Al-Balad

لَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلۡبَلَدِ

I swear by this city (Makkah);

وَأَنتَ حِلٌّۢ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلۡبَلَدِ

And you are free (from sin, and to punish the enemies of Islâm on the Day of the conquest) in this city (Makkah).[1]

وَوَالِدٍۢ وَمَا وَلَدَ

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

لَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ فِى كَبَدٍ

Verily, We have created man in toil.

أَيَحۡسَبُ أَن لَّن يَقۡدِرَ عَلَيۡهِ أَحَدٌۭ

Does he think that none can overcome him?

يَقُولُ أَهۡلَكۡتُ مَالًۭا لُّبَدًا

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

أَيَحۡسَبُ أَن لَّمۡ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ

Does he think that none sees him?

أَلَمۡ نَجۡعَل لَّهُۥ عَيۡنَيۡنِ

Have We not made for him two eyes,

وَلِسَانًۭا وَشَفَتَيۡنِ

And a tongue and two lips?

وَهَدَيۡنَـٰهُ ٱلنَّجۡدَيۡنِ

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

فَلَا ٱقۡتَحَمَ ٱلۡعَقَبَةَ

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

وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلۡعَقَبَةُ

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

فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ

(It is) freeing a neck (slave)[2]

أَوۡ إِطۡعَـٰمٌۭ فِى يَوۡمٍۢ ذِى مَسۡغَبَةٍۢ

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

يَتِيمًۭا ذَا مَقۡرَبَةٍ

To an orphan near of kin.

أَوۡ مِسۡكِينًۭا ذَا مَتۡرَبَةٍۢ

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

ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَتَوَاصَوۡا۟ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ وَتَوَاصَوۡا۟ بِٱلۡمَرۡحَمَةِ

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.

أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَـٰبُ ٱلۡمَيۡمَنَةِ

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

وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا هُمۡ أَصۡحَـٰبُ ٱلۡمَشۡـَٔمَةِ

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

عَلَيۡهِمۡ نَارٌۭ مُّؤۡصَدَةٌۢ

The Fire will be shut over them (i.e. they will be enveloped by the Fire without any opening or window or outlet.[3]