Surah Al-Balad - English Translation by Mustafa Khattab God Edition
لَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡبَلَدِ
I do swear by this city ˹of Mecca˺—
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 1
وَأَنتَ حِلُّۢ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡبَلَدِ
even though you ˹O Prophet˺ are subject to abuse in this city—
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 2
وَوَالِدٖ وَمَا وَلَدَ
and by every parent and ˹their˺ child
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 3
لَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ فِي كَبَدٍ
Indeed, We have created humankind in ˹constant˺ struggle
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 4
أَيَحۡسَبُ أَن لَّن يَقۡدِرَ عَلَيۡهِ أَحَدٞ
Do they think that no one has power over them
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 5
يَقُولُ أَهۡلَكۡتُ مَالٗا لُّبَدًا
boasting, “I have wasted enormous wealth!”
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 6
أَيَحۡسَبُ أَن لَّمۡ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ
Do they think that no one sees them
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 7
أَلَمۡ نَجۡعَل لَّهُۥ عَيۡنَيۡنِ
Have We not given them two eyes
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 8
وَلِسَانٗا وَشَفَتَيۡنِ
a tongue, and two lips
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 9
وَهَدَيۡنَٰهُ ٱلنَّجۡدَيۡنِ
and shown them the two ways ˹of right and wrong˺
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 10
فَلَا ٱقۡتَحَمَ ٱلۡعَقَبَةَ
If only they had attempted the challenging path ˹of goodness instead˺
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 11
وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلۡعَقَبَةُ
And what will make you realize what ˹attempting˺ the challenging path is
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 12
فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ
It is to free a slave
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 13
أَوۡ إِطۡعَٰمٞ فِي يَوۡمٖ ذِي مَسۡغَبَةٖ
or to give food in times of famine
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 14
يَتِيمٗا ذَا مَقۡرَبَةٍ
to an orphaned relative
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 15
أَوۡ مِسۡكِينٗا ذَا مَتۡرَبَةٖ
or to a poor person in distress
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 16
ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلۡمَرۡحَمَةِ
and—above all—to be one of those who have faith and urge each other to perseverance and urge each other to compassion
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 17
أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡمَيۡمَنَةِ
These are the people of the right
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 18
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا هُمۡ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡمَشۡـَٔمَةِ
As for those who deny Our signs, they are the people of the left
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 19
عَلَيۡهِمۡ نَارٞ مُّؤۡصَدَةُۢ
The Fire will be sealed over them
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 20