Sura al-Balad

90:1. I swear by this city (of Mecca),

لا أقسم بهذا البلد

90:2. as you reside in this city* (O Esteemed Prophet!).

* In the first verse, the particle la has come for emphasis, not negation. According to some scholars, the particle la may also refer to the true negation. In this case, the translation will be: ‘I will not swear by this city (O Prophet!) when you depart from this city.’ According to another linguistic probability, if the particle la is for the negating rhetorical question (al-istifham al-inkari), in this case, the translation will be: ‘Why should I not swear by this city (O Prophet!), while you reside there?’

وأنت حل بهذا البلد

90:3. By the father and that whom he begot,*

* This refers to Adam and his progeny or every begetter and every begotten, indicating all of humanity from the first to the last. This phrase can also refer to Prophets Ibrahim and Isma‘il. It may also refer to Prophet Isma‘il and his progeny up to Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace be upon him), or Prophet Ibrahim and his progeny until the birth of Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace be upon him) in Mecca. For that reason, this city has become worthy of Allah’s oath.

ووالد وما ولد

90:4. surely, We have created humankind in (a state of constant) toil and trial.

لقد خلقنا الإنسان في كبد

90:5. Does he think that no one will have power over him?

أيحسب أن لن يقدر عليه أحد

90:6. He says: ‘I have spent wealth in abundance.’

يقول أهلكت مالا لبدا

90:7. Does he think no one has seen him?

أيحسب أن لم يره أحد

90:8. Have We not given him two eyes,

ألم نجعل له عينين

90:9. a tongue and two lips,

ولسانا وشفتين

90:10. and shown him the two clear paths (of good and evil)?

وهديناه النجدين

90:11. But he did not attempt the steep path (of goodness).

فلا اقتحم العقبة

90:12. What will make you realise what the steep path is?

وما أدراك ما العقبة

90:13. (It is) the freeing of a slave,

فك رقبة

90:14. or feeding (someone) on a day of starvation,

أو إطعام في يوم ذي مسغبة

90:15. or (feeding) an orphan among relatives,

يتيما ذا مقربة

90:16. or a needy (person) lying in the dust,

أو مسكينا ذا متربة

90:17. and above all, being one of those who believe, urge one another to patience and urge one another to compassion.

ثم كان من الذين آمنوا وتواصوا بالصبر وتواصوا بالمرحمة

90:18. They are the people of the Right Hand.

أولئك أصحاب الميمنة

90:19. But as for those who disbelieve in Our revelations, they are the people of the Left Hand.

والذين كفروا بآياتنا هم أصحاب المشأمة

90:20. Upon them will be an enclosed Fire.

عليهم نار مؤصدة