Surah Al Balad
Translation by:
Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran
بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
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لَآ اُقْسِمُ بِهٰذَا الْبَلَدِۙ
Lā uqsimu bihāżal-balad(i).
I do swear by this city ˹of Mecca˺—
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وَاَنْتَ حِلٌّۢ بِهٰذَا الْبَلَدِۙ
Wa anta ḥillum bihāżal-balad(i).
even though you ˹O Prophet˺ are subject to abuse in this city—
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وَوَالِدٍ وَّمَا وَلَدَۙ
Wa wālidiw wa mā walad(a).
and by every parent and ˹their˺ child!
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لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْاِنْسَانَ فِيْ كَبَدٍۗ
Laqad khalaqnal-insāna fī kabad(in).
Indeed, We have created humanity in ˹constant˺ struggle.
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اَيَحْسَبُ اَنْ لَّنْ يَّقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ اَحَدٌ ۘ
Ayaḥsabu allay yaqdira ‘alaihi aḥad(un).
Do they think that no one has power over them,
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يَقُوْلُ اَهْلَكْتُ مَالًا لُّبَدًاۗ
Yaqūlu ahlaktu mālal lubadā(n).
boasting, “I have wasted enormous wealth!”?
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اَيَحْسَبُ اَنْ لَّمْ يَرَهٗٓ اَحَدٌۗ
Ayaḥsabu allam yarahū aḥad(un).
Do they think that no one sees them?
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اَلَمْ نَجْعَلْ لَّهٗ عَيْنَيْنِۙ
Alam naj‘al lahū ‘ainain(i).
Have We not given them two eyes,
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وَلِسَانًا وَّشَفَتَيْنِۙ
Wa lisānaw wa syafatain(i).
a tongue, and two lips;
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وَهَدَيْنٰهُ النَّجْدَيْنِۙ
Wa hadaināhun-najdain(i).
and shown them the two ways ˹of right and wrong˺?
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فَلَا اقْتَحَمَ الْعَقَبَةَ ۖ
Falaqtaḥamal-‘aqabah(ta).
If only they had attempted the challenging path ˹of goodness instead˺!
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وَمَآ اَدْرٰىكَ مَا الْعَقَبَةُ ۗ
Wa mā adrāka mal-‘aqabah(tu).
And what will make you realize what ˹attempting˺ the challenging path is?
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فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍۙ
Fakku raqabah(tin).
It is to free a slave;
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اَوْ اِطْعَامٌ فِيْ يَوْمٍ ذِيْ مَسْغَبَةٍۙ
Au iṭ‘āmun fī yaumin żī masgabah(tin).
or to give food in times of famine
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يَّتِيْمًا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍۙ
Yatīman żā maqrabah(tin).
to an orphaned relative
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اَوْ مِسْكِيْنًا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍۗ
Au miskīnan żā matrabah(tin).
or to a poor person in distress;
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ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْمَرْحَمَةِۗ
Ṡumma kāna minal-lażīna āmanū wa tawāṣau biṣ-ṣabri wa tawāṣau bil-marḥamah(ti).
and—above all—to be one of those who have faith and urge each other to perseverance and urge each other to compassion.
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اُولٰۤىِٕكَ اَصْحٰبُ الْمَيْمَنَةِۗ
Ulā'ika aṣḥābul-maimanah(ti).
These are the people of the right.
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وَالَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا بِاٰيٰتِنَا هُمْ اَصْحٰبُ الْمَشْـَٔمَةِۗ
Wal-lażīna kafarū bi'āyātinā hum aṣḥābul-masy'amah(ti).
As for those who deny Our signs, they are the people of the left.
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عَلَيْهِمْ نَارٌ مُّؤْصَدَةٌ ࣖ
‘Alaihim nārum mu'ṣadah(tun).
The Fire will be sealed over them.