Surah Al-Balad - English Translation by Mufti Taqi Usmani
لَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡبَلَدِ
I swear by this city
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 1
وَأَنتَ حِلُّۢ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡبَلَدِ
and (O Prophet,) you are going to be allowed (to fight) in this city
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 2
وَوَالِدٖ وَمَا وَلَدَ
and by the father and all those he begot
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 3
لَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ فِي كَبَدٍ
indeed We have created man (to live) in hard struggle
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 4
أَيَحۡسَبُ أَن لَّن يَقۡدِرَ عَلَيۡهِ أَحَدٞ
Does he think that no one has power over him
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 5
يَقُولُ أَهۡلَكۡتُ مَالٗا لُّبَدًا
He says, “I have spent a lot of wealth.”
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 6
أَيَحۡسَبُ أَن لَّمۡ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ
Does he think that no one has seen him
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 7
أَلَمۡ نَجۡعَل لَّهُۥ عَيۡنَيۡنِ
Did We not make for him two eyes
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 8
وَلِسَانٗا وَشَفَتَيۡنِ
and one tongue and two lips
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 9
وَهَدَيۡنَٰهُ ٱلنَّجۡدَيۡنِ
and showed him the two ways
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 10
فَلَا ٱقۡتَحَمَ ٱلۡعَقَبَةَ
Yet he did not make his way through the steep course
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 11
وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلۡعَقَبَةُ
And what may let you know what the steep course is
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 12
فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ
(It is) freeing of the neck of a slave
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 13
أَوۡ إِطۡعَٰمٞ فِي يَوۡمٖ ذِي مَسۡغَبَةٖ
or giving food in a day of hunger
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 14
يَتِيمٗا ذَا مَقۡرَبَةٍ
to an orphan near of kin
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 15
أَوۡ مِسۡكِينٗا ذَا مَتۡرَبَةٖ
or to a needy person lying in dust
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 16
ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلۡمَرۡحَمَةِ
then he did not join those who believe and advise each other to be patient and advise each other to be merciful
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 17
أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡمَيۡمَنَةِ
Those are the People of the Right Hand. (i.e. their books of deeds will be given in their right hands)
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 18
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا هُمۡ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡمَشۡـَٔمَةِ
As for those who reject Our verses, they are the People of the Left Hand. (i.e. their books of deeds will be given in their left hands)
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 19
عَلَيۡهِمۡ نَارٞ مُّؤۡصَدَةُۢ
Upon them will be the Fire, enveloping them with closed exits
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 20