Surah Al Balad

Translation by:
Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

1. لَآ اُقْسِمُ بِهٰذَا الْبَلَدِۙ

   Lā uqsimu bihāżal-balad(i).

   I do swear by this city ˹of Mecca˺—

2. وَاَنْتَ حِلٌّۢ بِهٰذَا الْبَلَدِۙ

   Wa anta ḥillum bihāżal-balad(i).

   even though you ˹O Prophet˺ are subject to abuse in this city—

3. وَوَالِدٍ وَّمَا وَلَدَۙ

   Wa wālidiw wa mā walad(a).

   and by every parent and ˹their˺ child!

4. لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْاِنْسَانَ فِيْ كَبَدٍۗ

   Laqad khalaqnal-insāna fī kabad(in).

   Indeed, We have created humanity in ˹constant˺ struggle.

5. اَيَحْسَبُ اَنْ لَّنْ يَّقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ اَحَدٌ ۘ

   Ayaḥsabu allay yaqdira ‘alaihi aḥad(un).

   Do they think that no one has power over them,

6. يَقُوْلُ اَهْلَكْتُ مَالًا لُّبَدًاۗ

   Yaqūlu ahlaktu mālal lubadā(n).

   boasting, “I have wasted enormous wealth!”?

7. اَيَحْسَبُ اَنْ لَّمْ يَرَهٗٓ اَحَدٌۗ

   Ayaḥsabu allam yarahū aḥad(un).

   Do they think that no one sees them?

8. اَلَمْ نَجْعَلْ لَّهٗ عَيْنَيْنِۙ

   Alam naj‘al lahū ‘ainain(i).

   Have We not given them two eyes,

9. وَلِسَانًا وَّشَفَتَيْنِۙ

   Wa lisānaw wa syafatain(i).

   a tongue, and two lips;

10. وَهَدَيْنٰهُ النَّجْدَيْنِۙ

    Wa hadaināhun-najdain(i).

    and shown them the two ways ˹of right and wrong˺?

11. فَلَا اقْتَحَمَ الْعَقَبَةَ ۖ

    Falaqtaḥamal-‘aqabah(ta).

    If only they had attempted the challenging path ˹of goodness instead˺!

12. وَمَآ اَدْرٰىكَ مَا الْعَقَبَةُ ۗ

    Wa mā adrāka mal-‘aqabah(tu).

    And what will make you realize what ˹attempting˺ the challenging path is?

13. فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍۙ

    Fakku raqabah(tin).

    It is to free a slave;

14. اَوْ اِطْعَامٌ فِيْ يَوْمٍ ذِيْ مَسْغَبَةٍۙ

    Au iṭ‘āmun fī yaumin żī masgabah(tin).

    or to give food in times of famine

15. يَّتِيْمًا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍۙ

    Yatīman żā maqrabah(tin).

    to an orphaned relative

16. اَوْ مِسْكِيْنًا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍۗ

    Au miskīnan żā matrabah(tin).

    or to a poor person in distress;

17. 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.

18. اُولٰۤىِٕكَ اَصْحٰبُ الْمَيْمَنَةِۗ

    Ulā'ika aṣḥābul-maimanah(ti).

    These are the people of the right.

19. 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.

20. عَلَيْهِمْ نَارٌ مُّؤْصَدَةٌ ࣖ

    ‘Alaihim nārum mu'ṣadah(tun).

    The Fire will be sealed over them.