Surah Al-Balad - English Translation by Farook Malik
لَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡبَلَدِ
I swear by this city
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 1
وَأَنتَ حِلُّۢ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡبَلَدِ
(where to assassinate) you (O Muhammad) have been made lawful in this city
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 2
وَوَالِدٖ وَمَا وَلَدَ
And I swear by your father (Adam) and the children he begot (mankind)
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 3
لَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ فِي كَبَدٍ
certainly We have created man to be in stress
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 4
أَيَحۡسَبُ أَن لَّن يَقۡدِرَ عَلَيۡهِ أَحَدٞ
Does he think that none has power over him
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 5
يَقُولُ أَهۡلَكۡتُ مَالٗا لُّبَدًا
He may boast: "I have squandered wealth in abundance
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 6
أَيَحۡسَبُ أَن لَّمۡ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ
Does he think that no one observes him
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 7
أَلَمۡ نَجۡعَل لَّهُۥ عَيۡنَيۡنِ
Have We not given him two eyes to observe
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 8
وَلِسَانٗا وَشَفَتَيۡنِ
One tongue and two lips to control it
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 9
وَهَدَيۡنَٰهُ ٱلنَّجۡدَيۡنِ
Then shown him the two high ways (good leading towards paradise and evil leading towards hell)
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 10
فَلَا ٱقۡتَحَمَ ٱلۡعَقَبَةَ
Yet he does not attempt to tackle the Aqabah (steep path)
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 11
وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلۡعَقَبَةُ
And what will explain to you what the Aqabah is
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 12
فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ
It is the freeing of a neck (slave) from bondage
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 13
أَوۡ إِطۡعَٰمٞ فِي يَوۡمٖ ذِي مَسۡغَبَةٖ
or the giving of food in a day of famine
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 14
يَتِيمٗا ذَا مَقۡرَبَةٍ
to an orphan relative
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 15
أَوۡ مِسۡكِينٗا ذَا مَتۡرَبَةٖ
or to a needy in distress
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 16
ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلۡمَرۡحَمَةِ
besides this, he should be of those who believe, enjoin fortitude, encourage kindness and compassion
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 17
أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡمَيۡمَنَةِ
Such are the people of the right hand (going towards paradise)
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 18
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا هُمۡ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡمَشۡـَٔمَةِ
But those who disbelieve Our revelations, they are the people of the left hand (going towards hell)
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 19
عَلَيۡهِمۡ نَارٞ مُّؤۡصَدَةُۢ
having fire all around them
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 20