and a pair of lips? -

9 And a tongue and two lips?

10 And have shown him the two ways?

10 And shown him the two highways?

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

11 But he has not broken through the difficult pass.

11 But he hath made no haste on the path that is steep.

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 And what will explain to thee the path that is steep? -

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

13 It is the freeing of a slave

13 (It is:) freeing the bondman;

13 (It is) freeing a neck (slave)

14 Or feeding on a day of severe hunger

14 Or the giving of food in a day of privation

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

15 An orphan of near relationship

15 To the orphan with claims of relationship,

15 To an orphan near of kin.

16 Or a needy person in misery

16 Or to the indigent (down) in the dust.

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 Then will he be of those who believe, and enjoin patience, (constancy, and self - restraint), and enjoin deeds of kindness and compassion.

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 Such are the Companions of 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 reject Our Signs, they are the (unhappy) Companions of 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 On them will be Fire vaulted over (all round).

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